Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on August 2011

Almost a decade ago, Canadian duo Monkey Magik cracked open the Japanese charts to gaijin pop acts. Now American singer-songwriter Jamil looks to repeat the feat with a similar winning combination of pop-rock, hip-hop and Japanese ability. The California native had his first indie hit at 16, but instead of pursuing a career in the States used the proceeds to finance an around-the-world tour. Study abroad stints in Thailand and more recently at Kyushu’s Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University followed. Jamil now hopes to make his mark with his Japan debut American Boy, a collection of well-crafted bilingual songs he’ll be delivering alongside fellow emerging artists at this weekend’s “Break Away” event.

Studio Ax, Aug 7 (listing).