Canada's other Justin keeps his perspective - Edmonton Journal
JUN 02 2010
He's one of those thoughtful singer-songwriters, a worldly 21-year-old who likes to reflect on headier subjects such as inner peace, family ties or reincarnation, not just croon about girls.
His first album, Holly, was dedicated to his mother, who happens to be the half-sister of actress Kyra Sedgwick. (Which means Nozuka is one degree of separation from Kevin Bacon, who is Sedgwick's husband.) His latest, You I Wind Land And Sea, a laconic affair with Latin percussion, piano and Indian-flavoured guitars, was partly inspired by his six siblings, his Japanese father, and his travels around the globe.
Love, of course, factors into Nozuka's lyrics, but even the Toronto artist's first single, My Heart Is Yours, isn't as straightforward as the title sounds. "The image of a beautiful mountain really inspired the song," he says. "The sun was setting behind the mountain and I was just watching it, noticing all the different colours in the sky."
No wonder the ladies love him. Nozuka is also willing to tackle uglier themes. Swan In The Water, taken from a conversation with his father, is "an expression of confusion and anxiety, of missing the connection with love and peace," while Carried You, a tune about two warring enemies, was co-written with his 19-year-old brother, Henry.
"One kills the other and as he does it, he realizes this is not the way, he wants to make peace with the man that he's killed," says Nozuka.
"He then sacrifices himself and their spirits fly through the air. The one spirit leads the other into a pregnant mother's stomach."
Yup, definitely not your standard pop fare -- which might explain why Nozuka has yet to spark international pandemonium on the scale of Bieber Fever. His success has been much more modest -- a few Top 40 radio hits in the U.S., France and Japan; an appearance on Degrassi: The Next Generation; and a turn on Young Artists For Haiti's rendition of K'naan's uplifting ditty, Wavin' Flag, which raised more than $1 million for survivors of the Haiti earthquake.
Nozuka, who released his debut when he was 18, is more than content with the pace of his career. He doesn't want to turn into a diva like Bieber, who is now rumoured to yell at crew members and show up late for events.
"There are so many examples of artists that become really successful and go crazy. It just says a lot about human beings in those situations, getting so much attention and having that cushy lifestyle, travelling all over the place, talking about themselves in every interview. I feel it, at times, just the weird mental madness from all that. I think it's really important to keep your perspective."
He might experience a few more moments of mental madness over the next little while. He's backed by the same British label, Glassnote Records, as up 'n' comers Two Door Cinema Club and folk-rockers Mumford & Sons. In July, Nozuka will celebrate what might be his biggest break -- opening for R&B/soul legend Stevie Wonder at the Festival de Nimes in France.
"Sometimes I think about it and I'm like, 'WOW!' Other times, I can't even feel anything because I'm unable to process it. It's a weird thing. Stevie Wonder is a great of our time. To cross paths with him in this lifetime is incredible. It's crazy."
These days, Nozuka seems more preoccupied with the idea of touring with three of his four brothers -- Henry, Christian Bridges and George, who had a short-lived career as a teen R&B star in 2006. With family coming before fame, you know he's going to be all right in the long haul.
"I've been thinking about it a lot, actually. All my brothers are writing songs, so it would be great for us all to be singing and writing music together."
Read more: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/Canada+other+Justin+keeps+perspective/3101520/story.html#ixzz0piKmOrsH
Edmonton Journal
Winnipeg Autograph Signing!
MAY 19 2010
McNally Robinson
Justin to Open for Stevie Wonder!!
MAY 12 2010
Just Announced - Justin Nozuka will be the support act for the legendary STEVIE WONDER at the Festival de Nimes in France July 4th!
Since 1997, the Festival de Nimes (organized by FM Productions in association with the city of Nimes) has promoted current music with such big names as PJ Harvey, Placebo, Black Desire, Ben Harper, David Bowie, The Cure, Compay Segundo, Depeche Mode, Rammstein, and Metallica in the past.
This year is no exception with Pink, ZZ Top, Vampire Weekend, Editors, and Jamiroquai and more, coming out to play the festival running from July 4-24.
The Festival de Nimes is the highlight of summer in France!
Tickets are on sale now - visit Live Nation France below for details!
Live Nation France
Broadcast of Justin Nozuka on NPR's World Cafe
MAY 11 2010
National Public Radio’s World Cafe with host David Dye can be heard on over 200 stations nationwide. Fans can find their local station at the following link by selecting a state from the pull-down menu here: http://www.npr.org/templates/stations/schedule/?prgId=39
…or, worldwide, fans can connect to the WXPN Philadelphia stream Monday through Friday, 2pm to 4pm EST, here: http://www.xpn.org/listen-live/listen-live
World Cafe - NRP
Pre-Order YIWLS on Amazon UK
MAY 05 2010
Click the link below to pre-order today!
Amazon UK
![[PIAS] Recordings](/img/common/logo_pias.gif "[PIAS] Recordings"){kind=logo}
