Joji, whose real name is George Kusunoki Miller, is a Japanese-Australian singer, songwriter, and former internet personality best known for his Billboard-charting music and the hit single “Glimpse of Us.”
He built his first audience through YouTube comedy channels before retiring those personas in 2017 to focus entirely on making music.
Who is Joji (George Kusunoki Miller)?
George Kusunoki Miller, known professionally as Joji, is a Japanese-Australian singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer born in Osaka, Japan. He first gained a massive online following through his shock comedy YouTube channels, most famously TVFilthyFrank, before making a full pivot to music.
His music blends R&B, lo-fi, and trip-hop into a sound that is moody, atmospheric, and emotionally raw. That shift earned him a loyal global fanbase that followed him from internet comedy to international charts.
Joji made history in 2018 when his debut album Ballads 1 topped Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. He became the first Asian-born artist to reach number one on that chart.
Beyond the music, he is known for being fiercely private about his personal life. Despite worldwide fame, he rarely gives interviews and keeps his day-to-day life away from public view.
Early Life of Joji (George Kusunoki Miller)
George Kusunoki Miller was born in Osaka, Japan, to an Australian father and a Japanese mother. His mixed heritage gave him a dual cultural identity that would later shape his music, his stage name, and his overall artistic direction.
The family lived in Japan, and Joji grew up in the Kobe area. He attended the Canadian Academy, an international school in Kobe, where he was exposed to a wide range of cultures and musical influences.
Growing up between two cultural worlds, Joji developed an interest in music from an early age. He was drawn to R&B, hip-hop, and alternative sounds while experimenting with video-making and online content during his school years.
He left Japan at the age of 18 after graduating in 2012 and traveled to the United States to continue his education and pursue his creative career.
George Kusunoki Miller Age / Birthday
Joji is 32 years old as of 2026, born on September 16, 1993. His zodiac sign is Virgo, a sign often associated with attention to detail and a deep inner world, both of which show up clearly in the careful, introspective quality of his music.
As of 2026, he continues to release music and expand his global reach with his fourth studio album.
George Kusunoki Miller Ethnicity and Nationality
Joji holds Japanese-Australian nationality, born in Japan to parents from two different countries. His father is Australian and his mother is Japanese, which is why he is widely described as Japanese-Australian. This multicultural background is also reflected in his stage name, Joji, which is the Japanese version of his first name George.
George Kusunoki Miller Height and Weight
Joji stands at 5 feet 9 inches tall, which is approximately 1.75 meters. His weight is around 65 kilograms (approximately 143 lbs). He maintains a lean build and is known for a laid-back, understated presence both on stage and in public appearances.
Joji Musical Style and Influences
Joji’s music sits at the intersection of lo-fi, R&B, trip-hop, and alternative pop. His songs are known for slow tempos, introspective lyrics, and a melancholic emotional core that resonates with listeners across demographics.
His early internet work as Pink Guy featured comedic hip-hop, which was tonally opposite to the serious, emotionally vulnerable music he would later release as Joji. That contrast made his artistic reinvention all the more striking to longtime fans.
His instrumental approach relies heavily on sparse piano, soft synths, and muted percussion. His vocals carry a fragile, hushed quality that became his signature sound across all four studio albums.
George Kusunoki Miller Education
Joji graduated from Canadian Academy, an international school in Kobe, Japan, in 2012. After moving to the United States, he enrolled at the New York Institute of Technology and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in 2016.
His fine arts background gave him a broader creative framework. It also placed him in New York City during the years when he was actively building his YouTube presence and beginning his transition into music production.
George Kusunoki Miller Career
Joji’s professional career spans two distinct phases: a high-profile YouTube comedy career followed by a complete reinvention as a serious musician. Both phases were commercially successful, though his music career has proven far more lasting.
YouTube and Early Career (2006-2017)
Joji created his first YouTube channel in 2006, but his major breakout came with the TVFilthyFrank channel, where he built the character Filthy Frank. That character anchored The Filthy Frank Show, a shock comedy series featuring extreme challenges, rants, comedic hip-hop, and surreal humor.
He also ran the channels DizastaMusic and TooDamnFilthy, which together accumulated hundreds of millions of views. His content helped popularize the Harlem Shake internet meme in 2012, which brought his channels into mainstream pop culture conversation.
As Pink Guy, Joji released comedic hip-hop music that attracted millions of streams. The PINK GUY mixtape appeared in 2014 and showed that his musical output could stand alongside his comedy work.
By late 2017, however, Joji announced he was stepping away from The Filthy Frank Show to focus on music. He made this decision partly to protect his health and partly because his tastes had matured beyond the shock humor format he had built his early fame on.
Breakthrough: In Tongues and Ballads 1 (2017-2018)
Joji released his debut EP, In Tongues, in November 2017 through 88rising and Empire Distribution.
The EP debuted at number 58 on the Billboard 200 and reached number 28 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, signaling that audiences would follow him into serious music territory.
His debut studio album, Ballads 1, arrived on October 26, 2018. It debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and topped the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. That chart position made Joji the first Asian-born artist to reach number one on that Billboard category.
The album’s lead single “Yeah Right” entered the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in 2018. The second single, “Slow Dancing in the Dark,” released September 12, 2018, became a viral phenomenon, particularly on TikTok, where it accumulated hundreds of millions of streams years after its release.
Ballads 1 later received platinum certification from the RIAA in October 2021.
Nectar, Smithereens, and Glimpse of Us (2020-2022)
Joji released his second studio album, Nectar, on September 25, 2020. The album again debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and reached number one in Australia. It featured the single “Sanctuary,” which connected with fans worldwide and added to his growing streaming catalog.
In June 2022, Joji released “Glimpse of Us,” the lead single from his third album Smithereens. The piano-driven track debuted at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100, topping charts in Australia and New Zealand.
It also marked the first time an Asian soloist had debuted directly in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100.
Smithereens arrived on November 4, 2022, through 88rising and Warner Records. The album received gold certification from the RIAA and was followed by a North American tour that ran into 2023. The album was Joji’s last project released under 88rising.
Piss in the Wind and Recent Work (2025-2026)
After health issues cut short the Pandemonium World Tour in 2023, Joji returned in October 2025 with “Pixelated Kisses,” released under his own label Palace Creek. The song marked his first release as an independent artist operating outside 88rising.
His fourth studio album, Piss in the Wind, arrived on February 6, 2026, through Palace Creek and Virgin Music Group. The album debuted at number five on the Billboard 200 and reached number three in Australia.
Singles including “If It Only Gets Better,” “Past Won’t Leave My Bed,” and “Love You Less” preceded the album’s release in late 2025 and early 2026.
George Kusunoki Miller (Joji) Discography
| Year | Title | Label | Peak US Chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | In Tongues (EP) | 88rising / Empire | No. 58 (Billboard 200) |
| 2018 | Ballads 1 | 88rising / 12Tone | No. 3 (Billboard 200) |
| 2020 | Nectar | 88rising / 12Tone | No. 3 (Billboard 200) |
| 2022 | Smithereens | 88rising / Warner | No. 5 (Billboard 200) |
| 2026 | Piss in the Wind | Palace Creek / Virgin | No. 5 (Billboard 200) |
Awards and Recognition
Joji received an ARIA Award nomination for Song of the Year at the 2022 ARIA Awards in Australia for “Glimpse of Us.” The nomination came because of his Australian heritage through his father.
His chart achievements stand as some of his most significant recognitions. Topping the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop chart with Ballads 1 in 2018 made him a historic figure in Asian music representation on American charts.
His debut at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Glimpse of Us” in 2022 extended that milestone further.
88rising recognized him as one of its flagship artists during his time with the label. His catalog has also received multiple RIAA certifications, including platinum for Ballads 1 and gold for both Nectar and Smithereens.
George Kusunoki Miller Net Worth
Joji’s estimated net worth is $8 million as of 2026. His income comes primarily from music sales, streaming royalties, worldwide touring, and merchandise connected to his album campaigns.
His streaming catalog generates significant ongoing revenue. Songs like “Slow Dancing in the Dark,” “Sanctuary,” and “Glimpse of Us” have each accumulated hundreds of millions of streams across Spotify and Apple Music.
Touring has also played a major role in his earnings. His Smithereens Tour in 2022 and 2023 covered major venues across North America and internationally. His 2026 album Piss in the Wind brought additional touring income as he returned to full performance activity.
The launch of his own label, Palace Creek, adds a new income dimension. As an independent label owner, Joji now earns a greater share of revenue from his own recordings than he did under 88rising and Warner.
Joji Social Media
Joji is active on Instagram under the handle @sushitrash, where he shares updates related to his music and occasional personal photos. He also maintains a presence on YouTube, where his music videos and visual content live, including the widely viewed video for “Glimpse of Us.”
His social media activity is minimal compared to most artists at his level. That restraint is intentional, as he has consistently chosen to let his music speak rather than maintain a heavy public persona online.
Conclusion
George Kusunoki Miller walked away from one of the internet’s most popular comedy channels to pursue something more personal, and his music career proved that the gamble was worth taking.
Across four studio albums and nearly a decade of releases, Joji has built a catalog that routinely charts worldwide, with “Glimpse of Us” cementing his position as one of the most globally recognized Asian artists in contemporary R&B.