Soulhead was a Japanese urban contemporary/R&B duo consisting of sisters Yoshika Sawayama (よしか) and Tsugumi Sawayama (つぐみ). Both were born in Hokkaidō; Yoshika was born on July 20, 1978, and Tsugumi was born on January 25, 1981. They worked with several well-known artists, including Sowelu, Koda Kumi, Crystal Kay and 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, which featured Aaron Blackmon. The song was a remake of the Minnie Riperton standard. In February 2002, they released a CD single through Tokuma Japan Communications called Inside Out.
Shortly after the release of Inside Out, they were signed to Sony Music Associated Records and began working under the pseudonym Soulhead. The label sent them one year abroad to Australia and New Zealand to improve their proficiency in English. They released their debut single, Step to the New World, on August 21, 2002. In 2006 they were transferred to Sony Music Associated Records' sublabel, onenation. They appeared on various compilations with other Japanese artists. Soulhead's sound was a blend between various genres, such as soul, hip-hop, R&B, dancehall, reggae and 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 and Soul'd Out. Yoshika is also a renowned songwriter, who has worked with artists such as Sowelu, Ken Hirai and Crystal Kay.
On February 21, 2007, they released a greatest hits album called Best of Soulhead, which contained all of their singles released up to Naked, along with a few b-sides. On February 24, 2010, after a four-year hiatus, they released a new album titled Soulhead under Avex Group, which they transferred to from SMEJ.[2] On September 28, 2011, the duo released their second Avex album, 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, 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.[3]
As of March 2016, their Avex site was unavailable.[4]
Yoshika is the singer of alternative band Free But Sharp Pain, first formed in 2014.[5] They have released one EP, Fall Into Reverie, in 2022.
Since 2014, Tsugumi performs with fellow rapper Luna as hip hop duo MaryJane,[6] 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.
