Formed under LAPONE GIRLS, IS:SUE is a Japanese girl group that formally debuted in June 2024 with their single album, 1st IS:SUE, though they made their first public group appearance at KCON JAPAN the month prior. Continuing their streak of “firsts” at KCON, the group headed to Los Angeles for their debut U.S. performance at this year’s KCON LA. Ahead of the concert, Asia Blooming sat down with current performing members RINO, NANO, and YUUKI for a conversation about their formation, their music, and their future goals. Meanwhile, RIN is currently taking a break from her musical activities.
When they first began their music careers, it was through the survival competition show, PRODUCE 101 JAPAN THE GIRLS. Though the four members did not make the final lineup of the program, the experience played a huge role in bringing them where they are now. For RINO, chasing idolhood was something that was a longtime goal. “I always wanted to try this program, and it was the first time it was held in Japan, so I knew I had to apply.” Similarly, YUUKI had the same ambitions. “I started to sing and want to become an idol because I watched a survival program called Nizi Project,” she shared. “That was how I knew I wanted to be an idol, so [when I found the program], I thought I had to try.”
Not only did the show serve as the initial connection, bringing the girls together and introducing them to the general public, it was also an important part of their growth as artists. YUUKI shared, “Preparing for the first stage was quite challenging because we had to make the whole performance by ourselves. We could not use our phones, so the process was much harder than we expected.” RINO added, “But, because of this, we had to learn to face the hardships ourselves. We really had to think about creating something new, so while it was the hardest thing, it was also the best thing to happen for self improvement.”
In addition to the phone restriction, NANO shared that the timeline made things challenging as well. “We only had three days to practice the theme song, “LEAP HIGH (LEAP HIGH〜明日へ、めいっぱい〜).” We didn’t just have to learn it; we had to perfect it, so that was also difficult.” Each of these difficulties, however, ultimately contributed to shaping IS:SUE into the artists they are today. “Everybody improved their own individual skills through the program, and we each have something the others don’t, so we’re able to form one amazing group,” RINO began. “The show really brought us closer as individuals so that we’re able to be a group with great chemistry.” Chiming in with agreement, NANO also shared that RINO, YUUKI, RIN, and herself had been close since the beginning of the show, which helped strengthen their bond over time.
Once IS:SUE was formed, the next step was to prepare for their debut, which then came in June 2024 with the song “CONNECT.” Tying the title and lyrics of the song to their goal, YUUKI explained that the track is a representation of the group. “Our debut song is the beginning of our journey and our story. It’s about the past we got through, and our desire that we will connect with the world through our music.” Not only was the release of this song their first time officially recording their own music, it was also their first time filming a music video too. “There was one solo scene I shot where I had to text someone, but the phone screen was blank. I had to act like it was real, so it was harder than I expected,” YUUKI shared. Similarly, RINO was also quite surprised with how difficult it was to act. “When I used CG for the first time for my solo part, it was so difficult. I didn’t know it would be so hard to make something out of nothing.”
Now that it’s been over a year since their debut, the group and members have grown exponentially in mindset, skill, and scale. “We’ve been working hard on improving our skills and showing various forms of ourselves, but our fundamental values remain unchanged. This winter, we will be touring nationally for the first time, and we’ll also be performing at a few large festivals. We want to perform at larger venues the next time we tour, so we hope we can return to the festival venues we are being invited to now in the future, too,” RINO began. “One moment I truly felt our growth was when we were standing onstage at the biggest stadium in Japan, Tokyo Dome,” she added on in reference to their appearance at the LAPOSTA 2025 festival in February that featured Produce 101 Japan groups ME:I, JO1, INI, and DXTeen alongside IS:SUE. “I had never been seen by so many people at once before, so I felt like I had to grow up and show off. At that moment, I didn’t feel shy, but confident.”
On the topic of large performances and venues, YUUKI also wanted to acknowledge KCON, as it’s where they made their first debut, and is the reason they are able to visit the U.S. this time. “Performing at KCON LA was one of our big goals, so we’re so honored to have been invited alongside so many wonderful artists.” Though their stage was short, their performances of the Korean version of “SHINING” and the English version of “Breaking Thru the Line” were enough to blow the crowd away. Not only did they take the opportunity to show off their talent with languages, but they also wowed the crowd with their strong stage presence, synchronized dancing, and powerful live vocals. There were many people in the audience that were unfamiliar with IS:SUE prior to their performance, but as they hit their final notes and ending fairy poses, countless phones could be seen in the crowd Google searching who IS:SUE was, ready to add them to their playlists.
Thinking back on their journey thus far, the members also agree that they’ve seen themselves growing. “There’s a Japanese idiom, 笑う門には福来る (warau kado ni wa fuku kitaru). It means that good fortune comes to the house of those who laugh, so that’s something I firmly believe in. When you’re happy, happiness will come to you,” NANO shared. For RINO, she’s come to realize that the first step is always to try. “It’s always better to challenge something. Before, I always felt like I had to follow the rules. If we did this at practice, it had to be done exactly the same way on stage. But, now, I’ve become more flexible when performing. Nobody will be mad at me at that exact moment, so I’ve grown bolder and more confident in my abilities to try different things.” Continuing to look introspectively, YUUKI believes they’ve also built an even stronger appreciation towards their fans, known as REBORN. “Having an appreciation for everything is the most important thing we’ve learned,” she began. “Working as artists, a lot of people are supporting us, and there’s nothing we can do without them. We really want to give back the love that REBORN have given and continue to give us. It pushes us to perform better and continue to improve so that we can continue to receive their love and support.”
Looking forward to their current and future activities, they’ve already shown how versatile they can be. While many of their tracks thus far have been under the girl crush concept, they’ve also released songs such as “Koé (コエ),” a slower song focused more on the members’ vocal prowess. The song, which was produced by m-flo’s Taku Takahashi, was all the more meaningful to the group as IS:SUE had previously covered m-flo’s “come again.” “We covered “come again” last year, and fortunately, Taku Takahashi saw it and made everything happen. We’re so grateful for it and for him,” YUUKI shared. “When we met him face to face, he was so kind, soft, and sweet, and he knew just where to place each of our voices in ‘Koé’ to make the song. The whole experience really made us eager to sing more and sing better.” As for what they’d want to try next, NANO has one concept in mind: “I really want to try a sexy concept.”
Aside from connecting people through music, IS:SUE also aims to spread the important message of embracing oneself and being confident. “Our music can be summed up with the phrase ‘self love,'” YUUKI shared. “We even have a song called “Love Myself” that expresses the concept quite well.” With lyrics describing someone who wants to live their life for themselves, unafraid of chasing their own dreams and allowing themselves to flourish, the song truly highlights who IS:SUE is: a young group of girls chasing their dreams while learning to love and appreciate themselves and those who support them.
To commemorate IS:SUE’s first U.S. performance, Asia Blooming is hosting a giveaway on Twitter and Instagram for one lucky winner to receive a signed polaroid from the group! Entrants can enter the giveaway on either Twitter of Instagram. Enter on both Twitter and Instagram to increase your chances of winning!
To enter the Twitter giveaway:
- Follow Asia Blooming on Twitter: @AsiaBlooming
- Retweet the giveaway post
- Bonus entry: Tag a friend in a comment for extra entries—1 extra entry per tagged friend, up to 5 total.
To enter the Instagram giveaway:
- Follow Asia Blooming on Instagram: @AsiaBlooming
- Like the pinned post
- Bonus entry: Tag a friend in a comment for extra entries—1 extra entry per tagged friend, up to 5 total.
Only U.S. participants are eligible for this giveaway. Also, only good faith entries are eligible. The giveaway closes at 5:00pm PT on August 29, 2025, and the winner will be contacted shortly after. Good luck!
