DAVIDE K-POP

Eleven years after its original release, GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE’s high-energy 2015 single “Sing it Loud” has made an unprecedented return to the music charts, sparking a massive viral phenomenon across social media. Under the viral hashtag #ジェネ急上昇中 (#GENE_RisingFast), the legendary six-member J-pop dance and vocal group recently dominated the LINE MUSIC Video Ranking and saw a staggering 40 of their classic tracks simultaneously flood the Top 100 in Japan.

To celebrate this milestone, the group surprised fans by dropping a “Sing it Loud -LIVE MIX-” on YouTube, which quickly scaled the platform’s Hype Ranking. Amidst the excitement and preparation for their upcoming nationwide tours—”GENERATIONS PARALLEL POST 2026″ and “GENERATIONS LIVE TOUR 2026 ‘PARALLEL QUEST’”—the members sat down for an exclusive written interview with Davide K-pop.

In this special feature, Alan Shirahama, Ryota Katayose, Ryuto Kazuhara, Hayato Komori, Reo Sano, and Yuta Nakatsuka share their surreal first reactions to the sudden chart resurgence, look back at their favourite memories from the original music video shoot, and tease whether international fans can expect them to bring their new live era overseas to Europe and London.

Read the full interview below to discover how the past is inspiring the future for one of J-pop’s most enduring acts.

Davide: 1. Hello, GENERATIONS! My name is Davide, and it is an absolute honour to meet you. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview for Davide K-pop. To kick things off and break the ice, could you please introduce yourselves to our audience?
Alan Shirahama: I’m Alan Shirahama. I’m a performer, but I also create music as a solo DJ and play sets overseas. My hobby is playing with my beloved dog, REX. I spend my days off with him, and we sleep together every night.

Ryota Katayose: I’m Ryota Katayose. My long-time hobby is tasting wine, and I’m currently studying for the WSET wine qualification, which originated in the UK. Recently, I’ve also been quite interested in British sparkling wine.

Hayato Komori: I’m Hayato Komori! I absolutely love coffee! I’m also really into Japanese modern furniture!

Yuta Nakatsuka: I’m performer Yuta Nakatsuka! My hobby is weight training, and I’m currently hooked on morning runs! I run 5 to 10 kilometres every day!

Ryuto Kazuhara: I’m Ryuto Kazuhara. I love surfing and can often be found at the beach! I also cherish the time I spend with my two beloved dogs; enjoying a slow, relaxed pace of life is my daily routine. Lately, I’ve been hooked on the ONE PIECE CARD GAME, both collecting the cards and battling with them!

Reo Sano: I’m performer Reo Sano. I started street dancing when I was 9 years old, and at 16, I was scouted and became a member of GENERATIONS. I’m also active as an actor. My hobbies include watching films, and I also spearhead my own brand project called ‘Reels’. It’s a pleasure to meet you.

Davide: 2. A massive congratulations to you all! The #ジェネ急上昇中 (#GENE_RisingFast) phenomenon has been absolutely incredible to watch. Your 2015 single “Sing it Loud” suddenly re-entered the charts, taking over the top spots and bringing 40 of your tracks into the Top 100 simultaneously! What was your very first reaction when you saw your classic music dominating the charts again like this?

Alan Shirahama: Along with pure shock, my immediate feeling was, “What on earth is going on?!” I don’t know the exact reason behind it, but it feels as though our past selves are cheering on who we are today. Moreover, this revival has made us realise just how many people spent their youth or significant moments in their lives alongside GENERATIONS, and I feel incredibly grateful for that.

Yuta Nakatsuka: I couldn’t quite believe that something like this was actually happening; it felt surreal and completely mysterious. I was just so happy to know that this track has become a song that is loved for such a long time.

Ryuto Kazuhara: I’ve always believed that truly good music is something that stands the test of time and gets passed down to future generations. I feel that “Sing it Loud” charting at this specific moment is proof that this sentiment of ours has reached the hearts of both the people who have supported us since the beginning and those who are hearing it for the very first time. Either way, it was a deeply joyful event for us.

Reo Sano: Quite frankly, I was delighted, and to be honest, I was surprised, thinking, “Why now, 11 years later?” It made me realise all over again that having the music we have cherished over the years cross eras to reach so many people once more is an incredibly happy thing for an artist. I felt a real sense of growth, seeing not only those who knew us back then but also people listening to us for the first time, and it truly made me feel the power of what entertainment can achieve.

Davide: 3. We saw some of your brilliant reactions on social media. Hayato, you asked “When is this from? lol”, and Reo, you mentioned you were only 18 when it came out! Alan even looked back at old rehearsal footage. When you look back at that 2015 era of GENERATIONS, how does it feel to see how much you have grown as individuals and as a group since then?

Alan Shirahama: As a group, we hadn’t even done a live tour yet back then, but we ended up travelling to all sorts of places both in Japan and overseas. We were given the opportunity to perform live shows of all shapes and sizes, which brought us an immense amount of growth and experience. Many boy groups these days inevitably lean quite heavily into the business side of things, often disbanding or going on hiatus once they pass their peak. Against that backdrop, I feel so grateful that we have been able to keep going for 14 years. On a personal level, as I mentioned at the start, acquiring the weapon of music production has been a massive step forward for me. I am delighted to be able to express my musical knowledge, roots, culture, and the things I genuinely love in my own way, and I know it will be a powerful strength for my future. I approach DJing with the mindset of completely blowing away any public misconceptions, so I truly want to make a global impact as an electronic DJ and producer in my own right.

Hayato Komori: Compared to those days, I think every single one of us has levelled up significantly. The scope of what we can achieve individually has expanded so much!

Reo Sano: 2015 was a period when things were just starting to get incredibly busy. I was only 19 at the time, and there was a sort of trial-and-error pressure that came with trying to challenge myself while still growing. Alongside facing my own skill levels, I was confronting aspects even deeper than that, like “how to approach music” and “what exactly is our expression.” I think I’ve changed considerably since then. As a group, too, while we were running on pure “youth and momentum” back then, I feel we are now able to operate with proper “intent” and “meaning.”

Davide: 4. “Sing it Loud” is such a high-energy track. What are your favourite memories from when you originally recorded the song or filmed the music video 11 years ago? Are there any fun behind-the-scenes moments that still make you laugh today?

Ryota Katayose: The sheer number of transitions within the track is what makes it so charming. The backing track actually changes between the first and second chorus, giving the whole song a much more dramatic finish. I also think you can really feel a cool, urban Tokyo atmosphere through the music. As for the music video, we basically just ran the entire time! (laughs) It perfectly captures our producer HIRO-san’s words: “The image of GENERATIONS is that feeling of running—running suits you guys.” We ran so much that the shoot felt like a late-night training session! (laughs)

Yuta Nakatsuka: There was a scene where we had to sprint through the city streets at full speed, and because I ran with everything I had, I remember being absolutely exhausted. There was also a scene where they gathered international extras; hearing so many different languages being spoken made it feel like we weren’t even in Japan, which made it a really fun set to be on!

Ryuto Kazuhara: My overriding memory of it is simply, “Man, we did a lot of running…”!

Davide: 5. The mystery of where and how this viral trend started has left both fans and the media guessing. Do you have any theories yourselves about what sparked this sudden, beautiful wave of nostalgia in 2026?

Hayato Komori: I honestly think it was some sort of glitch or mistake! (laughs)

Ryuto Kazuhara: I like to think it was a miracle born from a glitch, but more than anything, seeing the fans’ collective mindset of “Let’s support GENE! Let’s build up the hype!” made me incredibly happy.

Davide: 6. In response to the trend, you quickly released the “Sing it Loud -LIVE MIX-” on YouTube, which instantly shot up to No. 4 on the Hype Ranking. Yuta, you also teased on Instagram Live that you want to film a new solo dance version! Can you tell us a bit about how it feels to interact with fans who are saying things like “GENERATIONS was my entire youth”?

Hayato Komori: We have been hearing people describe us as their “youth” so much lately, and it honestly makes me so happy. For me personally, I debuted when I was in my second year of high school, so everything about our activities feels like my own youth too.

Yuta Nakatsuka: I’m so incredibly pleased that people have watched the newly filmed solo dance version and left so many warm comments. I am truly grateful from the bottom of my heart to have become a part of someone’s youth.

Reo Sano: Having people call us their “entire youth” is a true honour, isn’t it? Knowing that our music is a part of someone’s life, and hearing them pass down memories of watching our physical performances at live shows… creating those kinds of special moments for someone is no easy feat. Every time I hear those words, it makes me feel that everything we’ve done has been worthwhile. At the same time, I want us to remain an entity that closely accompanies someone’s “present” and “future” as well.

Davide: 7. Your latest single dropped on the 2nd of March, and you have consistently been releasing incredible music. Has this sudden chart resurgence given you a fresh wave of creative inspiration for the next musical style or direction you want to explore?

Alan Shirahama: Very much so. I really want to make the kind of upbeat, high-spirited music that was popular before the pandemic—tracks where you can truly feel that bright EDM vibe and energy. Globally, the passion for music festivals has completely bounced back over the last few years, and the trending BPMs have been getting faster, so I think the timing is absolutely perfect. Since each of us is already able to express what we want through our solo projects, I feel it is deeply important for us to take a step back and reconsider what the best thing to express as a group is right now.

Ryota Katayose: It has been a deeply surprising and stimulating experience. I believe that “coincidence” and “inevitability” are actually very closely linked, so I am taking this as a major message pointing towards the path we should take moving forward. I feel this will have a massive influence on GENERATIONS’ future style and music, so please look forward to it.

Reo Sano: This entire phenomenon has made me think all over again about what it is that manages to reach people across eras and language barriers. While the trends created by the times are important, I want to place an even greater value on that essential coolness that stems from just being true to yourself. With that as my foundation, I want to continuously challenge myself with new sounds, dancing, acting, and other forms of expression.

Davide: 8. You have a very exciting few months ahead with your nationwide tour “GENERATIONS PARALLEL POST 2026” starting in August, followed by “GENERATIONS LIVE TOUR 2026 ‘PARALLEL QUEST’” in October. What can fans expect from these two concepts, and will “Sing it Loud” definitely be on the setlist?

Ryota Katayose: I would love for everyone to view these two tours as the vital beginning of a long new story for us as we approach our 15th anniversary. We have mapped out plans running several years into the future, so I feel that having as many people as possible join us starting from these tours will allow us to walk towards our dreams together.

Hayato Komori: I think this upcoming live series is going to be incredibly aggressive! It is going to showcase our current charm to the absolute fullest, and we are channelling a massive amount of enthusiasm into it as we look ahead to our 15th anniversary next year! As for “Sing it Loud”, that is something we still need to discuss a bit more as a group!

Yuta Nakatsuka: We are a group of members with very strong individual personalities, but I think these live shows will allow you to fully experience the sheer energy we display when those personalities unite as one team under GENERATIONS. Regarding the setlist, we are right in the middle of discussing it together at the moment, so we would be delighted if you looked forward to it.

Davide: 9. You have already held two world tours in your career, and with your music finding a massive wave of renewed global attention online right now, your international fans are very excited. Is there any chance we might see you bring the PARALLEL QUEST tour overseas, perhaps to Europe or London?

Alan Shirahama: If there is a demand for it, I would absolutely love to bring it overseas!! In particular, I am a massive fan of British culture and heritage. Beyond just performing live, I would love to go over and stay for an extended period to produce music and gather fresh inspiration. Since everyone in the group is still quite young relative to our career length, I want us to maintain that light footwork and travel to all sorts of places! I feel it would be incredibly fun if we could pull off a tour solely focused on Europe.

Ryuto Kazuhara: Every single one of us says the exact same thing: we want to challenge ourselves with overseas performances! We will definitely make it happen!

Reo Sano: I’m absolutely delighted that the reactions from overseas are increasing. I have an incredibly strong desire to actually go over and perform, including in Europe and London. My memories from when we visited on tour previously remain vividly etched in my mind; I could really feel the sheer energy of the people and the warmth of the welcoming fans, and there are still fans today who deeply treasure those memories. If the timing and environment align, I want to go and meet everyone directly all over the world and share our music in the exact same space.

Davide: 10. Thank you so much for your time today, and congratulations once again on this well-deserved milestone. To wrap things up, do you have a special message for the long-time fans who are celebrating your journey, as well as the new listeners who are discovering GENERATIONS for the very first time today?

Alan Shirahama: We, GENERATIONS, are six individuals filled with distinct personalities who absolutely love music, dance, and singing. Each and every member possesses a wealth of charm, making us a highly entertaining group, so we would be absolutely delighted if you took an interest in us!!

Ryota Katayose: We, GENERATIONS, have faced various turning points across different eras, but we have always overcome them with the utmost sincerity and devotion. We would be so happy if we could carve out and open up this brand-new era together with all of you.

With a massive 2026 nationwide tour schedule on the horizon and a fresh wave of creative inspiration fueling their next era, GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE are proving that truly great music stands the test of time. But the most exciting takeaway for international fans? The members are listening! As Alan and Ryuto explicitly mentioned, if the global demand is there, they are ready to bring their incredible live energy overseas to Europe and London.

Now, it is up to the fans to make some noise! Help spread the word and show the group just how much Europe wants them by sharing this exclusive interview online using the hashtags #GENE_RisingFast and #ジェネ急上昇中. Let’s keep the momentum going and bring GENERATIONS to a stage near you!