Japanese Boy Band Psychic Fever Wants You to Know They’re All ‘Different’: ‘We Don’t Want to Fit in a Box’

Four years after its debut, Psychic Fever built its second full-length album around a simple idea: none of its seven members sound, look or think alike, and that’s exactly the point.

The members of Psychic Fever – Kokoro, Weesa, Tsurugi, Ryoga, Ren, Jimmy and Ryushin – released their second full-length record, “Different,” July 10 through Warner Music and 10K Projects, four years after the band’s 2022 debut album, “P.C.F.” Across 10 tracks, the album pulls from Y2K-inflected R&B, U.K. garage, Afrobeats, trap and ballads, with production from Grammy-nominated Rykeyz, who has worked with Chris Brown and H.E.R. Every one of the group’s seven members had a hand in writing the songs this time, something the band has called its most personal work yet.

“‘Different’ is more than an album title as it represents our mindset,” Ryoga tells Variety. “We believe that everyone’s differences are their strengths. As a group, we each bring different personalities, styles, and backgrounds, and together that creates something unique. We don’t want to fit into a box.”

That mindset extends to how the group talks about its place in a conversation about Asian pop still dominated internationally by K-pop. “We have a lot of respect for K-pop, and the incredible impact Korean artists have made globally,” says Weesa, who is half-Moroccan and half-Korean. “Rather than comparing ourselves, we’re inspired by how they’ve shown that music can transcend borders. We are proud to represent Japan and hope to contribute to the growing global appreciation of Japanese music.”

Psychic Fever debuted in 2022 as the seventh act to emerge from Exile Tribe, the Japanese artist collective under LDH Japan, and has since built a touring footprint spanning 17 countries and 35 cities. The group’s 2024 single “Just Like Dat,” featuring JP The Wavy, became a breakout moment, surpassing 270 million TikTok views and charting on Spotify’s Viral Top 50 in nine countries including Thailand, Vietnam and South Korea. That momentum carried into 2025, when the group wrapped its first U.S. tour across six cities, signed a global deal with Warner Music Group and 10K Projects, and played SXSW in Austin.

Ryushin says, “Social media has become a powerful way to connect with fans directly and build communities. Viral moments are amazing, but we think genuine relationships with fans matter more. Social platforms can open doors, but it’s the music and the live performances that help create lasting connections.”

“One thing we’ve learned is that emotions don’t need translation,” Ren adds. “Whether we’re performing in Thailand, the U.S., Australia, or Europe, fans connect with energy and sincerity. We’ve also realized that people are curious about Japanese culture and open to discovering something new.”

For Jimmy, who is half-Nigerian and half-Japanese, the themes of identity running through “Different” are personal rather than conceptual. “Growing up with Nigerian and Japanese roots taught me that it’s okay to embrace every part of yourself,” Jimmy says. “Sometimes feeling different can be challenging, but I’ve learned that those experiences are also what make you stronger. That’s something I hope people hear in this album.”

Weesa, who grew up in Japan with Moroccan and Korean heritage, adds: “‘Different’ is about accepting yourself and finding confidence in what makes you unique. I think that’s something everyone can relate to.”

The album’s focus track, “If You’re Mine,” produced by JIGG with songwriting by Wiljam, opens the record and is paired with a music video split into two halves: an energetic, loose performance segment followed by a sharply choreographed sequence staged on an airport runway between two aircraft. The rest of the tracklist ranges from the Y2K confidence of “Masterpiece” and the R&B-driven “I Got Ways” to the Afrobeat-influenced “Cinderella Pt. 2” and “Into You,” closing on the ballad “Glowing.”

Asked what success looks like five years from now, Kokoro says: “Success isn’t one viral song because it’s building trust with listeners over time and creating memories together.”

And when asked what comes next for Japanese artists following in the footsteps of groups like Exile, Tsurugi says: “We think the next generation will be even more open, collaborative, and globally connected. We want Japanese artists to feel that they don’t have to limit themselves to one market.”