# Soulhead > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Soulhead > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Soulhead.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soulhead > Source revision: 1264973936 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Japanese musical duo}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Soulhead | caption = | image = | image_size = | background = group_or_band | alias = | origin = [Ebetsu, Hokkaido](/source/Ebetsu%2C_Hokkaido), Japan | genre = {{flatlist| * [Urban contemporary](/source/Urban_contemporary) * [J-pop](/source/J-pop)}} | years_active = {{start date|2002}}–2013 | label = [Sony Music Associated Records](/source/Sony_Music_Japan) (former)[http://www.sonymusic.co.jp/Music/Info/SOULHEAD/index2.html Soulhead official web site - Biography]
[onenation](/source/onenation) (former)
[Avex Group](/source/Avex_Group) (former) | current_members = | past_members = * Yoshika * Tsugumi }} '''Soulhead''' was a Japanese [urban contemporary](/source/urban_contemporary)/[R&B](/source/R%26B) duo consisting of sisters Yoshika Sawayama (よしか) and Tsugumi Sawayama (つぐみ). Both were born in [Hokkaidō](/source/Hokkaid%C5%8D); Yoshika was born on July 20, 1978, and Tsugumi was born on January 25, 1981. They worked with several well-known artists, including [Sowelu](/source/Sowelu), [Koda Kumi](/source/Koda_Kumi), [Crystal Kay](/source/Crystal_Kay) and [Ken Hirai](/source/Ken_Hirai). ==Biography== Before they assumed the name Soulhead, Yoshika and Tsugumi were known as Batti Baas. Batti Baas released one vinyl single through '''Handcuts Records''' called ''[Lovin' You](/source/Lovin'_You_(Soulhead_song))'', which featured Aaron Blackmon. The song was a remake of the [Minnie Riperton](/source/Minnie_Riperton) standard. In February 2002, they released a CD single through [Tokuma Japan Communications](/source/Tokuma_Japan_Communications) called ''[Inside Out](/source/Inside_Out_(Soulhead_song)).'' Shortly after the release of ''Inside Out,'' they were signed to [Sony Music Associated Records](/source/Sony_Music_Japan) and began working under the pseudonym Soulhead. The label sent them one year abroad to [Australia](/source/Australia) and [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand) to improve their proficiency in English. They released their debut single, ''[Step to the New World](/source/Step_to_the_New_World),'' on August 21, 2002. In 2006 they were transferred to Sony Music Associated Records' [sublabel](/source/sublabel), [onenation](/source/onenation). They appeared on various compilations with other [Japan](/source/Japan)ese artists. Soulhead's sound was a blend between various genres, such as [soul](/source/soul_music), [hip-hop](/source/Hip_hop_music), [R&B](/source/contemporary_R%26B), [dancehall](/source/dancehall), [reggae](/source/reggae) and [funk](/source/funk), with many of their lyrics in English. They usually worked with the production team known as Octopussy. They also worked on releases with other Japanese artists, such as [Kumi Koda](/source/Kumi_Koda) and Soul'd Out. Yoshika is also a renowned [songwriter](/source/songwriter), who has worked with artists such as [Sowelu](/source/Sowelu), [Ken Hirai](/source/Ken_Hirai) and [Crystal Kay](/source/Crystal_Kay). On February 21, 2007, they released a [greatest hits album](/source/greatest_hits) called ''[Best of Soulhead](/source/Best_of_Soulhead)'', which contained all of their singles released up to ''[Naked](/source/Naked_(Soulhead_album))'', along with a few [b-side](/source/b-side)s. On February 24, 2010, after a four-year hiatus, they released a new album titled ''[Soulhead](/source/Soulhead_(album))'' under [Avex Group](/source/Avex_Group), which they transferred to from [SMEJ](/source/Sony_Music_Entertainment_Japan).[http://www.oricon.co.jp/music/release/d/854120/1/ 未定/SOULHEAD - Oricon] On September 28, 2011, the duo released their second Avex album, ''[Jump Up the Wall](/source/Jump_Up_the_Wall).'' This has been their final release to date. Yoshika released her first solo album on July 3, 2013, titled ''[My Anthem](/source/My_Anthem),'' which consisted of twelve new songs and one remix. Six months later, she released another album: a remix album compiled of remixes from ''My Anthem.''{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?__mk_ja_JP=%E3%82%AB%E3%82%BF%E3%82%AB%E3%83%8A&url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=yoshika+anthem|title=Yoshika My Anthem|work=Amazon Japan|accessdate=March 7, 2016}} As of March 2016, their [Avex](/source/Avex) site was unavailable.{{cite web|url=http://soulhead.info|title=This domain is available|work=Onamae|accessdate=March 2, 2016}} Yoshika is the singer of alternative band Free But Sharp Pain, first formed in 2014.{{cite web|url=https://www.indieweek.com/free-but-sharp-pain-aka-fbsp/|title=Free But Sharp Pain (aka FBSP)|work=Indie Week|accessdate=January 17, 2023}} They have released one EP, ''Fall Into Reverie'', in 2022. Since 2014, Tsugumi performs with fellow rapper Luna as hip hop duo MaryJane,{{cite web|url=https://undermain.art/performing-arts/20-female-japanese-mcs-changing-the-world-of-hip-hop-maryjane-luna-and-tsugumi/|title=MaryJane (Luna and Tsugumi)|work=Undermain|date=23 August 2018 |accessdate=January 17, 2023}} releasing one album called ''Street Names'' in 2014 and an EP, ''Two'', in 2016, via Luna's own label Lilbooty Recordings. Tsugumi released her first solo album on May 18, 2016, titled ''LUVPLATE'', on the Lilbooty Recordings label. She released two solo songs in 2019, "Nail Gossip" and "Braid My Hair", and an EP titled ''Laid Back'' in 2021. It was announced in their official blog that Yoshika gave birth to a baby. In 2022 she hosted a radio show on FM Karatsu. ==Influences== Some musical [artist](/source/artist)s who they respect are [Tupac Shakur](/source/Tupac_Shakur), [Snoop Dogg](/source/Snoop_Dogg), [The Beatles](/source/The_Beatles), [Janis Joplin](/source/Janis_Joplin), [Takuro Yoshida](/source/Takuro_Yoshida) and [Ice Cube](/source/Ice_Cube).{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/artists/soulhead/biography/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140115105151/http://www.mtv.com/artists/soulhead/biography/|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 15, 2014|title=SOULHEAD Bio|work=MTV|accessdate=March 2, 2016}} ==Albums== ===Studio albums=== #''[Oh My Sister](/source/Oh_My_Sister)''
'''Rank''': #3 / '''Sold''': 214,545 #:March 5, 2003 #[''Braided''](/source/Braided_(album))
'''Rank''': #4 / '''Sold''': 139,992 #:April 28, 2004 #[''Naked''](/source/Naked_(Soulhead_album))
'''Rank''': #5 #:March 8, 2006 #[''Soulhead''](/source/Soulhead_(album))
'''Rank''': #40 #:February 24, 2010 #''[Jump Up the Wall](/source/Jump_Up_the_Wall)''
'''Rank''': #73 #:September 28, 2011 ===Best albums=== #''[Best of Soulhead](/source/Best_of_Soulhead)''
'''Rank''': #5 #:February 21, 2007 ===Remix albums=== #''[Re-Construct Album Vol.1 Reflection](/source/Re-Construct_Album_Vol.1_Reflection)''
'''Rank''': #89 / '''Sold''': 9,602 #:September 26, 2003 #''[Re-Construct Album Vol.2 Crystallized](/source/Re-Construct_Album_Vol.2_Crystallized)''
'''Rank''': #41 #:June 21, 2006 ===Yoshika solo albums=== #''[My Anthem](/source/My_Anthem)''
'''Rank''': #286 #:July 3, 2013 #''My Anthem: Sympathetic Resonance'' #:January 22, 2014 ===Tsugumi solo albums=== #''Luvplate'' #:May 18, 2016 #''Laid Back'' EP #:September 24, 2021 ==Singles== ===Standard singles=== (Source[http://www.oricon.co.jp/artists/h/301862/ Soulhead release summary - Oricon Style music]) {{div col|colwidth=22em}} #"[Lovin' You feat. Aaron Blackmon](/source/Lovin'_You_(Soulhead_song))" (Batti Baas) #:January 7, 2001 #"[Inside Out](/source/Inside_Out_(Soulhead_song))" (Batti Baas) #:June 2, 2002 #"[Step to the New World](/source/Step_to_the_New_World)"
'''Rank''': #24 / '''Sold''': 59,287 #:July 24, 2002 (12") #:August 21, 2002 (CD) #"[Lover, Knight, Man](/source/Lover%2C_Knight%2C_Man)"
'''Rank''': #36 / '''Sold''': 18,410 #:November 20, 2002 #"[Sora](/source/Sora_(Soulhead_song))"
'''Rank''': #28 / '''Sold''': 16,035 #:February 5, 2005 #"[Oh My Sister (Remix)/I'm Just Going Down](/source/Oh_My_Sister_(Remix)%2FI'm_Just_Going_Down)"
'''Rank''': #114 / '''Sold''': 2,561 #:May 2, 2003 #"[Get Up! EP](/source/Get_Up!_(Soulhead_EP))"
'''Rank''': #28 / '''Sold''': 15,967 #:July 30, 2003 #"[You Can Do That](/source/You_Can_Do_That)"
'''Rank''': #36 / '''Sold''': 18,691 #:January 21, 2004 #"[No Way](/source/No_Way_(Soulhead_song))"
'''Rank''': #50 / '''Sold''': 5,353 #:March 24, 2004 #"[At the Party](/source/At_the_Party_(Soulhead_song))" #:June 2, 2004 #"[Fiesta](/source/Fiesta_(Soulhead_song))"
'''Rank''': #35 / '''Sold''': 7,773 #:May 25, 2005 #"[Sparkle Train/Got to Leave](/source/Sparkle_Train)"
'''Rank''': #30 / '''Sold''': 15,324 #:December 14, 2005 #"[Pray/XXX](/source/Pray%2FXXX) feat. [Koda Kumi](/source/Koda_Kumi)"
'''Rank''': #22 / '''Sold''': 10,109 #:January 27, 2006 #"[Kimi no Kiseki/Itsumademo...](/source/Kimi_no_Kiseki%2FItsumademo...)"
'''Rank''': #56 #:December 6, 2006 #"[Dear Friends](/source/Dear_Friends_(Soulhead_song))"
'''Rank''': #60 #:January 24, 2007 {{div col end}} ===12" analog singles=== (Source{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/101756-Soulhead|title=Soulhead Discography at Discogs|work=Discogs|accessdate=March 25, 2016}}) #"Too Late" [DJ Watarai remix]/Song For You [DJ Hironyc remix] #:August 20, 2003 #"Break Up" [DJ Masterkey remix]/Playboy [Saigenji remix] #:August 20, 2003 #"To Da Fakes MCs" #:September 10, 2003 #"Lover, Knight, Man" [D.O.I.+Octopussy remix]/Moon Shine feat. Aaron Blackmon [Doggystyle remix] #:September 10, 2003 #"Sparkle☆Train" - produced by [Mark de Clive-Lowe](/source/Mark_de_Clive-Lowe) / You can do that - produced by Reel People #:July 13, 2006 #"XXX" - produced by SA-RA / "Pray" - produced by [Kenny Dope](/source/Kenny_%22Dope%22_Gonzalez) #:July 13, 2006 ==DVDs== #''[Oh My Sister Live & Clips](/source/Oh_My_Sister_Live_%26_Clips)'' #:October 8, 2003 #''[Soulhead Tour 2006: Naked](/source/Soulhead_Tour_2006%3A_Naked)'' #:August 9, 2006 #''[Best of Soulhead: 5th Anniversary Tour](/source/Best_of_Soulhead%3A_5th_Anniversary_Tour)'' #:November 11, 2007 ==Collaborative efforts and featured artist== #"Ryuusei no Sadoru" (流星のサドル / Meteor of the Saddle) (February 25, 2004) #:from album ''[Soul Tree ~a musical tribute to toshinobu kubota~](/source/Soul_Tree%3A_A_Musical_Tribute_to_Toshinobu_Kubota)'' #"Like a Queen" February 23, 2005) #:from single "Like a Queen feat. Soulhead" / Tomita.Lab{{cite web|url=http://www.sonymusic.co.jp/Music/Info/TomitaLab/release/AICL1594.html|title=Tomita.Lab release|work=Sony Music|accessdate=March 7, 2016}} #"[D.D.D feat. Soulhead](/source/DDD_(Koda_Kumi_song))" (December 21, 2005) #:from album ''[BEST ~second session~](/source/Best%3A_Second_Session)'' / [Koda Kumi](/source/Koda_Kumi) #"Home party feat. Tsugumi of Soulhead" (August 1, 2007) #:from the album ''おたくgirlsの宴'' / lecca{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%81%8A%E3%81%9F%E3%81%8Fgirls%E3%81%AE%E5%AE%B4-lecca/dp/B000QEIVRO|title=lecca: Otaku girls no Utage|work=Amazon Japan|accessdate=March 7, 2016}} #"Beauty and the Beast" (September 26, 2007) #:from the album ''Tribute to Celine Dion''{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%82%BB%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%83%8C%E3%83%BB%E3%83%87%E3%82%A3%E3%82%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%83%BB%E3%83%88%E3%83%AA%E3%83%93%E3%83%A5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%88-DVD%E4%BB%98-%E3%82%AA%E3%83%A0%E3%83%8B%E3%83%90%E3%82%B9/dp/B000UO6JJ2|title=TRIBUTE TO CELINE DION (with DVD)|work=Amazon Japan|accessdate=March 7, 2016}} #"Love Majic feat. Luna, Tsugumi of Soulhead, and Jamosa" (July 28, 2010) #:from the album ''Power Butterfly'' / lecca{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%83%91%E3%83%AF%E3%83%BC%E3%83%90%E3%82%BF%E3%83%95%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A4-lecca/dp/B003JK2ZZ6|title=lecca, LUNA, Kyushuo, SHAGGY, TSUGUMI, JAMOSA: Power Butterfly|work=Amazon Japan|accessdate=March 7, 2016}} #"Round Mirror Moon feat. Yoshika" (October 2, 2010) #:from the album ''攻め燃える (Burning Attack)'' / Jabberloop{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E6%94%BB%E3%82%81%E7%87%83%E3%81%88%E3%82%8B-JABBERLOOP/dp/B0040PBUV4/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1457397626&sr=1-1&keywords=%E6%94%BB%E3%82%81%E7%87%83%E3%81%88%E3%82%8B+jabberloop|title=JABBERLOOP: Seme Moeru|work=Amazon Japan|accessdate=March 7, 2016}} #"Natural High feat. Tsugumi" (October 2, 2010) #:from the album ''攻め燃える (Burning Attack)'' / Jabberloop{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E6%94%BB%E3%82%81%E7%87%83%E3%81%88%E3%82%8B-JABBERLOOP/dp/B0040PBUV4/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1457397626&sr=1-1&keywords=%E6%94%BB%E3%82%81%E7%87%83%E3%81%88%E3%82%8B+jabberloop|title=JABBERLOOP: Seme Moeru|work=Amazon Japan|accessdate=March 7, 2016}} #"Slow Motion feat. Tsugumi" (May 18, 2011) #:from the album ''OPEN THE DOOR'' / Hiroko{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/OPEN-DOOR-HIROKO/dp/B004LPHVQQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1457397885&sr=1-1&keywords=open+the+door+hiroko|title=HIROKO: OPEN THE DOOR|work=Amazon Japan|accessdate=March 7, 2016}} #"Dreamers feat. Tsugumi" (October 26, 2011) #:from the album ''BEHIND the TRUTH'' / Nerdhead{{cite web|url=http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/UPCH-1847|title=Behind the Truth NERDHEAD CD Album|work=CD Japan|accessdate=March 7, 2016}} ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * [http://www.soulhead.info/ Soulhead official Avex web site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180414020300/http://soulhead.info/ |date=2018-04-14 }} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110604123829/http://avexnet.jp/id/soulh/profile/ Soulhead @ Avex] * [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Soulhead Soulhead discography @ Discogs] * [http://www.oricon.co.jp/artists/301862/ Soulhead @ Oricon Style music] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060218002110/http://www.oikake.net/artists/Soulhead/ Soulhead @ OikakeNet] * [https://ameblo.jp/soulhead-yoshika Yoshika official blog] {{Soulhead}} {{Soulhead singles}} {{Authority control}} Category:Musical groups established in 2002 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2013 Category:2002 establishments in Japan Category:2013 disestablishments in Japan Category:Avex Group artists Category:Japanese pop music groups Category:Tokuma Japan Communications artists Category:People from Ebetsu, Hokkaido --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Soulhead](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soulhead) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soulhead?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.