Nao Yoshioka

Nao Yoshioka grew up in Osaka in a family of artists. Her mother is an illustrator and clothing designer, and her father a painter and interior designer. She studied painting and sculpture at art school, but music had already become her true passion.

Deeply affected by her parents' divorce, she struggled with depression and the pressures of Japanese society. She dropped out of school and spent nearly a year isolated in her room, where American soul and R&B became her refuge. The voices of artists like Alicia Keys and Sam Cooke gave her hope during one of the darkest periods of her life.

In 2009, determined to change her life, she bought a one-way ticket to New York despite speaking almost no English. Immersing herself in Harlem's jam session scene, she placed second at the legendary Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater and reached the finals of a nationwide gospel competition organized by McDonald's.

After three years in the U.S., her visa expired and she returned to Japan. During her farewell performance, producer Naoki Yamanouchi discovered her while she was singing Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come."

Together they released her debut album, Make The Change, establishing Nao as one of Japan's leading soul artists. She has since performed internationally at venues including Blue Note New York and the Jazz Cafe in London, as well as festivals such as Java Jazz Festival and Capital Jazz Fest.

Nao arrives at the MONK Stage with six studio albums to her name, including her latest release, self (2026), released this July.

This will be only her second performance in Poland.