Forge Brief

Joji

2017-present (post-Pink Guy comedy persona); commercial peak 2018-present (BALLADS 1, Smithereens)

Breathy, lo-fi-R&B-sad-pop, Brooklyn-Japanese-Australian — alt-R&B as Brooklyn-via-Joji-school lo-fi-R&B-sad-pop ritual.

Forge a Joji-inspired song How we score

Genres

lo-fi r&balternative r&bsad-popbedroom r&b

Vocal character

Joji: distinctive Japanese-Australian-Brooklyn-accented baritone-tenor with breathy, theatrical conversational-intimate verse delivery and head-voice falsetto chorus peaks. Auto-tune-sliding-pitch hooks occasionally; multi-tracked harmonies on himself; lo-fi-R&B + alt-R&B + sad-pop + bedroom-R&B hybrid precision.

Production markers

Joji self-production + Yves Rothman + Justin Parkerlo-fi-R&B + alt-R&B + sad-pop + bedroom-R&B foundation (Rhodes piano + analog-synth pads + sparse drum-machine kicks + 808 sub-bass + occasional electric-guitar with chorus-pedal + occasional string-section)multi-tracked vocal harmony stacksreverb-soaked atmospheric vocal productionlo-fi-R&B bedroom-arrangement88rising + 12Tone-Music sonic

Lyrical themes

romantic ambivalence + theatrical-sad-pop vulnerability (Slow Dancing in the Dark, Glimpse of Us)observation of love's costs with male-introspective-vulnerability perspectivecelebration of Brooklyn + Japanese-Australian identityself-aware mental-health honestytheatrical first-person lo-fi-R&B storytelling

Signature moves

Rhodes piano + analog-synth pad foundationhead-voice falsetto chorus peak with breathy-vulnerable phrasingmulti-tracked harmony hook with reverb-soaked vocalstring-section bridge with theatrical-sad-pop crescendo

Avoid — off-brand for this artist

EDM drops without polishrap features as dominantmetal guitarcountry productiontheatrical pop-vocal projection without sad-pop edge

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