It’s been an thrilling and busy time for J-pop group JO1.
Group members Sho Yonashiro and Keigo Sato are sitting in a convention room at The Hollywood Reporter’s L.A. workplace. The pair, dressed casually earlier than they depart for a flight to Las Vegas for a cease on the iHeartRadio Music Competition, are the one two members of the 11-person J-pop group who’ve made the journey from Japan to the U.S.
The 11-piece outfit — comprised of members Yonashiro, the group’s chief, Ren Kawashiri, Ruki Shiroiwa, Junki Kono, Sato, Takumi Kawanishi, Syoya Kimata, Shosei Ohira, Sky Kinjo, Shion Tsurubo and Issei Mamehara — was shaped by means of the Japanese spin-off of widespread Korean music competitors sequence Produce 101 Japan. Within the 5 years since their 2020 debut, the group’s been busy.
The group is again with a brand new single, “Handz in my Pocket,” from a single album that options three further new songs. The practically three-minute music is catchy and enjoyable. Sato says that because the group has expanded globally this previous 12 months, the thought of a signature JO1 music was on the thoughts. “Handz in my Pocket” appears to be that for the group. “That’s one thing that actually helped affect us once we had been deciding which music to decide on,” the 27-year-old explains by means of a translator.
For the primary time, all members of the J-pop group got here collectively to determine on their subsequent single. “It was laborious,” Yonashiro jokes. The 29-year-old, the group’s chief, says it was a very good alternative to all contribute on this method. “Truly, we didn’t have any issues,” he later provides.
JO1 additionally picked the perfect elements of two completely different choreographers’ work to create the dance. “It [was] actually enjoyable and actually troublesome typically as a result of [it was a] little bit more durable,” Yonashiro says. He says it wasn’t that the choreography itself was notably, however “entering into the proper mindset” was a tough needle to string at instances.
In 2025, JO1’s primary objective appeared to be a push into international markets, much less widespread on the planet of J-pop, notably within the U.S. They launched into their first U.S. tour, attended U.S. award reveals and music festivals and have launched English-language variations of their final two singles, “Be Basic” and “Handz in my Pocket.” The group has come to the Los Angeles space 4 instances within the final 12 months alone. “Subsequent 12 months, I feel we’ll do the identical factor,” says Yonashiro in regards to the group’s international future.
“We wish to go all over the world to carry out. We wish folks in each nation to know our title,” the chief provides. The singer notes that he thinks it’s essential that the group doesn’t quit on selling their music globally. Sato says he desires the group to formally debut in America, saying charting on Billboard is an aspiration for the group. He additionally provides that he desires to carry out at Coachella. The group additionally took half within the U.S. present, KPOPPED, from Apple TV, which paired Ok-pop and J-pop teams with western artists for a particular collaboration efficiency.
Yonashiro says the L.A. date of JO1’s 2025 world tour has been a standout second for him. The tour helped the group understand what a big fanbase they’d overseas. “Everybody was ready for us. I couldn’t consider that,” he says. “Everybody remembered our Japanese lyrics and [were] singing [them].”
For Sato, getting the possibility to carry out on the Dodgers’ Japanese Heritage Night time was a spotlight. “Clearly performing on the Dodgers is such an enormous deal, however what made it additional particular is the truth that the Dodgers have lots of Japanese gamers,” he explains.
“Having the ability to see Japanese folks acting on the worldwide world stage and simply dominating makes us really feel like we have to be like them,” Sato continues. “It’s very inspiring to us.”