SoulJa

SoulJa and Mitsu Dan promoting "What's your name?" (2013)

SoulJa is a a Japanese R&B, urban, and hip-hop singer-songwriter currently signed to avex trax sub-label, cutting edge. He debuted with Rock & Hill Records, before signing with UNIVERSAL SIGMA in 2007. SoulJa is best known for his collaboration singles with Aoyama Thelma, "Koko ni Iru yo" and "Soba ni Iru ne".

Profile

• Stage Name: SoulJa
• Birth Name: Johannes Marías Reijnders Zwan
• Date of Birth: November 1, 1983 (1983-11-01)
• Place of Birth: Higashikurume, Tokyo, Japan
• Bands / Groups:
  • ISSA x SoulJa (2010-2012)

Labels

• Rock & Hill Records (2005-2006)
• Universal Music (2007-2013)
• Cutting Edge (2013)

Information

SoulJa promoting Spirits (2007)

SoulJa promoting "ONE TIME" (2009)

SoulJa promoting Letters (2010)

SoulJa promoting ISM (2012)

Since he was little, SoulJa has been influenced by his Belgian musician mother. He learned how to play violin, cello and piano. Due to family circumstances he switched between living in Belgium, Japan and the United States. While living in the United States, he performed freestyle rap at clubs in Denver, New York, New Jersey and San Francisco.

In 2005 he got his first break in the music scene when his song "First Contact" was used as the Men's Beauteen commercial song starring Odagiri Joe. In November, it was released on an album of the same name with a limited press of 1,200 copies. The album sold out, and several months later it was repressed with new tracks.

SoulJa made his major debut under Universal Music Japan in 2007 with the single "DOGG POUND", but it was not until his collaboration single with then unknown R&B singer Aoyama Thelma that he found success. They released a collaboration single, "Koko ni Iru yo", which became a long-charting hit and eventually sold over 100,000 copies. An answer song, "Soba ni Iru ne", was released as Aoyama's second single. It reached #1 on the Oricon weekly charts and outsold the original.

Discography

Studio Albums

• [2007.11.14] Spirits
• [2008.06.18] SPIRITS X'tended
• [2009.02.25] COLORZ
• [2010.06.16] Letters

Best Albums

• [2011.01.12] BEST 2007-2010

Split Albums

• [2012.02.29] ISM (ISSA x SoulJa)

Mini-Albums

• [2005.11.01] First Contact (indies)

Singles

• [2007.02.28] DOGG POUND
• [2007.06.20] rain
• [2007.09.19] Koko ni Iru yo feat. Aoyama Thelma (ここにいるよ; I'm Here)
• [2009.01.21] ONE TIME feat. Issei & Oki Jin
• [2010.01.20] Way to love ~Saigo no Koi~ feat. Karasawa Miho (Way to love ~最後の恋~; Last Love)
• [2010.04.14] Umaku Kotoba ni Dekinai Keredo feat. Kayama Saki (うまく言葉にできないけれど; I Can't Say It Well, But...)
• [2010.05.26] Hanasanaide yo feat. Aoyama Thelma (はなさないでよ; Don't Let Go)
• [2013.07.24] Ame Nochi Hare / What's your name? (雨のち晴れ)

Split Singles

• [2008.10.15] Kinenbi.home (記念日・home; Anniversary) (SoulJa' x Misslim)
• [2010.09.22] Breathe (ISSA x SoulJa)
• [2011.03.09] 4 chords (ISSA x SoulJa)
• [2011.10.12] I hate U (ISSA x SoulJa)

Digital Singles

• [2010.06.02] 2111 ~Kako to Mirai de Warau Kodomo Tachi e~ (2111 ~過去と未来で笑う子供達へ~) (UNDER GRAPH×SoulJa)
• [2013.02.27] What's your name? collaboration with Mitsu Dan (SoulJa x Nakamura Maiko)
• [2013.06.19] Ame Nochi Hare (雨のち晴れ) collaboration with Sugaya Tetsuya (SoulJa×Kenji03)
• [2013.07.17] Ame Nochi Hare (雨のち晴れ) (SoulJa×Kenji03×Kawakita Mayu)

Compilations / Other

• [2007.12.05] Ai no Uta (#2 Koko ni Iru yo feat. Aoyama Thelma)
• [2008.01.16] Negachen Compi Negative Happy Chain Saw Edge Official Compi (#5 break, #6 engage)
• [2008.01.23] Aoyama Thelma - Soba ni Iru ne feat. SoulJa
• [2008.09.03] Sly & Robbie - AMAZING (#2 Hurry Home feat. LADY TRAFFIC, SoulJa & Chantelle)
• [2008.09.09] LADY TRAFFIC powered by Sly & Robbie - TRAFFIC (#2 Hurry Home feat. SoulJa & Chantelle)
• [2008.09.10] Kimi to no Uta ~Collaboration~ (#1 Koko ni Iru yo feat. Aoyama Thelma, #2 Soba ni Iru ne feat. SoulJa)
• [2008.10.29] DJ KAORI'S J-MIX II (#17 Koko ni Iru yo feat. Aoyama Thelma, #18 Soba ni Iru ne feat. SoulJa)
• [2009.01.21] Mobauta (#2 Soba ni Iru ne feat. SoulJa, #5 Koko ni Iru yo feat. Aoyama Thelma)
• [2009.01.28] DJ MASTERKEY - FROM THE STREETS KING OF MIX (#28 DOGG POUND)
• [2009.12.23] Hit Songs ~Yasashii Hikari / Unmei no Hito~ Hit Songs orgel collection (#14 Soba ni Iru ne feat. SoulJa)
• [2010.02.03] Ryuha-R GREATEST HITS (#3 Soba ni Iru ne feat. SoulJa, #4 Koko ni Iru yo feat. Aoyama Thelma)
• [2010.02.17] Skelt 8 Bambino - What's Love?" feat. SoulJa
• [2010.02.24] Koyanagi Yuki - The Best Now & Then ~10th Anniversary~ (#1 be alive ~Sono Mama no Kimi de Ite~ feat. SoulJa)
• [2010.05.26] Skelt 8 Bambino - LOVE BALANCE (#8 What's Love? feat. SoulJa)
• [2010.07.28] Aoyama Thelma - LOVE! 2 -THELMA BEST COLLABORATIONS- (#3 Hanasanaide yo feat. Aoyama Thelma, #10 Soba ni Iru ne feat. SoulJa)
• [2011.06.22] Koi no Uta ~Aitakute~ (#3 Koko ni Iru yo feat. Aoyama Thelma)
• [2011.07.27] Kayama Saki - Hontou ni Kimi ja Nai no Kana... feat. SoulJa

Trivia

• Hobbies: Playing with his dog
• Sports: Snowboard, Mountain Biking
• Favourite Authors: Shakespeare, Kafka
• Favourite Movies: The Godfather, Scarface, Seven Samurai
• Favourite Actors: Anthony Hopkins, [[wikipedia:Marlon Brando|Marlon Brando]

External Links

• Universal Music Official Profile
• Official Blog
• Official Blog
• Official VEVO