During the Head in the Clouds music festival in Pasadena, we chatted with rising Japanese boy group ONE OR EIGHT, who are kicking off an exciting new chapter with the release of their highly anticipated first EP, EN-GÏNE.
The six-track project showcases the group’s range, from the high-energy fan favorite “YANKEE SQUAT” and hard-hitting focus track “TRANSLATE” to the more vulnerable side of ONE OR EIGHT on “INVINCIBLE.”
It’s already been a huge year for the group. They’ve taken their music around the world on their first North and Latin American tour, performed at Head In The Clouds in Los Angeles, and are now preparing for showcases across Asia and a fan meeting tour spanning all 47 prefectures of Japan.
They’re also stepping into the anime world with their upcoming single “Yellow Brick Road,” which will serve as the ending theme for the second season of Black Clover.
With EN-GÏNE officially out and an even bigger global chapter ahead, read on for our chat with ONE OR EIGHT about the new music, their journey together, connecting with fans around the world and everything still to come.
(Photo credit: Avex Music Creative Inc.)
Also read about: JO1 on Their New EP, Showing the World a New Side of Themselves and Connecting with JAM
Sweety High: You’re performing at Head in the Clouds this weekend. What is getting to be part of this festival mean to you?
ONE OR EIGHT: It’s one of the biggest festivals for Asians trying to make it in West, and I feel like being part of that lineup is truly an honor. We’ve been huge fans of all of the artists coming today since we were kids.
We’re really honored to be able to perform with them, but also, we really feel like we brought our A game today. We’re proud of how we performed, and now we’re just here to enjoy the show.
(Photo credit: Avex Music Creative Inc.)
SH: Festival crowds can be very different from your own headlining shows. What do you want someone who’s never seen you guys before walk away with at the end of your set?
ONE OR EIGHT: Our sound is very energetic with high energy, and we focus on having unity. So we (on the stage) want fans and listeners on the other side to unite as one.
(Photo credit: Avex Music Creative Inc.)
SH: You recently released “YANKEE SQUAT.” Really loved that one. What made the concept feel right for you?
ONE OR EIGHT: So it’s our personal music taste too, “YANKEE SQUAT” comes from the way they sit, (rebellious youth in Japan, mainly the students), and it comes from what we call Yankee culture.
(Photo credit: Avex Music Creative Inc.)
We wanted to make the song to ask for the listeners to be in their own place. So, we’re gonna offer the place for them to come and feel home. And also, a group of Yankees, they respect each other in a group, and they care for each other in a group, and that resonates for us as a group, because we help each other very much.
Also read about: Everything You Wanted to Know About ‘Heartless’ Artist Mia Takarabe
SH: “YANKEE SQUAT” gives us a little taste of the upcoming EP. What does this song tell us about the direction for the rest of the project?
ONE OR EIGHT: If you listen to each song in this upcoming EP, each song is completely different from our previous one, and the way we express it and the type of music and tone is completely different.
So in the whole EP, we can show the evolution as a group. We show how different we are, the different aspects of us in the performance.
(Photo credit: Avex Music Creative Inc.)
SH: Without giving away too much with the upcoming EP, which song are you guys most personally excited for?
Tsubasa: I’m Tsubasa. My favorite song is “YANKEE SQUAT.”
(Photo credit: Avex Music Creative Inc.)
Souma: I’m Souma; one of my favorite songs is “I <3 IT.”
Mizuki: Mizuki, and my favorite song is “INVINCIBLE.”
Ryota: My favorite song, “TRANSLATE.” I’m Ryota.
Yuga: I’m Yuga, and my favorite song is “INVINCIBLE.”
(Photo credit: Avex Music Creative Inc.)
Reia: I’m Reia my favorite song is “INVINCIBLE.”
Takeru: I’m Takeru, my favorite song is “TRANSLATE.”
Neo: I’m Neo, and my favorite song is “TRANSLATE.”
(Photo credit: Avex Music Creative Inc.)
Also read about: ONE OR EIGHT Discuss New Single ‘365,’ International Acclaim and Their Love for 1DERZ
SH: Between Head and the Clouds and the new EP, there’s a lot happening for the group. When you look at the rest of the year, what’s something you’re hoping you accomplish next?
ONE OR EIGHT:We can’t control numbers and views; it matters, but we don’t have control over that. So at the end of the year, we just want to look back and just know that we gave all of what we have and have no regrets.
We want to look back on ourselves performing and don’t want to think we didn’t do enough. We just want to be able to think that we gave it all, and the result is what we did.
(Photo credit: Avex Music Creative Inc.)
You can listen to EN-GÏNE in full here:
For even more from ONE OR EIGHT, click HERE to read our interview with with them on their mini-album GATHER.
