09:56 AM CST on Friday, November 5, 2004

Keith Major

Toshi is a surprise.

A Japanese man singing R&B: It can elicit the same reaction as those to white British soul singer Joss Stone, or biracial Canadian rocker Fefe Dobson. Despite a loose command of the English language, Toshi does it well.

"I don't blame people if they have an image that a Japanese guy singing R&B is strange," says Toshi, "because soul music is from the soul of African-American people. But I hope my music would help to change their stereotypes, because it's the only music I want to sing. To me, it's a natural thing, even though I'm Japanese."

Toshi, who splits time between Tokyo and New York, recently released Time to Share, his third English album. He's getting props from the soul music community. He's the opening act for soul singer Angie Stone's nationwide tour, which came to Nokia Theatre last month. Here's more from Toshi.

How did you get into soul music?

When I was around 10 years old, I got a chance to listen to Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life. That was so special and so different than anything I'd listened to previously. I loved everything about it. His voice. The way he sings and the songs.

How popular was R&B music in Japan when you were growing up?

In Japan, mostly all you hear is pop music or pop-rock music from the U.K. But when I was growing up, there was a small disco movement, and that's how I got a chance to listen to soul music in Japan.

So, how would you describe your music?

My music is like soul food with soy sauce.

Did you always want to be a singer?

Yes, since I was little. When I was 3 or 4 years old, I won a prize in a singing competition at an amusement park in Japan, and I got a special feeling when I sang in front of the people. I decided that I wanted to be a singer at that moment, but I didn't know what kind of songs I wanted to sing. Then, when I heard Stevie Wonder and the Stylistics, that really opened my eyes to singing soul music and became a major part of my life.

Lori Price