Meet Psychic Fever: The next-gen J-pop boy band behind the viral hit ‘Just Like Dat’
And “Just Like Dat,” Japanese boy band Psychic Fever from Exile Tribe is rapidly gaining global momentum thanks to their viral 2000s hip-hop-inspired song that quickly sparked a TikTok dance challenge trend.
Released earlier this year with their digital EP “99.9 Psychic Radio,” “Just Like Dat,” featuring hip-hop artist JP The Wavy, has since garnered over 17 million views on YouTube and 10 million streams on Spotify with its groovy and smooth dance choreography.
“When we released the song, we actually didn’t expect that we [would get] a lot of attention and interest from a lot of people all over the world. I’m so glad that we have our fans sharing on social media our music video,” Jimmy, the band’s half-Japanese, half-Nigerian rapper known for his deep voice, tells NextShark. He also notes that the song’s success gave them the opportunity to travel to Los Angeles for a pop-up performance in July.
Known as PSYFE on social media, the group quickly made a mark in the J-pop scene, earning the “Next Generation Global Award” at South Korea’s 2022 Genie Music Awards and Asia’s Rising Star at Thailand’s 2022 Digital Awards in their first year. Currently on their first Asia tour, Psychic Fever is composed of Tsurugi, Jimmy, Weesa, Kokoro, Ryoga, Ren and Ryushin.
Formed by the talent management company LDH Japan in July 2019, the group went through auditions and extensive training before debuting in 2022 with their studio album “P.C.F.” Despite being from different cities, Jimmy shares that they have been close since they were around 10 or 11, having trained together at the same dance school. Growing up together has strengthened their bond, making them more like family and brothers than just bandmates.
Psychic Fever is the seventh group to emerge from the artist collective Exile Tribe. The boys acknowledge J-pop’s evolution since the 90s or early 2000s, with Weesa noting that today groups like themselves are marked by their unique personalities, reflecting the diversity of the new generation.
“The name Psychic Fever means we have a lot of identities and different strengths. We can sing, rap and dance. So with these strengths, the Psychic Fever means like causing chemical reactions with each other,” Jimmy says.
The 24-year-old rapper explains that the group’s name, “psychic,” represents a superpower, while “fever” signifies heat, conveying the idea of the members coming together to spark a powerful, almost supernatural, reaction through their music and performances.
The seven-member band, mainly known for their hip-hop and R&B styles, released their latest album “Psychic File II” in April, a testament to their growth since “Psychic File I” in 2023.
“Now this time, we focus on J-pop music and on our vocals. It’s like a new challenge for our music,” Weesa says of the album that features many fire-related songs – an intentional move that relates to their band’s motto of “Ignite Your Dreams.”
As the boys aim to encourage their fans — affectionately known as “ForEVER” — to ignite their dreams, each member is also chasing after their individual aspirations and pursuits in music production.
“I want to produce songs for Psychic Fever and for myself,” Jimmy says.
“I want to share more moments doing beatboxing and make more people happy,” Ren chimes in.
“I want to share enjoyable, memorable moments with the fans globally. I appreciate all the support from everyone around the world, so a world tour would be my goal,” Tsuguri adds, echoing the others’ sentiments.
The members also expressed interest in collaborating with American artists like Bruno Mars, Keshi and Ariana Grande. But having fallen in love with the center of the nation’s film and television industry last month, Psychic Fever’s new main goal is to be able to hold concerts in Los Angeles.
“I wish we could get a U.S. and Europe tour as well. If we’re gonna hold it, please come join us and then sing along with us. Please enjoy it together,” Jimmy says.
Watch NextShark’s full interview with Psychic Fever below:
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