This is Kazutaka “Kaz” Nomura and he is PWRFL POWER.

Last weekend, Kaz, who moved to Seattle from Japan in 2003, wowed a panel of judges at the Block Star showcase at Vera and snagged himself a slot on the mainstage at this year’s Capitol Hill Block Party by talking about the life cycle of butterflies and drinking heavily for months on end in a way that only Kaz can, with fearless honesty and awkward and endearing charm.

Strapped with an acoustic guitar, PWRFL POWER sings songs about unrequited crushes, going to Heaven, and being yourself. A fan favorite is the quirky and bitter “Tomato Song,” with the lyrics “If I smoke too much pot, you will call me a stoner/If I hit too many lines, you will call me a cokehead/If I like you too much, you’ll call me mental/I wanna throw a tomato at you/I wanna throw a tomato at you/Tomato juice all over your face/Juice, dripping on the ground.” Then he wishes the tomato could be an apple because then it would hurt, he says, the apple is harder.

One of his competitors that evening didn’t mind a bit when he learned that he lost to Kaz, saying “The dude is a complete genius. He’s hilarious. I’m stoked he won, I can’t wait to see him at the Block party.” That why PWRFL POWER is this week’s Band of the Week—it seems everyone is stoked that he won, the fans, the judges, even those who lost to him.

To hear some PWRFL POWER songs, click here and visit his Stranger Bands Page. He’s schedule to play the mainstage at the Capitol Hill Block Party on Saturday, June July 28 at 2 pm.