Since debuting in August 2024 with the single “Don’t Tell Nobody,” the eight-member global boy group ONE OR EIGHT has been steadily staking its claim on the global music stage. After making it on the survival show WARPs DIG in 2022, members SOUMA, MIZUKI, TSUBASA, REIA, RYOTA, TAKERU, YUGA, and NEO emerged under Japanese entertainment company Avex.
ONE OR EIGHT’s work so far shows a clear hunger to go global. Their debut track, which swings between funk and hip-hop, quickly gained traction, with its music video amassing 16 million views on YouTube. In December 2024, they released “KAWASAKI,” a rap track built on a Jersey club beat featuring American rapper Big Sean.
Their debut mini-album GATHER, released on January 27, also continues that outward-looking approach with new tracks like “TOKYO DRIFT” and “DSTM,” which sample global favorites such as the Pharrell Williams-produced “Tokyo Drift (Fast & Furious)” and Rihanna’s 2007 hit “Don’t Stop The Music,” respectively. As member NEO tells Rolling Stone Philippines, “We feel like giving our own spin to an already developed, notable sound is pushing ourselves.”
In this interview with Rolling Stone Philippines, ONE OR EIGHT talks about their debut mini-album, creative inspirations, and what the future holds, including plans that may bring them to the Philippines.
How does it feel to finally release your first mini-album, GATHER?
SOUMA: “TOKYO DRIFT” is the lead track of this mini-album. And we have really good, positive feedback, positive reviews, so I’m really happy about that. We debuted with “Don’t Tell Nobody,” and then we kind of built our story as we released several songs following that. And so in a way, this [mini-album] kind of tells that whole story that we’ve [told] throughout the year after our debut. Also, this is the first step to our next chapter. Being able to deliver this and offer this to our fans, the 1DERZ, is something really exciting, and I’m really happy about that.
You mentioned “TOKYO DRIFT,” which heavily samples the Teriyaki Boys song of the same name. You also have “DSTM,” which samples Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop The Music.” How did you think of making those tracks your own?
NEO: We always try to push ourselves, and making a track from zero to one is important. But at the same time, we feel like giving our own spin to an already developed, notable sound is pushing ourselves. With a world full of new music, we feel like shouting out old iconic sounds and giving our own rendition to it is our originality, and what we feel like is ONE OR EIGHT. Obviously, we’re gonna put out music we produce from zero to one. But at the same time, we want to shout out our culture and music in general, you know, like everything we grew up with. We’re really happy with what we do and we’re really proud of what we do.
Outside of music, what other things inspire your sound and your identity as a group?
MIZUKI: I would say that we get a lot of inspiration from the fans. We have a pop-up exhibition in Japan right now, and I’m able to interact with a lot of fans. And I get direct feedback in person, like some of the things that they like. Those things really keep me updated. And not just that, not just the in-person interactions, but also reading the comments on Instagram or YouTube. Learning what some of the new listeners have to say is a great inspiration for us.
It’s been over a year since you guys debuted. What have you learned so far about making and performing music?
RYOTA: We were able to visit various countries and cities to perform. And we learned that the songs that really appeal — or even the parts of the song that really appeal — really differ region to region or city to city. So, we need to think about what is the most suitable setlist and whatnot, sort of customizing that so that it really speaks to the audience. It has been a very educational process, and also, I do consider it an evolution. It’s kind of that journey of discovery.
Artist life can be very stressful and you’ll be touring around Japan soon. What keeps you guys sane?
MIZUKI: Stress does creep in sometimes. We have eight of us, so the way that we approach stress is very different. But I think alone time is really important, because we all have our own hobbies. For me, it’s reading books and mangas that kind of disconnect my personal and professional life. That’s a very important time for me, and that’s how I cope with stress.
Aside from live performances, what else can 1DERZ look forward to this year?
YUGA: We cannot disclose everything, but I will say this: we are recording and prepping for future songs to be released. So that’s one. And then we’re definitely hoping that we can visit some other countries, the cities that we haven’t yet been able to visit. Definitely, the Philippines is on the list, and we can’t really wait to see you guys.
