Japanese Boy group JO1 made an indelible mark on New York City this month with two sold out shows at the Brooklyn Bowl, joined the United Nations Youth for Disarmament’s NONE campaign to fight against nuclear warfare, and climbed to the top of the Empire State Building in honor of their fifth anniversary album BE CLASSIC, which is set to be released on April 2.
amNewYork Metro met with the 11-member J-Pop group at Sirius XM headquarters in Midtown where Sho, Ren, Ruki, Junki, Keigo, Takumi, Syoya, Shosei, Sky, Shion, and Issei shared their excitement interacting with international fans, exploring New York City, and their future dreams and aspirations.
“It was our first time in LA and New York; we were a little bit nervous, but it was a nice change,” Junki told amNewYork Metro.
“We couldn’t have imagined it,” Sho added.
It was certainly “No sleep till Brooklyn” for JO1, who have not rested on their continued success in Japan and across Asia. Instead, these young men have worked tirelessly to climb to the top to become global icons.
Their concerts in both Los Angeles and New York were completely sold out, signifying the sheer impact JO1 has had on fans in North America. For these musicians, seeing the Brooklyn Bowl jam-packed with supporters dancing, singing and waving signs with their names on it made it even more special.
“We could feel the international fans energy and power! It was amazing. During the [Brooklyn Bowl] concert [the fans] were singing and dancing,” Sho said proudly.
With 11 dancers seamlessly weaving through the stage as one cohesive unit, which takes an insurmountable level of professionalism and talent, JO1 prides themselves on providing fans an experience they would not forget.
At the Brooklyn Bowl, Junki held up a selfie stick where he recorded JO1 and the fans singing and dancing together while on stage. For Syoya, this was a critical aspect of their shows because it signified their connection with their supporters.
“We wanted to create different memories that would stay with us forever,” Syoya said.
JO1 are not the type of superstars who rest on their previous success, which includes three MTV Video Music Awards Japan, three MAMA Awards, and one Japan Gold Disc Award, as well as Favorite Asian Artist at the 2022 MAMA Awards. Being present in the moment to appreciate their craft and those who support them is what matters for JO1.
The group shared with amNewYork Metro that they were formed in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic through the show PRODUCE 101 JAPAN on March 4th, 2020. Over 65 million votes poured into the show for JO1, and while the world was shuttered to live audience performances, these young men did not let this deter them. They continued to create music and produce remarkable content that has enraptured listeners.
“The fans always supported us during COVID-19 even when we couldn’t go everywhere. We had to stay in the house. Our fans supported us but couldn’t see us [in person.] They are our motivation,” Sho said.
For some members, becoming artists was very much their destiny, while others state that it was inspiration from dancers like J Soul Brothers and GOT7 that became the catalyst for their journey to the stage.
Sho, who was born in Okinawa, shared that performing was a way for him to travel, learn about new cultures, and create art that transcends language barriers.
“I wanted to change my life,” Sho said, “I wanted to see the world.”
Ren added that he began his career as a backup dancer, and realized being at the forefront of the stage and using music to reach others was his true calling.
“I [wanted] to be seen more as an artist,” Ren said.
Performing in New York City has been a dream come true for JO1 who state that all of their musical icons have held concerts here. Visiting iconic staples like Times Square, Grand Central, and Central Park, the group noticed that on every corner there was music.
“It’s really wonderful that this is a city filled with music. I look forward to and strive to have my music being played [through the streets] of New York,” Syoya said.
While JO1 humbly states that they are still working to become big stars, they would be remiss if they did not acknowledge the emotional connection and response from their fans over the course of their career.
“I think that for us, it’s been like fate. When we made our debut, it was actually a fan who put up a billboard in Times Square [congratulating us] and now, five years later, we are able to come here and have a concert and visit Times Square. It’s really amazing. We had ballads during the concert, and we could see from the stage that there were fans singing in Japanese and crying. That was something we felt from the heart what our performance meant to them,” Ren said. “It’s a [combination of being] blessed and our amazing fans are really the sources of our inspiration and strength.”
JO1 culminated their visit with a performance on Fox5 ahead of their visit to Los Angeles where they were the first Japanese artists to walk the red carpet for the iheartRadio Awards.
Next month on April 2, JO1 is set to release their 5th anniversary best album BE CLASSIC.
“Everything ages over time, so our album Be Classic [signifies] never losing value and has longevity. So, we want to be that, so JO1 will Be Classic,” Sho said.
