Asia has come to be a superpower in global music over the past decade, exporting not only an endless volume of infectious popPopShort for popular music, a broad genre built on catchy melodies, clear hooks, and polished production that aims to reach a wide audience. Pop constantly borrows from other styles, andGo to Pop Glossary hits but systems and infrastructure that have shaken the foundations of an industry previously dominated by the West. With the rise of groups like South Korea’s BTS or the Philippines’ very own SB19 and BINI, there has never been a better time to spotlight regional talent. And Japan’s ONE OR EIGHT is poised to become the next big thing.
The eight-piece, formed under Avex Entertainment’s WARPs DIG Battle Audition series in 2023, consists of members MIZUKI, NEO, REIA, RYOTA, SOUMA, TAKERU, TSUBASA, and YUGA. The group debuted in 2024 with the single “Don’t Tell Nobody.” But before then, they had dropped their pre-debut track “KAWASAKI,” which has since been released in versions featuring American rapper Big Sean, Korean-American rapper pH-1, Vietnamese-American singer thủy, and the Philippines’ very own Felip (a.k.a. SB19’s Ken).
Proudly Japanese but global-facing, the group’s songs are mostly written in English. And while that might be a point of contention for some listeners, the boys of ONE OR EIGHT are unabashedly ambitious and hungry to reach a wider audience. It reflects in the expansion of their sound in EN-GÏNE, their newest EP, and in their latest interview with Rolling Stone Philippines, where they talk repeatedly about “taking on the world.”
“We want to take on the world, so the challenge is ‘How do we communicate the appeal of Japan to the global audience?’” says SOUMA, a rapper and the youngest of the eight.
So far, 2026 has been a busy year for ONE OR EIGHT. Earlier this year, they released their debut mini-album GATHER, which features their popular tracks like “TOKYO DRIFT” (which samples the Pharrell Williams-produced “Tokyo Drift (Fast & Furious)”) and “DSTM” (which samples Rihanna’s 2007 hit “Don’t Stop The Music”). They also performed at shows in Japan before heading out to North America, Brazil, and Argentina as part of their GATHER tour.
When I met the group at Avex’s studio in Tokyo in late September, ONE OR EIGHT was getting ready for its performance at “a-nation,” the label’s annual concert series held in early October.
At that time, the group was also gearing up for a shorter Asian tour, which includes stops in Singapore, Manila, and Bangkok from October 21 to October 25. But despite the grind of artist life, the boys manage to keep a cheerful and at times goofy demeanor. They exchange laughs during rehearsals and talk enthusiastically about plans and goals, which include a dream collaboration with SB19 and a concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
“We want to stay true to our beginnings and how we started, [but also] keep evolving as a group,” says NEO, another one of the group’s rappers. “We really don’t have a ceiling on what we’re aiming for.”
Ahead of ONE OR EIGHT’s show at SM Aura’s Samsung Hall on October 23, the boys talk to Rolling Stone Philippines about what it means for them to represent Japanese culture and talent, working with other Asian artists, and what they bring to the table as a global group.
You’ve been touring around the world this year, and you’ll also be coming to the Philippines in October. What does it mean for the group to be able to showcase Japanese talent on the global stage?
NEO: We feel like Japanese culture has a lot more to offer internationally, and we feel like the world’s becoming more and more intertwined, like we’re all connected both offline and online. Through music, especially, we could connect and showcase the great sides of Japan and also the niche sides of Japan. For example, “YANKEE SQUAT,” we’re kind of showcasing what Yankees are in Japan and what they represent: the outsiders of Japan. [We want to show] how they’re not only just [outsiders]; they actually have strength inside them.
What challenges or pressures do you face in representing Japan in a diverse global music industry?
SOUMA: We’re a group of eight boys, and we want to take on the world, so the challenge is “How do we communicate the appeal of Japan to the global audience?” If you take, for example, a song like “YANKEE SQUAT,” there are diverse ways to portray Japan. It’s not just about the flashy side of Japan that we need to communicate, but also what it is to be Japanese. We want to communicate that so we can create a really positive impact on the global audience.
What does it take to be a global boy group?
TSUBASA: We’re still in the middle of the journey, and obviously there are a lot of boy groups around the world. Since we’re aiming for the global audience, we think that we need to have a certain strength. And we do have strength as a group, but what’s so special about us is that we’re very unique in our own ways, so it’s very diverse. Each of us carries our own characteristics, and we’re kind of supplementing and complementing each other. I think that’s the forte of ONE OR EIGHT. We really want to cherish that and value that as we take on the world.
Do you think your fans here and your fans in other countries respond to your music differently?
REIA: Both Japanese and global fans really like our music, and they really get excited. There’s not much of a big difference, but if I were to name one. I guess Japanese fans do like our music. But whether it be our performance, our facial expressions, the cuteness and whatnot, they kind of just soak it in inside. It’s kind of more like an internal kind of indulgence. Global fans, when they like our songs, they like to share that with fellow fans.
What do you guys enjoy the most about touring?
TAKERU: The opportunity to meet [our fanbase], the 1DERZ. I’m really, really happy that I can meet the 1DERZ throughout the tour. There are people that we meet for the first time, and we think it’s great because we can really interact and communicate with them.
Can you tell me some of the highlights from touring?
RYOTA: The hype, the enthusiasm that you can feel and experience from the 1DERZ is a highlight. Of course you can get that from the Japanese fans, but the overseas fans would dance with us and sing really loud, and we can see that from the stage. That kind of vibe is very unique, and we do our best to respond to that. Sometimes we don’t necessarily succeed, but we definitely want to kind of exceed that for the coming performances, and hopefully we can spread that vibe around the world.
Let’s talk about your new EPEPShort for extended play, a release longer than a single but shorter than a full album, usually three to six songs. EPs let emerging artists introduce their sound without aGo to EP Glossary, EN-GÏNE. How is it different from GATHER, and how is it the same?
TSUBASA: I guess the commonality between EN-GÏNE and GATHER would be the concept of challenging something. But for EN-GÏNE, what’s so unique is that each track is very different in its own way. For “YANKEE SQUAT,” it’s kind of reggaeton. And then with “TRANSLATE,” you can witness the dirty side of ONE OR EIGHT, if you know what we mean. “I<3 IT” is a headbanger, but it actually talks about the crises that we face. “MONSTERS” is actually the song for a certain commercial. And “INVINCIBLE” was made for 1DERZ.
I’m glad you guys mentioned “INVINCIBLE.” I think it’s a refreshing change of pace from the grittier hip-hopHip-HopA culture and genre built on rap, DJing, breakdancing, and graffiti, born in New York in the 1970s. Filipino hip-hop has grown into a powerful voice, with artists rapping inGo to Hip-Hop Glossary sound you guys do. Do you see yourselves exploring other kinds of music down the line?
YUGA: We definitely want to take on other [kinds of] pop music. And through that, hopefully, we can communicate who we are and have more people listen to our songs.
How do you see Asian popPopShort for popular music, a broad genre built on catchy melodies, clear hooks, and polished production that aims to reach a wide audience. Pop constantly borrows from other styles, andGo to Pop Glossary evolving in the next few years? And do you see yourselves ever collaborating with other Asian artists?
MIZUKI: Recently, we’ve seen a lot of Japanese groups, Japanese artists that now aim for the global audience. We see that trend throughout Asia, and we’re going to see it increase. We want to become pioneers of that movement in a way, and be front and center of that. We’d love to collaborate with [anyone], whether it be groups or individuals. If you look at “KAWASAKI,” we collaborated on that with Felip, thủy, and pH-1. It was a great collaboration, and hopefully we can create more synergy. That goes both ways: artists, like SB19, working on our songs, or the other way around.
You guys are doing big things right now even though you’re still just getting started. How will you know you’ve made it? And what is the biggest thing you want to achieve as a group?
NEO: We want to keep expanding our goals. We don’t want to designate a certain level [of success] as a goal, because that’s going to stop us, and we want to keep challenging our limits. That’s what we’re doing right now. We want to stay true to our beginnings and how we started, [but also] keep evolving as a group. We really don’t have a ceiling on what we’re aiming for. We’re always trying to look for the next new thing. But as of now, as a group, we’re aiming for Madison Square Garden in New York. That [would be] one of our milestones, and that’s what keeps us going.
Learn more about ONE OR EIGHT on their official website and “ONE OR EIGHT Special SHOW CASE 2026 in ASIA -V8-” here.
Frequently Asked Questions
ONE OR EIGHT is an eight-piece Japanese boy group formed through Avex Entertainment’s WARPs DIG Battle Audition series in 2023. Its members are MIZUKI, NEO, REIA, RYOTA, SOUMA, TAKERU, TSUBASA, and YUGA. They debuted in 2024 with “Don’t Tell Nobody” and write mostly in English.
ONE OR EIGHT performs at Samsung Hall, SM Aura, on October 23 as part of a shorter Asian tour. The tour runs October 21 to 25 with stops in Singapore, Manila, and Bangkok, following the group’s earlier GATHER tour of Japan, North America, Brazil, and Argentina.
EN-GÏNE is ONE OR EIGHT’s newest EP, where each track takes a different direction: “YANKEE SQUAT” leans reggaeton, “TRANSLATE” shows a grittier side, “I<3 IT” is a headbanger about crises, “MONSTERS” was made for a commercial, and “INVINCIBLE” was written for fans, the 1DERZ.
“KAWASAKI” is ONE OR EIGHT’s pre-debut track, later released in versions featuring American rapper Big Sean, Korean-American rapper pH-1, Vietnamese-American singer thủy, and Felip, the Filipino artist also known as SB19’s Ken.
ONE OR EIGHT says it has no ceiling on its ambitions, refusing to set a fixed definition of success. Their stated milestone is a concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden, alongside a dream collaboration with SB19 and a goal of becoming pioneers of Asia’s global-facing pop movement.
Recommended Video
