In the summer of 2016, Nao performed at her first major US music festival, Capital Jazz Fest, one of the largest festivals in the US. In 2017, Nao toured Japan, the Netherlands, and the UK and performed during the 11th Annual Capital Jazz SuperCruise sailing from New York to Bermuda.
In 2018 Nao moved her base from Japan back to the US, where she re-released her 3rd album ‘The Truth’ which gained her auspicious achievements: #32 on the Billboard Urban Adult Contemporary chart, an album review by Rolling Stone Magazine who wrote, “Nao Yoshioka’s ‘The Truth’ Is Impeccable Neo-Soul”, a live performance on SiriusXM, and the Best International Artist Award from the UK’s BRIGHT STAR AWARDS.
In 2019 Nao released her latest album, “Undeniable”, and was then nominated “Female Vocalist of the Year” for the SoulTracks’ 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards. She then opened for Eric Roberson for several shows during his “Music Fan First – 10th Anniversary” US tour, which included stops in Boston, DC, Philly, Nashville, Inglewood, Atlanta, Durham, and Charlotte.
In early 2022, Nao performed at Blue Note Tokyo (Live stream with audience present) and the YouTube video of the performance has now reached more than 1.7 million views.
On September 16, 2022, Nao released her latest single ‘Wave’, a chill R&B song with dreamy vocals comfortably intertwined with floating synthesizers, the product of a collaboration with an experienced and talented production team active at the forefront of the current R&B scene.
Musicman Ty, a protege of Swizz Beatz and the producer behind the music of artists such as Alicia Keys, Mac Miller, and Snoop Dogg produced the music. Nao’s new album is set to be released in the first half of 2023 on SWEET SOUL RECORDS.
Her dream of being a recognized artist worldwide is well on its way to being realized... how this visionary’s music and story are received is in the hands (and ears) of a worldwide audience.
