Forget what you know about Japanese pop stars, ONE OR EIGHT is flipping the script. The Japanese boy group debuted just last year but they’re on a rise that can only be described as meteoric. Their debut track Don’t Tell Nobody was a high-octane record that not only launched their vibrant persona to the world, but also featured the works of major industry players in music. The song was produced by Ryan Tedder, a regular on Taylor Swift‘s albums, and David Stewart, whom you might recognise from his work with megastars BTS.
More recently, the group released BET YOUR LIFE, a powerful anthem that’s been topping charts all over the globe. BET YOUR LIFE pays homage to the brand’s tagline, “Bet On Yourself”, an empowering theme that grounds the group’s records, which are typically an effortlessly cool blend of hip-hop and pop.
The bold, ambitious spirit carries over to the eight members—Mizuki, Neo, Reia, Ryota, Souma, Takeru, Tsubasa and Yuga—as well. When the boys of ONE OR EIGHT recently visited Singapore for a slate of live performances, GRAZIA Singapore got the opportunity to experience the group’s captivating aura in the flesh.
When locked in into work mode, the boys are warm, charming and just altogether dazzling. Even in their quieter moments, the members don’t stop grinding. In one corner, Ryota is rehearsing his dance moves, and in another, Mizuki and Takeru are chatting about their upcoming performances in Singapore.
When in conversation with ONE OR EIGHT, anyone can see that they’re pros, despite only having one full year together as team. As I speak to the members, one thing is immediately clear: they’re the best of friends. They share a wonderful brotherhood that shines through whether they’re on- or off-duty. This quality comes through in their dynamics with one another. They never cut one another off; instead, they give one another the space to stand in the spotlight.
Ahead, get to know the boys of ONE OR EIGHT, the captivating Japanese boy band that’s taking the music world by storm.
GRAZIA Singapore: Welcome to Singapore! You’re here in town for a few performances—describe the performances in three emojis.
ONE OR EIGHT (OOE): 💪, 🍏 and 🕺!
GS: Your group name comes from a Japanese idiom Ichi Ka Bachi Ka, meaning all or nothing. How has that concept shaped the group’s creative direction?
Tsubasa (T): For us, this idea comes through our music. We just released Young & Reckless as well as the track BET YOUR LIFE, and we wanted these tracks to be a challenge from Japan to the rest of the world. Check it out!
GS: With the song BET YOUR LIFE, how do you think the group has embodied this all or nothing attitude?
Reia: As a group, this song represents how we’re bracing ourselves for challenges and whatever else there is to come in life.
GS: This year, ONE OR EIGHT became the first Japanese group to walk the red carpet at the Video Music Awards. How did that historic moment feel?
Yuga: We were really nervous but so excited to be there! It was definitely an experience we’ll remember for a long time to come.
GS: Looking back at your journey since debut, what are some highlights of your career so far?
Souma: In January this year, we held our Shūkai tour in a few cities in Japan, which was amazing. Outside of Japan, we’ve been very lucky to also visit many countries to perform for our fans, including the US, parts of Latin America and Thailand. Ultimately, performing for our fans, 1Derz, is the best feeling. We love communicating with them and it’s invigorating to be able to perform live for them at events around the world.
Neo (N): We also have a lot of memories in Singapore. We actually had our first show post-debut in Singapore. That performance frankly felt insane, because it got cancelled once due to a monsoon. In spite of that, all our staff and fans held out for us. In the end, we still got the chance to perform two of the five songs in our set list for our live debut here in Singapore—so that was an awesome experience I’ll never forget. And now, coming back here again to perform for a larger crowd, it means a lot to us.
GS: Did you face any unexpected challenges as new artists?
N: The main challenge we faced was connecting with various countries and cultures. We have a strong fanbase internationally, but connecting can still be tricky. We’re all Japanese, and not everyone is fluent in English. Still, we try to connect with our fans with our music. You know, music has that power, and we hope that, coming from Japan, we can show the world the beauty of music through our songs and performances.
GS: How do you want your music to connect with fans around the world, especially with cultures different than yours?
OOE: We’re a pretty rare team. We’re all Japanese, but all our songs are in English. We do that because we think that English is a universal language of sorts; the language that connects us all. And for people who don’t understand or speak English, we hope that through our performances, listeners can understand our message and feel our story.
Like our slogan “Bet On Yourself”, we hope that our music can give you that one push to step forward towards your goals. As we get older, there comes that feeling of being judged and being weighed down with responsibilities. So we want our music to encourage you to challenge yourselves to reach for your dreams and goals.
GS: Are there any genres or artists you’d like to work with in the future?
T: Personally, I love Max Martin’s music. He’s a producer that I would love to collaborate with in the future. He’s the one music producer that’s truly on my bucket list!
N: I’m a huge fan of the Singaporean group called Brb., and I love their music. Connecting with Singaporean music is on our bucket list as well, so I’d love to collaborate with them or even other local artists.
Ryota: I’m very interested in rock music, so one of my big dreams is to write a rock song. I’ve been practising on my guitar a lot and want to improve on it in the future!
GS: Where do you see ONE OR EIGHT in five years’s time? What do you hope to have achieved by then?
R: I want to inspire our fans even more. I want them to feel our energy and heart when they listen to our songs, and I want our fans to always try out new challenges.
T: In five years, I hope we’ll get the chance to perform in larger, dome stadiums, like the famous Tokyo Dome. To perform in a huge venue like that would be an amazing opportunity.
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