Sick of life on Earth? Luckily, R&B artist Joji is taking his latest track "Sanctuary" to outer space.
Osaka-born Joji is a wizard of ballads. He's produced an entire album of slow-jams in last year's BALLADS1. Then with a wave of his songwriting wand, he's delivered another in new single "Sanctuary". Despite his snail-paced repertoire, Joji's rapturous vocals continue to make hearts race.
Further, by turning the dial down on the BPMs, Joji quietens his previous YouTube persona, Filthy Frank. Quick-talking and crass, Filthy Frank took baths in instant ramen and taught 6 million subscribers to say "balls" in Japanese. On the contrary, Joji's music videos take a darker path. Since hanging up Frank's boots in 2017, Joji now dons white tuxedos and artfully bleeds slow, soulful deaths. But rather than keeping Filthy Frank at bay, "Sanctuary" blends the best of the two. Namely, it brings his wit and emotive story-telling together.
Accordingly, the music video opens with a space battle. Like a one-man Power Rangers fight, the intro shows "Captain Joji" beating up a bad guy and saving the day. As the song burns slowly through its verses, the video fast-forwards a year, and our efficient hero has no more villains left to pursue. To while away the time, Joji wanders his spaceship aimlessly, playing ping-pong and binge-eating cereal. Without a bad guy to chase down, the video asks, what's Joji's life purpose now? To this end, it further ponders: without Filthy Frank, who would Joji be? It seems the universe needs them both.
