News just in: We’ve gotta rebrand from The Honey POP to The JAM POP! Not really, because our team is very emotionally attached to our lil’ bee logo, but you get the idea. We were so thrilled to get to chat with JO1 for this exclusive interview! If we weren’t JAM already, we surely are now.
We caught up with the nine members of JO1 ahead of a really exciting chapter for the group: the release of their U.S. EP, ANIMAL, and the start of their North American tour, also aptly called ANIMAL! Both the album drop and the tour start on Friday, October 2nd, so we’re gonna petition to rename that JO1 day from now on. You can presave and preorder the album here, and grab yourself tour tickets here!
Anyway, you don’t wanna hear from us anymore, right? Here comes JO1!
THP x JO1 Exclusive Interview
All Things ANIMAL
Welcome to The Honey POP! We’re chatting just before the release of your first U.S. EP, ANIMAL, and the start of the ANIMAL U.S. tour. How are you feeling right now as you prepare for this next adventure?
SYOYA: There’s a lot that makes me nervous, honestly! But everyone’s right there with me, so I’m going to give it everything I’ve got!
MAME: I’m so excited! Getting ready for the tour, learning the choreography for the new performances, all of it. There are cities we’ve never been to before, and JAM there have been waiting for us, so I really want to give them my best.
You’ve already achieved some great things in the States, but what are your goals for this album release and tour?
RUKI: Charting on Billboard!
On ANIMAL, you worked with the iconic Dem Jointz. How was that experience, and were you as excited to work with him as we were when we heard about it?
SHO: Once we confirmed the collaboration with Dem, I was honestly so excited! The beats he makes, the melodies, everything felt so fresh, and it was discovery after discovery. There was so much to learn from him, and the time we spent together was honestly the best.
Moreover, you guys are all very heavily involved in the creative process for ANIMAL! Tell us about the elements you worked on and why they were important to you for this EP.
TAKUMI: Expressing things exactly the way we felt them was what mattered most to us, and jumping into the production ourselves was really the best way to get there. It also became the thing that showed me what my own ANIMAL side actually looks like.
We love the jacket photos for ANIMAL; they’re so grand and luxurious! How do you feel these concepts speak to the album?
SKY: We took the kanji from each of our names and turned them into modern graphic art! I think it really captures the strength of JO1, moving forward with the times while the core of who we are never changes.
Your fanbase is already so dedicated, and we’re sure it’s only going to grow following ANIMAL. For fans who discover you through this new EP, which tracks from your back catalog should they check out first?
KEIGO: First, I want them to go all in on ‘WHATCHA DOIN,’ the one we put out ahead of the EP. We’ve got mellower songs too, so I really hope they dig into all the different genres we do.
ANIMAL’s two pre-releases, ‘WHATCHA DOIN’ and ‘SAKURA’ have us hooked! What made you choose those two songs as the first taste of this album?
JUNKI: With ‘WHATCHA DOIN’ especially, the title says it all, like “hey, what are you up to? We’re JO1, by the way!” That’s the greeting we wanted to put into it, so we talked it over as members and decided this had to be the first one out!
All Things JO1
You absolutely devoured your performance of those two tracks at KCON LA this year, too! If we rewind all the way to KCON LA 2023 and your first-ever U.S. performance, how do you think you’ve changed since then?
SYOYA: I feel like I’ve gotten a little more used to it!
Over the summer, you had your Dome tour. Congratulations! How did it feel to reach such a huge milestone? Has it helped you prepare for the ANIMAL tour?
MAME: We got to stand on such an enormous stage, and I want to take everything I felt up there straight into the US tour. The venues are a different size, but I want to bring it so hard that you’d never feel that difference.
Can you give us, and JAM, a hint or spoiler about what to expect when they come to see you on tour?
REN: We’ve been more involved creatively than ever in putting this tour together, so I really hope the meaning we’ve poured into the show comes through.
We also have to mention your upcoming Japanese single, ‘AAO.’ What can you tell us about that ahead of its November release?
JUNKI: The title track ‘IGNITE,’ of course, but there are other really fun songs on it too. One I have to mention is ‘Pekopeko.’ I got to help write the music for that one, and it’s about being so hungry from thinking about JAM. We made something cute just for them, so I love it.
JO1 has achieved massive things in 2026 (and every year since P101, TBH!). What’s left on your 2026 bucket list?
SHO: Personally, I want to keep going with languages, so I’m putting in the work to be able to speak English.
Last but not least, what message would you like to share with JAM and The Honey POP readers today?
REN: Making every single day the best day of your life might be a lot to ask, but the day you come see us, we take it on ourselves to make it the best one. So come see us!
And that is the perfect note to end on! There couldn’t be a lovelier answer than that! Thanks so much for your time, JO1!
What did you think of our exclusive interview with JO1? Are you heading to the ANIMAL tour? Let us know on Twitter @TheHoneyPOP! Alternatively, you can also find us on Facebook or Instagram!
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TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JO1:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE
