The sound of modern Japanese music is shifting at breakneck speed, and no one is pushing those boundaries quite like ONE OR EIGHT. Comprising eight powerhouse talents—MIZUKI, NEO, REIA, RYOTA, SOUMA, TAKERU, TSUBASA, and YUGA—the group takes their name from the Japanese idiom “Ichi ka Bachi ka” (all or nothing), living out their ultimate mantra: “BET ON YOURSELF.”
What I genuinely love about ONE OR EIGHT is how they are completely redefining J-pop for a global audience. They bring a fresh, fearless take to the genre, packing every release with raw hip-hop energy, incredible beats, and an attitude that feels entirely borderless.
Ever since we first connected during their explosive GATHER era, I have been hooked on the momentum they are building. Now, they are back with their debut EP, EN-GÏNE, and it is an absolute masterclass. Across six standout tracks—including the rage-inspired focus track “TRANSLATE” (with its brilliant 90s-spy-style music video shot in Vietnam) alongside personal favourites of mine like “MONSTER” and “I<3 IT”—this project proves they don’t adapt to environments; they define them.
With international showcases across Asia and a massive 47-prefecture tour lined up in Japan, the engine is running hotter than ever. I caught up with the group for an exclusive second interview to talk about the creative process behind EN-GÏNE, their musical roots (building on YUGA’s love for SEVENTEEN!), their dream collaborations, and when we might finally see them bring their electrifying live show over to Europe and London.
Buckle up, because once this engine starts, there’s no stopping it.
Davide: Hello ONE OR EIGHT! It is wonderful to welcome you back to Davide K-pop. How have you all been doing since our last chat for GATHER, and how does it feel to finally release your very first EP, EN-GÏNE?
MIZUKI: I’m honestly just really happy that we were able to release EN-GÏNE.
Through this EP, I feel like we’ve been able to show new sides of ONE OR EIGHT, as well as new charms and personalities from each member!
I can’t wait for the day when we can perform the songs from EN-GÏNE at our own live show!
SOUMA: Since GATHER, we’ve been making this EP while travelling to many different countries and performing at festivals in Japan. While performing, I kept thinking about how much I wanted everyone to hear these songs as soon as possible, so I’m really happy that we’ve finally made that happen!
Davide: During our last interview, you shared how much your name means and how hard you work as a team. Looking back at your journey from GATHER up to this new release, how do you feel ONE OR EIGHT has grown artistically?
NEO: Since GATHER, I think we’ve become more confident in expressing who we are musically. We’ve experimented with different sounds and learned how to bring out each member’s individuality while still keeping ONE OR EIGHT’s identity. EN-GÏNE feels like a big step forward because it shows more sides of us as artists.
TAKERU: For this EP, we worked on expanding our vocal range so that each of us could show a new side of ourselves. As a result, I think we were able to bring out new voices and new forms of expression. I feel like we’ve grown as artists and expanded what we’re capable of!
Davide: Let’s talk about the title track, “TRANSLATE”. It is such a high-energy track, and the music video filmed in Vietnam is INCREDIBLE! What was it like shooting there and playing the roles of agents tracking down a yōkai?
REIA: Shooting in Vietnam was really exciting and so much fun!
We were able to film in an environment that was completely different from what we’re used to, and I think the streets and atmosphere of Vietnam helped us create a special feeling that could only come through in the music video.
This time, we played agents who were tracking down a yōkai, which was a completely different kind of character from who I am normally. Through acting in that role, I feel like I was able to discover a new side of myself.
RYOTA: It was my first time shooting in Vietnam, and honestly, the time flew by. There were a lot of acting scenes, and since it was my first time acting, there were definitely parts that were challenging, while there were also things that I think I did well. I got to actually speak out loud while interrogating people, fighting, and suspecting others, and through all of that, I was able to discover a new side of myself. That’s what the shoot was like for me.
Davide: The EP has six great tracks, including previous releases like “MONSTER” and “INVINCIBLE”. Fans are loving the whole tracklist, but personally, my absolute favourite songs are “MONSTER” and “I<3 IT”! What can you tell us about recording these specific tracks?
TSUBASA: I also really like “I<3 IT.” We created both of these songs while imagining how much fun they would be to perform live, so I’m really looking forward to performing them in front of everyone soon.
MIZUKI: With “MONSTER,” I challenged myself to see how much quiet strength I could express. Rather than just putting all my power into the rap, I focused on making it sound like I was fully in control of that strength.
For “I<3 IT,” I wanted to have a lot of energy while still giving off a sense that I was completely in control and comfortable. But I kept getting too excited because I was having so much fun, so I actually found it difficult to hold back!
Davide: In our last interview, YUGA shared that groups like SEVENTEEN are a big inspiration for you all. As a group, looking at your journey now, who are some of your other biggest musical inspirations? Also, looking ahead at your global journey, are there any artists—either in Japan or internationally—that you would love to collaborate with one day?
REIA: The eight members of ONE OR EIGHT all have different musical roots and favourite artists, so we’ve been influenced by many different artists.
Personally, I’ve been heavily influenced by K-pop artists when it comes to performance and stage presence. BTS in particular has had a huge influence on me—not only through their music, but also through their performances, fashion, and the way they share their roots and messages with people around the world.
And if we could ever collaborate with BTS, it would honestly be a dream come true.
YUGA: BTS and ENHYPEN. As for an artist I’d like to collaborate with, I’d say CORTIS.
Davide: You have some incredible plans ahead, including the SPECIAL SHOWCASE 2026 in ASIA tour and your 47-prefecture fan meeting tour in Japan! International fans are very excited—are there any plans or hopes to bring your tour to Europe and London anytime soon?
SOUMA: We’re really happy that we’ll get to meet 1DERZ in all 47 prefectures in Japan, and Europe is also a new region for us that we haven’t visited yet. So we’re really looking forward to performing there and meeting everyone as soon as possible!
NEO: Absolutely. We’d love to bring our music to Europe and London someday. There are so many fans there that we haven’t had the chance to meet yet, so performing there would be really special for us. I hope we can make it happen soon.
Davide: Finally, do you have a special message for all the fans who have been supporting your engine from day one?
RYOTA: Thank you so much for always supporting ONE OR EIGHT. Since our debut, we’ve continued to challenge ourselves in many different ways. Sometimes things haven’t gone the way we hoped, while at other times things have worked out well, and we’ve had all kinds of results along the way. But one thing I can say has never changed is how happy and grateful we are to have all of our 1DERZ supporting us. Knowing that you’re always there for us truly makes me happy and has helped us through so much.
It’s because of all of you that we’re able to stand on stage. We’ll continue to give everything we have and do our best to make all of our 1DERZ happy. I’d be really happy if you would continue this journey with us. Thank you, as always, for your continued support!
YUGA: Thank you so much for always supporting us. Please listen to our EP, EN-GÏNE, as much as you can! We hope you’ll continue to support ONE OR EIGHT! 🙏
Talking with ONE OR EIGHT always reminds me of why I fell in love with covering this industry in the first place. There is an absolute fearlessness to how they operate—whether they are blending English and Japanese effortlessly across rage-inspired beats on their debut EP EN-GÏNE, taking over international stages, or redefining what a global J-pop group can achieve.
Their drive doesn’t stop in the studio, either. Following the massive success of EN-GÏNE, the boys have kept the momentum going with their brand-new single “Yellow Brick Road”, serving as the official ending theme song for the TV anime Black Clover Season 2! It’s another brilliant addition to their growing discography and proves they are only picking up speed as they head into their upcoming Asian showcase tour.
If our chat proved anything, it’s that MIZUKI, NEO, REIA, RYOTA, SOUMA, TAKERU, TSUBASA, and YUGA are entirely focused on writing their own rules. I can’t wait to see where the road takes them next—and hopefully, that includes a stop in London very soon!
Make sure you stream their debut EP EN-GÏNE here and check out their latest single “Yellow Brick Road” here!
Want more ONE OR EIGHT? Join the 1DERZ mailing list for exclusive updates!https://www.oneoreight-fc.com/
