ONE OR EIGHT Are “ALL OR NOTHING” When It Comes To Artistry
The year 2024 brought forth a global group on the radar of rap aficionados and boy group enthusiasts alike. ONE OR EIGHT are an eight-member boy group hailing from Japan and composed of members MIZUKI, NEO, REIA, RYOTA, SOUMA, TAKERU, TSUBASA, and YUGA. From their first performance video reaching viral acclaim to landing rapper Big Sean’s first collaboration with a Japanese artist, ONE OR EIGHT had quite the 2024. But they are only getting started. As a global team armed with the tagline, “BET ON YOURSELF,” the group is ready to pull out all the stops in this new year.
Members NEO and SOUMA spoke with EnVi via Zoom just shy of the 2024 holiday season. The pair joined the meeting on an early afternoon in Japan, sporting casual wear in a studio room. Contrary to the fierce charisma they emit onstage, EnVi’s exchange with the rap duo felt like longtime friends catching up. Apart from sharing fun-filled anecdotes, NEO and SOUMA reflected on their eventful debut year and their ambitions entering 2025.
Break The Dash
On June 20, ONE OR EIGHT stepped onto the scene with a predebut performance video for their track, “KAWASAKI.” The hard-hitting choreography by Taryn Cheng showcases the team’s polished technical skills — with RYOTA and TAKERU even pulling off acrobatic stunts. The track combined the forces of rap producers DJ Smallz 732, GENT!, Bangs, Xansei, and Lucien Parker, who have worked with the likes of Nicki Minaj and Kanye West. Staying true to the song’s title, “KAWASAKI” is a rap track with a jersey club beat that expresses the team’s desire to reach new momentum and speed. The track is equipped with ambitious lyrics like “Taking over with the gang / I’m riding til’ the wheels burst” and “My demons riding don’t show em’ mercy.”
There is a lot for audiences to absorb from “KAWASAKI,” but SOUMA believes the chorus, “KAWASAKI (Go faster),” perfectly captures the track’s vibe. “I think it’s like a great hook for the fans to chant along to and get hyped with during our shows,” SOUMA said. “One of the [song’s] themes is getting together — it’s like a gathering. So I think that really highlights the whole vibe of the song.” While SOUMA shared his answer, NEO excitedly showed off the hook choreography (which compelled me to join in on a little bit of the fun by copying the steering wheel move).
The performance video garnered 10 million views within the first 10 days of its release. It also charted at No. 1 on the Japan Billboard Heatseekers songs chart. This impressive introduction to the team was met with even more enthusiasm for the song to be released on streaming platforms. “We were really baffled by the reception of it, and we’ve received a lot of comments for it to be released on DSPs,” NEO shared. “While preparing for it to be released, we were trying to upgrade it and get it revamped. But while we were preparing for it, we had the opportunity to perform ‘KAWASAKI’ in front of Big Sean. From then on, we offered him a spot in the track, and he gave us a generous ‘yes.’”
Big Moves With Big Sean
Almost half a year later, “KAWASAKI” underwent a rebirth. Big Sean was like the missing puzzle piece, taking this already explosive track to new heights with his lyricism and flow. The seven-time BET Award-winning and GRAMMY-nominated superstar brings in clever bars like “And I’m outta pocket goin’ Tamagotchi” and “Stay inside your lane, can’t merge.” The collaboration dropped on December 6, to much anticipation and hype from diverse audiences.
The accompanying music video is directed by the MTV Video Music Award-nominated Glenn Michael. It features otherworldly visuals, paired with dynamic choreography shots and rap sequences. The video debuts a Kaiju-like entity named KARMI, who is “a spiritual guardian who calls for ONE OR EIGHT and their community to get together.” Big Sean blends effortlessly with ONE OR EIGHT in the group shots, yet his unrivaled charisma shines in his solo scenes.
ONE OR EIGHT are the first Japanese artists to collaborate with Big Sean, and he has nothing but praises for the team. During the filming of the “KAWASAKI” music video, Big Sean enthusiastically cosigned the team and their talents. “I think ONE OR EIGHT will definitely be successful — I wouldn’t be collaborating with them if I didn’t think so,” Big Sean revealed in a behind-the-scenes clip. “I think they’re on the leading edge of J-pop and that whole scene.”
The New Bad Boys of Tokyo
ONE OR EIGHT officially debuted on August 16 with the single, “Don’t Tell Nobody.” The dance-pop track combines bouncy, ‘90s reminiscent toplines, and bass-driven trap beats. The confident lyricism shares their aspirations as budding artists and epitomizes their team identity. “It’s a statement that we’re gonna go from Tokyo to the world,” SOUMA proudly shared. “So it’ll always have a special place in my heart.”
The music video carries this sentiment, merging imagery of the east and west across scenes of the team basking in their star-studded life. When asked about their most memorable moment from filming, SOUMA shared his amazement that five days of filming in Japan and South Korea was consolidated into a singular video. NEO decided to tell EnVi a fun behind-the-scenes tidbit: “We actually filmed this in March, and it’s still really cold in Japan — but the song was going to be released during the summer!” NEO recalled. “We had to be in shorts, everyone was freezing! That was one of the… I wouldn’t say pleasant… but memorable moments.”
Rewatching the music video with this newfound information, ONE OR EIGHT’s professionalism shines as they execute their scenes and even Nick Joseph’s high-energy choreography with ease. Who knew that this song bursting with carefree, summer vibes was filmed in the cold winter?
8et On Yourself
The team’s name, ONE OR EIGHT, originates from the Japanese phrase, “一か八か (ICHIKA BACHIKA),” meaning “all or nothing.” As a team, this mindset drives them to give it their all no matter the circumstance. “First of all, your pronunciation is on point,” NEO complimented my pronunciation of the Japanese phrase, with a nod of approval from SOUMA.
After exchanging a couple of laughs following my surprise as someone with little-to-no Japanese skills, NEO earnestly continued: “We really hate mediocrity, the team and the members. We all hate mediocrity. So as the phrase [‘all or nothing’] says, if we’re gonna do it, we’re going all in and aiming for the top — or it’s nothing. That’s how ambitious we are.”
ONE OR EIGHT’s “all or nothing” attitude is on full display with their series STAGE ZERO, which documents their journey leading to debut. ONE OR EIGHT “starts from zero” by building their live performance experience across Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand. However, ONE OR EIGHT announced their upgrade to the next stage with their first event since debut, “STAGE ONE SHŪKAI.” ONE OR EIGHT kicked off the tour this month in Japan, with international dates to be announced soon.
“STAGE ZERO was pre-debut, so we were still in the process of learning how all of this works,” SOUMA told EnVi. “With ‘STAGE ONE,’ we hopefully can visit more countries that we haven’t been to, meet more fans in the world, and directly speak with them. You know, just show them in this short time since we’ve debuted, how much we’ve improved and our performances as well.”
One Love
ONE OR EIGHT’s dedication and admiration for their fans radiated through their responses. At the core of everything they do, ONE OR EIGHT want to repay the fans for their unwavering support. “Being an artist, it’s not all peaches and roses — we do have stressful moments,” NEO confessed. He continued with a direct message to the fans: “To be honest, the reason why we could go through all of it is because we have really supportive and loving fans. Being able to perform in front of them and feel their energy in person, it really gets me and the team going. We really all appreciate that, and you guys are the reason why we’re here and why we’re still pushing forward.”
This heartwarming declaration led to a conversation about who inspired their artistry, and what kind of artist they aspire to be. Since debut, SOUMA has been vocal about his long-running admiration for Michael Jackson, and his answer was no exception. “My role model is Michael Jackson from a very young age. I love his music, but also, furthermore, his character as a performer. There’s a lot to learn from him, and he is the type of artist I aspire to be.”
NEO shared a vulnerable response. “I aspire to be a safe space for the fans and our listeners,” NEO reflected. “Personally, when I was growing up, I felt like the world really demanded me not to be who I really was […] I really felt uncomfortable when I was growing up — and if there’s anyone who’s feeling the same way, I really want our shows and our songs to be their safe space, where they could express themselves authentically and genuinely.” NEO wrapped his answer by citing the very artist who inspired this philosophy, “For me, an artist who did that for me was J. Cole — he really preached how to be authentic and be yourself.”
Onto The Next Stage
As our time together drew to a close, I asked the duo about their new year’s resolutions, and what fans can anticipate in 2025. The two fondly reflected on their first year as a team and how 2024 will forever be embedded in ONE OR EIGHT’s history. “2024 was our beginning, it was the commencement of our legacy,” NEO said. “Next year, we really want to connect with our fans, and release more songs. My New Year’s resolution is to be able to make it a leap for the team after we had a great beginning.”
With a beaming smile, NEO added, “My personal New Year’s resolution is to have my own cat,” which led to infectious smiles and “awws” all around the Zoom meeting.
SOUMA echoed NEO’s excitement for new music, and focused in on his excitement for “STAGE ONE SHŪKAI.” “In order to do that [showcase new songs], we’ve got to work more to get these songs released and recorded and whatnot, so the fans can enjoy more songs with us as we perform. I really can’t wait to do more shows so I’m really looking forward to ‘STAGE ONE SHŪKAI.’”
There is no doubt that ONE OR EIGHT have a big year ahead, but they are ready to face it head on. Since our interview, ONE OR EIGHT announced yet another “KAWASAKI” remix, set to release on January 31. Korean-American rapper pH-1 is next in line to hop on the track. Known for his K-hip-hop hits, fans are excited to see what he will bring to “KAWASAKI.”
ONE OR EIGHT are ambitious to their core. After overcoming STAGE ZERO’s obstacles, ONE OR EIGHT are unafraid to face whatever stands in the way of completing their next stage. “Completing” doesn’t mean just simply finishing the task at hand, but going above and beyond no matter the circumstance.
Kick off the new year with ONE OR EIGHT by following them on X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube!
Want to see more exclusive coverage with artists and epic collaborations? Check out EnVi’s exclusive feature with BE:FIRST, here!
