Joya | Extended Bio

Tech by Day, Singer-Songwriter by Night

High Rest Photos for Download

Independent singer-songwriter Joya writes "honest, small songs born from big feelings" described as "honey for the soul".

She weaves a world of her own pulling in a vast range of influences - from modern artists like Ben Platt, Sigrid, Bruno Major, legends like Carole King, and Ella Fitzgerald, to musicals to create an indie pop sound of her own.

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Joya (born Jodie Chan) started performing young for fun - first with Teresa Carpio at 9, then musicals like RENT and Spring Awakening with production company YAF, HK Singers, and APA’s GYDP.

While she’s written music since she was 2 (according to her dad), Joya only began to self-release her original music on streaming platforms in 2020.

“Right before university when I was 18, I was advised by a producer from a known record company that I could pursue a career as an artist and singer-songwriter but I would have to ‘package myself for three years’, write in Chinese (because I looked the part), and maybe sell my English songs to other artists”. 

“I disagreed with that on so many levels. Plus, there’s no way that my parents could agree with me not going to university and becoming a musician” laughs, Joya. 

Less known about Joya is her background in political science, global health, and as a woman whose head was as “deep in books as in human conversation”. This love for connection through words comes through in her lyrics.

Joya left Hong Kong to study in Chicago for university, pursuing a B.A. Political Science & Global Health at Northwestern University and in Paris at Sciences Po. While at Northwestern, Joya sang alto for the Treblemakers Acapella Group and worked at the Buffet Institute in Global Studies. 

Continuing to pursue her many interests, Joya returned to Hong Kong in 2016 to work in the tech scene - not launching albums, but tech products. By day, she currently leads product strategy and communications for Notey Labs - a small-but-mighty tech firm behind products like Ultrasite and Chinafy. 

“I often say, I am not one thing. If anything, my work or “day-job” (though nights are common haha) in Tech provides another outlet for me to be creative, to be challenged, and a secondary medium for me to meet smart and talented people.” 

For more about Joya, get in touch via mgmt@officialjoya.com

Full Artist Bio here.

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Joya係香港嘅新晉創作歌手,近排係獨立音樂圈越嚟越受歡迎。佢嘅情感歌詞同靚聲,總能帶動觀眾嘅情緒。佢嘅聲線既有力量,又充滿脆弱感,可以打動人心,深深觸動聽眾嘅靈魂。Joya以佢獨特嘅聲音同誠實嘅創作手法,贏得了不少樂迷嘅認可,成為一位必看嘅藝人。

Joya曾經被MTV Asia同香港電台選為新晉藝人,最近嘅音樂項目包括為National Geographic Oceans Tomorrow計劃創作同演唱自己原創歌曲"I Have Seen the Future",參與Aesop的Queer Library Campaign,同埋同香港管弦樂團喺西九文化區演出。唔好錯過睇Joya現場演出嘅機會,或者聽佢嘅最新單曲。佢嘅首張期待已久嘅專輯《SHE IS JOYA》將於2023年秋天發行。

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Joya是香港的新晋创作歌手,在独立音乐界越来越受欢迎。她的情感歌词和美妙的声音总是能够打动观众的心弦。她的声音充满力量,同时又充满脆弱感,可以深深地触动听众的心灵。Joya凭借着其独特的音乐风格和诚实的创作方式,赢得了许多乐迷的认可,成为了一位必看的艺人。

Joya曾被MTV Asia和香港电台评选为新晋艺人,最近的音乐项目包括为National Geographic Oceans Tomorrow计划创作和演唱自己原创歌曲"I Have Seen the Future",参与Aesop的Queer Library Campaign,以及与香港管弦乐团在西九文化区演出。不要错过欣赏Joya现场演出的机会,或者听她的最新单曲。她的首张期待已久的专辑《SHE IS JOYA》将于2023年秋季发布。

您可以在各种音乐流媒体平台上找到Joya的最新单曲,例如Spotify、Apple Music和YouTube Music。您也可以访问她的官方网站或社交媒体页面,了解她的最新作品更新。

Who is Joya?

Joya is your "modern day renaissance woman".

This multi-lingual independent artist, singer-songwriter currently based in Hong Kong - not only actively writes, performs, and speaks but is a technologist and a Google women tech-maker ambassador who leads a Software as a Service (SaaS) company team ambassador by day.

In their specificity, Joya reaches her listeners in a way that’s intimate, relatable, and yet far-reaching - the way you’d imagine your story as told by a friend.

She has been featured on SCMP, Tatler, TimeOut , MixMag Asia, RTHK, MTV Asia with global playlist placements including GLOW, .org, and more. 

2024 marks Joya's first festivals abroad include performing at Music Matters (Singapore) and Club Bbang (Seoul), in addition to hosting and performing for "Today at Apple" at Hong Kong's first ever Pride event, and performing at the 10,000 pax capacity AXA x Wonderland Main Stage for PhoenixFest40, Pink Dot 2024 in its 10th year anniversary as MC & Artist, as well as Taipei in December.

Previous projects include writing and performing for the National Geographic Oceans Tomorrow Project, Aesop’s Queer Library Campaign, The Orchestra Academy of Hong Kong at Freespace West Kowloon, and more.

Joya is also showcased as a Spotify RADAR HK Artist and Spotify EQUAL Artist.

Joya identifies as a third-culture kid, queer, Christian, and a number of other things, but most importantly - “not one thing” Relatedly, she regularly speaks and moderates on topics such as diversity and inclusion, LGBTQ+, and women in tech.

Her music is an extension of her beliefs in the importance of inclusion, diversity, and the conversations that move us in that direction.

High-Res Photos

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Joya Live

For more videos of Joya, go to Youtube.
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Joya Tech Rider

Download Joya's tech rider for live shows.

She Is Joya 2024 Shows

FEB 14 • MALDIVES
MAR 24 • CLUB BBANG, SEOUL
MAY 3 • MR. KOO, ALLURE, HK (GUEST)
MAY 10 • SWEE LEE, CLARKE QUAY, SINGAPORE
MAY 11 • MUSIC MATTERS LIVE, CLARK QUAY, SINGAPORE
MAY 11 • IT’S A GIRL THING, SINGAPORE
MAY 13 • GP SUMMIT (PRIVATE)
MAY 21 • TIME OUT BAR AWARDS, HONG KONG
MAY 25 • PF40 FEST, AXA X WONDERLAND, HONG KONG
AUG 22 • MAGIC 89.9 RADIO, MANILA
SEP 22 • PINK DOT 2025, HONG KONG
OCT 23 • LOUDERCONNECT, HONG KONG
DEC 19 • THE WITCH HOUSE, TAIPEI