From K-pop to J-pop, P-pop to I-pop, a wave of acts now takes the stage to offer more than just music. They are, in that sense, currency for cultural diplomacy in an era when boy bands and girl groups lead that charge.

JO1 are no exception, sharing the KCON LA stage last week alongside Tomorrow X Together, Meovv, Nexz, Rescene, Alpha Drive One and Allday Project.

Kuno Junki, the Gen Z member, and Sho Yonashiro, the millennial, sat down to talk about their biggest stage yet and their first all-English US debut EP, Animal, due out on 2 October this year. Between the lights and the noise, they recalled the days of Produce 101 Japan, when one worked part-time and the other was a university student, both just dreaming of a stage like this.

Recording their first EP in English has not meant forgetting their Japanese roots, with the track “Sakura” weaving in traditional instruments across the full release.

For a group that survived a show watched by over 60,000 people, singing in English brings its own challenges, but that pressure feels familiar as they aim to bridge and introduce J-pop to a wider international audience.

Music is a universal language, and foreign songs often lift the spirit because unfamiliar lyrics free the brain from literal processing, letting the mind settle on melody, rhythm and vocal tone to spark pure joy without the distraction of sad or stressful storytelling. But JO1 want more than that emotional escape – they want to connect directly with their non-Japanese fans.

They want to let loose and show their wilder, more energetic side, just as their Animal EP promises, and they are keen to visit more countries, including Indonesia, where a backstage moment turned into one of their best tour memories.

You have a new EP called Animal. What does it feel like to finally have it out, and what was the process of making it?

Junki: The theme is unleashing. People watch JO1 for entertainment, almost like watching an animal in a zoo, but this EP turns that idea on its head. We are the ones unleashed, wilder, more energetic. That is the side this record brings out.

Sho: It is a new chapter for JO1. As we step out into the world, we want to show a [new] side of ourselves people have not seen before.

You released these two singles, “What You’re Doing” and “Sakura,” in July and August. How did you contribute to the writing [of the songs], and how were they chosen for the EP?

Junki & Sho: Making this EP with them.jones was a great challenge. “Sakura” was especially interesting because when we recorded it, there was no track yet, only our voices. But Dem Jointz had strong ideas and turned it into something with real energy. The track mixes traditional Japanese instruments with an American hip-hop sound, weaving Japanese and English lyrics together to blend classic beauty with something fresh.

What do you reckon about mixing traditional music with pop? I’ve seen girl groups back home [in my country] doing the same.

Junki & Sho: It’s a good thing. A real chance to show our traditions, our language, our songs and our vibe through that blend. It’s so hard to label our music as just J-pop, K-pop or hip-hop, because it’s all mixed together – so we call it our own J-pop style.

The pronunciation was tough during recording, but we drew energy from them.jones, whose great vibes and high energy we wanted to match. It was our first time recording in the same room with them.jones rather than separately, which made the whole process exciting, impactful and genuinely fun.

Many fans want to understand your lyrics, even without speaking Japanese. Earlier this year you landed a nomination for World Artist of the Year at the iHeartRadio Music Awards. What did that feel like?

Junki & Sho: It was a real honour to be nominated. At the same time, it felt a bit scary, with so many fans around the world and the pressure to show a new side of JO1, all while thinking in English. It really feels challenging, and everyone feels some fear when facing something new, but it was also deeply interesting and meaningful.

You went through that survival show, and around 65 million people voted you into JO1. Do you ever wonder who you would be now if that vote had gone the other way?

Junki: If JO1 had not happened, I would have been a university student, stuck in job hunting. But I always wanted to play guitar and sing, so maybe I would have chased that. I had also told myself that if I had not made it as a singer by 26, I would have joined the police.

What do you remember of life before JO1? What was it like?

Junki: I have plenty of memories from before JO1. When I was a student, I studied a lot – just that, not singing or dancing.

Sho: Before JO1, I worked part-time to get by in Tokyo and cover my living costs. But I always dreamed of becoming a singer, so I never let that [dream] go.

Did any moment from that survival show make its way into the new EP?

Junki & Sho: This EP feels close to the Produce 101 Japan experience. That audition demanded everything, from dancing and singing to practicing, all at full energy. So [we feel] this EP carries that same drive, now with the added challenge of performing in English.

I’ve only chatted with two of you today, but JO1 has nine members. Living and working so closely together, what’s something about yourself you only learned through the other members?

Sho: I realised [that] I am something more of a parent figure, almost like a dad to the younger members. I have a younger sister and brother myself, so they feel like my siblings. When we debuted, I often looked after them because they’re still teenagers and I wasn’t.

Junki: I have an older brother myself, but in the group I have to act like one, saying harder things to the younger members. It felt awkward at first, but it changed me for the better.

Aside from the EP, you’re heading out on tour in October. How excited are you, and what does this tour mean to you at this stage of your career?

Junki & Sho: This North American tour is another challenge of ours. With six English-language tracks on the EP, we can show a new side of JO1 and share the meaning behind our songs with international fans. We’re, thus, honoured to have made this record with them.jones, and we’re even more excited and confident to bring that joy to fans on the road.

How does performing in Japan compare to the US, especially with the restrictions on recording concerts back home [in Japan]?

Junki & Sho: That’s one of the biggest differences. US audiences react in a wilder way, with so much energy. Japan has energy too, but North American crowds bring something even more intense. We want to give them our energy, but they give it right back, just as powerfully.

For anyone who hasn’t discovered JO1 yet, why should they come to the concert? What sets your performance apart?

Junki & Sho: We choose our performances, our music, our choreography and our lyrics ourselves. We talk everything through as a group. So what you see [in our performance] is genuinely us – it’s real.

What was your experience like during KCON?

Junki & Sho: KCON in LA is our biggest stage, and this will be our third time there. Last time we performed our older songs, but now with this new EP we can offer fresh material and a different, more powerful, more energetic performance. We want to bring a new JO1 to every KCON.

Should there be more song festivals dedicated specifically to Asian artists?

Junki & Sho: Yes, definitely. We’d love to see more events like that, because Asian music is so powerful and we want to show more of it.

With more US performances, have you noticed new fans turning up to your shows?

Junki & Sho: Absolutely, many fans still came from Japan, but at KCON LA 2026 we saw more fans from LA and other countries, and we felt like our fan base was growing more diverse.

Do you ever miss home [Japan] when you are away? What do you miss most?

Junki & Sho: Miso soup and rice most of all. And we really miss our fans back home [in Japan].

Besides the US, is there anywhere else you would like to perform, maybe in Southeast Asia? And has any moment there stood out?

Junki & Sho: Yes, we visited Indonesia on our world tour about two years ago. Something unexpected but amazing happened during our performance. The sound system suddenly went down, but we couldn’t stop either. The audience kept singing along, so we performed with just our voices – no music – and sang together with our fans in a moment so beautiful that the other members now call Jakarta a special place they want to return to.

What would you say to listeners who are discovering J-pop or JO1’s music for the first time?

Junki & Sho: We are JO1’s own style of pop, so please listen to every song of ours, especially this new EP. It’s really good. We promise you won’t be disappointed.

“Watcha Doin” it out now.

The six-track debut EP Animal is out October 2 on the opening night of the 2026 JO1 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR ANIMAL.

Follow via @official_JO1.

Interview Belinda Yohana

Photography LAPONE Entertainment