Internationally Acclaimed Soul Singer Nao Yoshioka to Release New Album 'self' on July 17

Internationally acclaimed soul singer Nao Yoshioka will release her new album 'self' on Friday, July 17, 2026. Ahead of the release, she has unveiled the list of collaborators. Artists from the global soul scene have gathered for this project, including Philadelphia neo-soul legend Bilal, Grammy-winning producer Peter CottonTale, world-renowned trumpeter Keyon Harrold, Chicago-based poet/singer Jamila Woods, Emmy-winning and Grammy-nominated Khari Mateen, indie R&B frontrunner Devin Morrison, Australian virtuoso MXXWLL, UK vocalist Sam Wills, Dutch-Ghanaian artist Bnnyhunna, Vietnamese rising star Mỹ Anh, Nordic R&B newcomer Misha, German LoFi legend Shuko, and Taiwanese vibraphonist Chien Chien Lu. Artists from America, Europe, and Asia have come together in one work, representing the culmination of the 'WORLD SOUL COLLECTIVE' philosophy long embodied by SWEET SOUL RECORDS. Crossing genres, borders, and races, the album resonates with the current state of soul music on a global scale. Spanning neo-soul, indie R&B, Afrobeats, house, and spiritual jazz, Nao Yoshioka’s voice ties it all together. The connections and trust built during her 11-country tour for her previous album 'Flow' made this project possible. 'self' is a work that delves deep into the 'inner self' that Nao Yoshioka has not previously revealed. After touring 11 countries for 'Flow,' she reached a realization: 'It has only just begun.' She is now re-examining the loneliness and conflicts she previously overcame, not as things to be 'conquered,' but as parts of herself to be 'accepted.' The title 'self' embodies the meaning of embracing one's 'true self,' including weaknesses and hesitations, not just strength. In this album, Nao Yoshioka faces her 'shadow' and captures the new freedom found beyond it through music.