ME:I: the future-facing J-pop girl group you need to know

Any artist worth their salt is focused on growth. For Japanese girl group ME:I, that objective is always top of mind. Inspired by the word mirai, which means future in Japanese, their name reflects a goal to push forward as representatives of a new generation of J-pop artists. It’s a lofty mission to carry out while becoming “your own person”, as Ran, one of ME:I’s 11 members, puts it in a Zoom interview with NME from Tokyo. “I spent my whole life under my family’s roof… Now I live with the members, and we’re all growing together. We’re adults now.”

ME:I were assembled following the third edition of Produce 101 Japan, a reality TV competition that forms an idol group out of 101 hopefuls, culled from a thousands-strong, nationwide pool. (The original programme, a creation of South Korean media conglomerate CJ ENM, spawned fan-favourite – but short-lived – K-pop groups I.O.I, Wanna One and IZ*ONE.) After two seasons that culminated in the creation of J-pop boybands JO1 and INI, Produce 101 Japan ‘The Girls’ focused solely on female trainees, with around 14,000 applicants emerging from across the country. Ultimately, 11 contestants – Momona, Rinon, Miu, Ran, Kokona, Shizuku, Ayane, Suzu, Keiko, Cocoro and Tsuzumi – were voted into ME:I. (Cocoro and Tsuzumi did not participate in this interview with NME for health-related reasons.)

ME:I are aware of how saturated the realm of idol pop is, especially as Japanese music finds new audiences abroad. “It’s such an interesting time to be an artist because there are so many great groups out there,” says Momona, the group’s leader. “For us, we’re not a group built around a specific concept; each member has such a strong personality and is so unique. Because we don’t fit the mould, we’re always challenging the concept of what it means to be a group, especially in J-pop and on the global landscape.” That diversity extends to ME:I’s musical approach. “Our concept is to combine the best elements of J-pop and K-pop to create something new, special and exciting,” says Shizuku.

“One of the greatest things about the group is that each person is just so true to who they actually are, and no one’s being a character” – Ran

Upon completing a period of preparation in South Korea, ME:I debuted in a blaze of excitement. The impact of their first single ‘Mirai’ in April 2023 was immediate, selling over 250,000 copies and topping both the Billboard Japan and Oricon charts. Months later, they returned with another equally successful single, ‘Hi-Five’. These back-to-back triumphs earned them a coveted performance at Kōhaku Uta Gassen – a televised year-end celebration broadcast, considered a prestigious opportunity for artists – and were selected as one of the New Artist Award winners at the 66th Japan Record Awards at the end of last year. “It wasn’t just about being appreciated as artists,” Momona says, “but it felt like confirmation that we’re doing what we’re meant to be doing.”

As they work to understand the engine of the industry and maintain their momentum, the members of ME:I are recognising their evolving relationship with music and coming into their roles as creators, not mere consumers. “The biggest thing that has changed is the sense of responsibility that comes with making music,” Ayane says. “I lived my entire life being someone who enjoys music, but now that I’m an artist, that responsibility has really changed the way I interact with it.”

“When you’re creating a song and getting ready to perform it, you end up watching the videos and listening to the track over and over, and it’s very easy to fall into this trap of not really thinking about it,” Suzu adds. “But I’m significantly more mindful about what each thing means and how that would change the performance as well.”

Miu notes that ME:I have “really started to think about group dynamics” as they step into the second year of their journey. “It’s very important for us that we try to give each other positive [support] to make sure that everyone’s in the right place mentally. We want to continue to do that so we can perform as our best selves.”

That’s especially important to ME:I as they consider their growing fanbase, a significant portion of which are adolescents. That tightens ME:I’s commitment to positivity and healing in their music. “As artists, we often think back to when we were that age: what inspired us? What were the words we needed to hear?” Momona says. “We continuously think about what would make us happy, as if we were teenagers listening to our music.”

“Our concept is to combine the best elements of J-pop and K-pop to create something new, special and exciting” – Shizuku

That was one of the challenges ME:I faced as they readied their latest release ‘Muse’, a collection of entirely new material without any songs from the reality show that birthed them. “With ‘Muse’, the question was: are we going to be able to create something that will truly resonate with the fans?” says Rinon. “I was a little bit nervous about that, and I was unsure if we would be able to actually make that happen. But as we’ve spent more time together, we’re more aware of one another now and more intentional about how we work as a team.”

Consisting of four tracks, including the euphoric ‘Million Stars’ and frothy closer ‘Affogato’, ‘Muse’ introduces a sound that’s more polished and nuanced than their earlier releases. The title track, especially, brims with soaring energy and charisma. “It feels a bit more adult, and it represents us more as artists and shows our growth,” Kokona says of the record.

“Back during our first two singles, it took us a bit of time and we were focused mainly on just getting the moves right and being careful not to make mistakes,” Keiko adds. “But now, we really come to this idea of, ‘Now we’re used to it, so how can we make ourselves better? How can each of us bring out our individual personality?’ How do we exceed expectations, essentially.”

As ME:I continue to uncover the different shades of their collective personality through their music, bringing their fans along for the ride, they remain certain about one thing: to stay authentic by checking in with themselves and each other. “One of the greatest things about the group is that each person is just so true to who they actually are, and no one’s being a character,” Ran says. “To maintain that, we need to keep having moments of self-reflection and make sure we’re performing in a way that feels true to who we are.”

ME:I’s new single ‘MUSE’ is out now via LAPONE Girls.

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