There's a new boy band in town. Friday (August 16) marks the official debut of newly formed Japanese act ONE OR EIGHT. The eight-member group – consisting of Mizuki, Neo, Reia, Ryota, Souma, Takeru, Tsubasa and Yuga – share their second single with the powerful “Don't Tell Nobody” and accompanying music video.
The song follows debut single “Kawasaki” — a hip-hop-inflected track inspired by the eponymous Japanese car brand — which the group shared alongside its release on Instagram in June. In its first week, the performance video shared garnered more than 6 million views.
ONE OR EIGHT, backed by Avex Entertainment in Japan and the US (with Brandon Silverstein's S10 as Avex's Stateside partner), stand out not only for their fusion of hip-hop and pop, but also for the way they which the act celebrates Japanese culture through the members' lyrics, choreography and streetwear-inspired aesthetic. Even its name shows the group's roots, as it comes from the Japanese idiom 'Ichi ka Bachi ka', which roughly translates to 'all or nothing'.
“We are excited to present ONE OR EIGHT as a first-of-its-kind collaboration that combines the musical, cultural and innovative resources between Avex's US and Japanese branches, beginning an ongoing mission for a next-generation hybrid model that will advance the Japanese music as a global phenomenon,” says Naoki Osada, CEO of Avex US
Adds Takeya Ino, label president at Avex Japan: “At Avex, we embrace challenges and respect US music culture. “Using the creative networks we've built in the US, our members are ready to embody the all-or-nothing spirit after years of preparation.”
“Don't Tell Nobody” was written with David Stewart and co-produced by Stewart and hitmaker Ryan Tedder.
Watch the music video below.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/japanese-boy-band-one-or-eight-debut-1235753944/
