by martina rexrode
photo courtesy of one or eight
Releasing new music at the start of a new year is no easy feat. For ONE OR EIGHT, a Japanese boy group who first debuted in 2024, they knew they had to kick 2026 off with a bang. With a mini-album, GATHER, recently released and their first global tour beginning in March, the group’s near future is bright, making the more distant future that more exciting. Unclear sat down with ONE OR EIGHT to discuss their single “POWER,” the mini-album, and what’s to come as 2026 unfolds.
You kicked off 2026 by releasing your electrifying single “POWER” on January 7th. Why do you feel this was the right single to drop first this year?
TSUBASA: “This song ‘POWER,’ it was chosen as the ending song for the anime Yoroi Shinden Samurai Troopers, and so we wanted to match the timing with the anime release, so that’s reason number one. The other reason is that, as the name suggests, we literally wanted to kick off the new year with a very powerful song and a very powerful sound, so that’s the reason we started with ‘POWER.’”
How does “POWER” elevate your musical identity after the success of previous singles like “KAWASAKI” and “DSTM?”
MIZUKI: “When we look back from our debut or even before that, we have built a lot of experiences and regrets, all of which have helped us grow and develop as artists and as human beings as well. Through that, we think we have been able to acquire a lot of power and a lot of strength, so I think that this song being released will help us identify that side of ourselves.”
“POWER” is just one of eight tracks on your mini-album, GATHER. How are you feeling now that you’re less than two weeks out from the release of this project and how have you been preparing?
NEO: “We’re feeling anxious and very excited at the same time. We’re going to have this mini-album release, but also we’re going on tour this year, so we have these two big events coming up. We definitely want to make sure a lot of people come and visit us on tour. At the same time, we want to make sure our album, GATHER, appeals to a big audience, so yeah, we’re excited and anxious.”
“TOKYO DRIFT” starts the mini-album off on an explosive note. What was the energy like in the studio when you were recording this track?
RYOTA: “For ‘TOKYO DRIFT,’ we were super motivated. For 2026, obviously we want to appeal to the global audience as we have been doing so far, but also really want to focus on our market that is within Japan. We’re super pumped and full of momentum. As you know, ‘TOKYO DRIFT’ is the sampling of the iconic song ‘Tokyo Drift’ by Teriyaki Boyz that everyone is familiar with from the Fast & Furious movie. This track is our version in which we wanted to unleash our color and our uniqueness so that all the fans and listeners can feel our motivation and commitment. There was a lot of energy in the studio, the production process, and in creating the music video as well.”
What went through your mind the first time you heard the demo for “TOKYO DRIFT?”
REIA: “Initially, ‘TOKYO DRIFT’ was scheduled for the four rap members and was originally all about rap. I personally really like the Wild Speed movies, so I was a bit envious and was hoping that the vocal members would be involved as well. When we learned that we were actually going to be included and that all eight of us would be able to perform this song, I was just so happy and am really honored to be able to sample this song.”
What’s it like to look at the tracklist of GATHER and see all of your singles in one place for fans to listen to alongside two new singles?
RYOTA: “This album is packed with these eight songs. It’s basically showing our trajectory from our debut — all the experiences and the learnings that we’ve had. There’s very distinctive emotions in each of the songs, so I really hope that listeners can appreciate that and really feel that from us.”
The excitement for ONE OR EIGHT in 2026 doesn’t end with this mini-album; you’re also heading out on a North and South America tour in the spring. Can you tell us anything about this tour to hold fans over until then?
MIZUKI: “We are starting off this tour in March in Japan. On our previous tour, called SHŪKAI, we visited various areas around the world and I was so happy to meet so many of the 1DERZ. This new tour is a great opportunity for us to showcase the new challenges that we’ll be continuing to face, so for that I’m really excited. Obviously for this new tour, we’re going to visit new locations that we weren’t able to with SHŪKAI. Unfortunately, I can’t disclose the details like where and when we’ll visit each market, so I’m sorry that I might be keeping some of the 1DERZ anxious, but we really hope that you guys stay tuned.”
What song(s) are each of you most excited to perform for 1DERZ who will be seeing you live for the first time?
TAKERU: “Personally, since we haven’t been able to perform ‘TOKYO DRIFT’ in front of an audience yet, that’s the one I’m really excited to perform on tour.”
With the second anniversary of your debut approaching later this summer, what are some of your fondest memories of your career so far?
REIA: “I have to say the shooting of the ‘365’ music video because, up until that point, we had been really showcasing our dance skills and performance strengths. This music video was shot in the US, outside of our homeland, and we were actually non-directed to be ourselves, so it wasn’t formatted at all. We were able to be very casual and the way we normally are. Through this shooting, I was able to learn about the members and create a stronger bond in that sense, so that’s been one of the highlights.”
What are you looking forward to most in 2026 and beyond?
TSUBASA: “Last year, when we had the SHŪKAI finale in Zepp Haneda, we unfortunately were unable to pack the venue, which was really disappointing and a really regretful experience for us. If we do have the opportunity to perform at Zepp again this year, we really want to make sure we pack it with our fans. Before we can do that, we know we have to work on our presence on the SNS platform and be more active with our live performances, so we’ll be working on that to achieve that goal this year.”
Do you have anything else to share with fans?
MIZUKI: “Listen to ‘TOKYO DRIFT!’”
TSUBASA: “And don’t forget ‘POWER’ too.”
RYOTA: “We were fortunate enough to be very active overseas last year, and we had so many things to learn from, so I like to say that we have evolved. Look forward to seeing the new and improved ONE OR EIGHT this year.”
Full ticket information for ONE OR EIGHT’s North and South America tour can be found here.