WOLF HOWL HARMONY from EXILE TRIBE is a four-member J-Pop vocal and rap group formed through the audition 'iCON Z ~Dreams For Children~' in August 2023. Their band name reflects their hope "to express, through music, the harmony created by the life stories of lone wolves."

In February, WOLF HOWL HARMONY dropped a digital single, titled "Letters," ahead of their much-anticipated debut album 'WOLF,' slated for release on March 12. 'WOLF' will include previous singles released last year like “Sweet Rain” and "Frozen Butterfly."

Shout-out to tokyohive:

tokyohive sat down with members RYOJI, GHEE, SUZUKI, and HIROTO to talk about their first release of 2025, the making of their upcoming album, and goals for this year. Read our exclusive interview with the group below!

tokyohive: First of all, introduce yourselves to tokyohive readers and share with us one or two fun facts about you for us to get to know you more.

RYOJI: Hello, everyone! This is RYOJI, the leader of the group! We came together and formed our group through iCON Z, an audition hosted by LDH. Our name, WOLF HOWL HARMONY, was given to us by HIRO-san. It reflects the desire to express, through music, the harmony created by the life stories of lone wolves like us. We are a four-member group performing in a rap and vocal style! We look forward to your support this time as well! Thank you!

SUZUKI might look cool, but he's actually a super playful person! Even though he’s the oldest member, during rehearsal breaks, he often surprises us by dancing shirtless and keeping everyone entertained. I think he’s the most mischievous one in the group! GHEE, on the other hand, often gives off the impression of always sleeping backstage! But sometimes, he’ll join HIROTO in making a ball out of random things and playing around in the dressing room. There was even a time when HIROTO accidentally threw the ball and hit GHEE’s back while he was napping, and GHEE ended up chasing him around! As for HIROTO, he’s a bit clumsy! We live together in a shared dorm, and one time, HIROTO got so excited that he ran down the stairs and jumped—only to hit his head on the ceiling and fall down. It was such a chaotic moment!

SUZUKI: I am SUZUKI from WOLF HOWL HARMONY. My full name is SUZUKI HIGA, and unlike the common "Suzuki" surname in Japan, SUZUKI is actually my first name, so please remember that! We are a four-member group born from LDH's largest audition. Each of us has a strong individuality, like a lone wolf, and when our voices come together like howls, I believe we create music that only we can express. We are a group that takes pride in rap and vocals as our strengths.

GHEE: This is GHEE from WOLF HOWL HARMONY. We are a four-member vocal and rap group. Our group name was inspired by the idea of creating a harmony of life when our unique voices and personalities come together. We upload a lot of content on platforms like YouTube, including song covers, music videos, and glimpses of our daily lives, so we’d be happy if you could check it out!

I’m a quarter Brazilian and primarily handle rap in the group! My favorite anime is Pokémon, and my favorite food is feijoada, a traditional Brazilian dish. Among the members, HIROTO is the youngest and the one I’ve known the longest in the group. He gets scared easily and is always startled, which sometimes ends up surprising me too! RYOJI is our leader and someone we can always rely on, like an older brother. However, even though he likes making people laugh, he doesn’t show that side much in public. But when it’s just us members, he cracks a ton of jokes! I call SUZUKI “Suu-kun.” He loves comedy, but like RYOJI, he doesn’t joke around much in front of others. Backstage, though, he messes around a lot and shares all kinds of interesting trivia with us.

HIROTO: We are a vocal and rap group under LDH! All four of us can sing, and because each member has a unique voice and different musical preferences, we can fully showcase each of our individual charms. This allows us to deliver music that keeps everyone engaged and never gets boring!

I have the rare surname "Kutsuno," and from the "Kutsu" part, I got the nickname "Kukku." Please remember it, everyone!

tokyohive: Congratulations on the release of your first album! What’s the message you want to convey with your surprise single “Letters”?

RYOJI: Thank you so much! This song is the first one we wrote lyrics for ourselves. Because we’re so serious about chasing our dreams, we’ve had moments of clashing with each other and hitting personal walls, especially after our debut. There were so many struggles, but through those days, we talked things out and turned them into a bond that strengthened us as a group. It feels almost like a miracle, and I think it’s truly amazing. Through this project, I’ve come to love everyone in the group even more.

This song carries a message for those who listen to it: when you face obstacles in life, remember the family and friends who support you, and move forward with gratitude and love. If you do that, I truly believe that your worries will clear away, and one day, your dreams will come true. I’d be so happy if this song can give even a little bit of courage to those who hear it!

GHEE: Thank you so much! Of course, this song reflects the feelings we each have for one another as members, but more than that, we want everyone to see the version of ourselves that’s moving forward and growing through this song—and we hope to move forward together with all of you. This song also has a message that connects to family, partners, and friends, so we hope you’ll think about the people around you as you listen to it.

tokyohive: How do you find the preparations for your upcoming album ‘WOLF’? Were there any difficulties along the way, and how did you overcome them?

SUZUKI: Things are progressing smoothly. While, of course, this album reflects the story of WHH so far, we’re also working hard to make it one that raises excitement and anticipation for the future of WHH.

Since this is our first album, we wanted it to serve as a calling card for who we are. We’ve put a lot of effort not only into the songs but also into the concept and visuals, having countless discussions to perfect every detail. Even as we reached the stage where things were taking shape, we made numerous changes to refine it, and now it’s finally coming together. We’re really excited about it!

HIROTO: Things have been going incredibly smoothly! This album is packed not just with songs but with our journey and story so far. We’re super excited to see everyone’s reactions!

tokyohive: What were your first impressions of each other back when you first debuted vs. now?

RYOJI: At first, I felt like the atmosphere was a bit gloomy. However, through the audition process, I realized that everyone was truly amazing. That’s why, after we formed the group, I felt it was important for me to genuinely get to know and appreciate what I loved about each member. I made a promise to myself to face everyone honestly, without any pretense. I soon discovered that each member was battling with themselves far more than I had imagined. Seeing that inspired me to confront my own struggles and sharpen myself, thanks to their influence. Those days of working together made us stronger. Now, we can laugh and say, “We were so gloomy back then,” but without those experiences, we wouldn’t be who we are today. Through our new song, Letters, we want people to see us as we truly are. We believe it can inspire someone out there. I’m incredibly grateful that we could pour our feelings into this song at this moment in time.

SUZUKI: I met all the members, except RYOJI, through the audition. Honestly, each of us has such different personalities that, if we weren’t in the same group, we probably wouldn’t have talked much at all. Because of that, I had a lot of worries and concerns in the beginning. I remember struggling quite a bit with how to communicate with everyone. But now, we’ve grown to the point where we can pretty much understand what each other is thinking. Each member is so important that I can’t imagine us without a single one of them. It feels like this group could only ever work with the four of us.

GHEE: At first, I had the impression that everyone was pretty quiet. But once we started talking, I realized we had a group of incredibly unique individuals, and I thought this could become a truly one-of-a-kind group. Back then, everyone was a lot quieter than they are now, and since we hadn’t known each other for very long, I feel like we didn’t really understand one another as well as we do now.

HIROTO: It’s not so much that my impression of them has changed, but being together every day, I can clearly see how each member is growing both as a person and as an artist through our daily activities!

tokyohive: Your group was formed through an audition. What do you think have been the biggest changes you see within yourselves? Could you describe to us your growth?

RYOJI: I still feel that I have a long way to go, but I think I’ve grown at least a little in terms of my character. That growth has given me the courage and confidence to stand on stage now. When we first formed the group through the audition, we talked about wanting to become the strongest four-person team where each member could shine as the lead. However, the road to achieving that has been incredibly tough. We first had to confront ourselves, and since we didn’t start from the same place and had such different personalities, we realized just how important it is to deepen our bonds. For me, growth means truly facing myself, honestly facing my fellow members, and eliminating all falsehoods. I believe that’s what creates the strongest bonds. I think people who can constantly ask themselves, “Am I being too easy on myself? Am I being honest?” are incredibly strong. And because of that strength, they can approach their partners with genuine love and care.

SUZUKI: None of us in the group had any prior dance experience, and during the audition period, we constantly hit walls. I still vividly remember a time when, after countless rehearsals in the studio every day, we were all feeling down because we couldn’t figure out the “right” way to do things. That’s when someone suggested we stop overthinking, let loose, and just perform as if we were having fun playing around. That feeling we had during that performance was incredible, and it stuck with me. It reminded us of the most important thing when making music—enjoying it. Even now, whenever I’m struggling, I think back to that moment and it helps me move forward.

GHEE: During the audition period, we of course grew in terms of skills, but what stands out the most to me is how much our group bond has strengthened from the auditions to where we are now. In terms of mindset, we started off lacking confidence, but now, it feels like everyone has transformed into a completely different version of themselves, carrying themselves with pride and self-assurance.

HIROTO: I would say dance! Of course, we've grown in terms of singing skills and as individuals, but since we started with no dance experience, it's incredible to see how far we've come. Now we have songs with full-on dance routines, and we're performing choreography we couldn't have imagined doing in the beginning. I often feel our growth when learning the choreography for new songs.

tokyohive: Are there any artists you’d like to work with in the future?

RYOJI: We would love to collaborate on a song with the globally active Tilly Birds! As we’ve been fortunate to perform in Thailand while taking Thai language lessons, we had the opportunity to cover Tilly Birds’ song “Same Page?” in Thai through our YouTube content series “WOLF VOICE.” The lyrics and melody deeply resonated with us, and we wanted to share its beauty in our own way, spreading it further in Japan. To our surprise and delight, Tilly Birds themselves commented on our YouTube video. That moment reaffirmed to us what it truly means to connect through music.

Last year, we read an interview about the release of “Retlo-39,” where Tilly Birds shared how creating "happy music" isn’t something they usually do but that using English lyrics allowed them to make POP music to reach a global audience. We found this sentiment incredibly relatable—it overlaps with how we feel about our own journey.

This collaboration wouldn’t just feel like “work” to us; it would be about creating something joyful through music, transcending borders, and offering a song that could stand by someone’s life, no matter where they are.

SUZUKI: There are so many artists we admire! Among them, I’d love to sing with EXILE ATSUSHI, who is a senior in our agency and someone we deeply respect. I’ve also been longtime fans of G-DRAGON and Justin Bieber, and I’m working hard every day with the dream of collaborating with them in the future!

GHEE: There are so many artists I look up to! Personally, I’m a huge fan of The Weeknd, and it would be a dream come true to work with him someday. Also, as someone who loves rock music, I’d love to collaborate with MIYAVI from our agency. It’s a dream I hope to make a reality!

HIROTO: I’ve always been a fan of LDH, and as a supporter, I deeply admire our incredible seniors, Sota Nakajima and EXILE SHOKICHI. It would be an absolute honor to work with them someday!

tokyohive: What are your short- and long-term goals, be they personal or for your group?

RYOJI: Our ultimate goal is to one day hold a solo live concert at a stadium. This isn’t just a dream—it’s a promise we made with our fans from the very beginning, and it’s something we’ll never compromise on. Achieving something that many might think is impossible could turn into a source of courage for someone else. That’s why we treat it as a goal, not just a dream.

On a personal level, I also want to express myself through solo music. Growing up, I experienced a period of poverty, which is still difficult to talk about. However, music was what saved me during that time, and I want to transform those experiences into songs that can inspire and uplift others. For me, creating music is a way of giving back to something that gave me hope and strength when I needed it most. I believe that’s how I can honor what music has done for my life.

SUZUKI: As a group, our ultimate goals are to hold a solo LIVE at a stadium and embark on a world tour. To achieve these dreams, we’re committed to tackling each milestone one at a time. Right now, our immediate focus is on making our first album release a huge success. We want to put everything we have into it, creating momentum that will bring us closer to hosting our first solo LIVE as soon as possible. Every step we take now is aimed at building toward those larger goals.

GHEE: Personally, I aspire to become a one-of-a-kind artist, someone truly unique in both style and expression. As a group, my dreams align with hosting a solo LIVE at a stadium and embarking on a world tour. These goals drive me every day, and I’m determined to keep growing to make them a reality!

HIROTO: First and foremost, with this album release, I want to deliver our music to as many people as possible and aim for our very first solo tour! As a long-term goal, a stadium tour is our ultimate dream. Precisely because many might think it's impossible, we want to take on the challenge with everything we've got. LDH gave me dreams and inspired me to become an artist, and now that I'm in a position to give dreams to others, I want to inspire hope, courage, and energy through our journey and performances.

tokyohive: Lastly, please leave a message to your fans and tokyohive readers, as well as the things they should look forward to from you for the rest of 2025.

RYOJI: To all the fans who always support us, to those who are discovering us for the first time here on tokyohive, and to the amazing staff team—thank you so much! It makes me truly happy if reading this article inspires you to get to know our music even a little bit. We are still far from perfect, but it would mean so much if you could enjoy watching us grow and evolve. I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity. There are so many amazing group artists out there, now and in the future, but we are determined to express something uniquely ours. Let’s look forward to that exciting future together and make the most of this life.

One of the biggest things for 2025 that I hope our fans are excited for is our solo live performance! As we continue to release new music, I hope these moments bring joy and richness to your lives because that, in turn, brings us joy. I see it as part of our mission—to create music that connects with you.

This year, we’re preparing for something we’ve never done before: a solo live that we hope will be a culmination of everything we’ve worked toward. While looking forward to that milestone, we’ll keep cherishing the present moment. Let’s make life even more fun together! We’ll continue to pour our hearts into everything we do and keep improving every step of the way. Thank you for your passionate support, and please keep cheering us on!

SUZUKI: To everyone who always supports us, thank you so much. Thanks to your unwavering support, we’re able to keep pursuing our dreams and sharing our music with the world. We’ll continue to pour our hearts into everything we do, striving to bring joy to as many people as possible by giving our all in every performance and creation.

We firmly believe in the power of music to transcend language, borders, and differences, and that belief drives us to share our music across America, Southeast Asia, and beyond. Through music, we hope to deliver love, dreams, and happiness to everyone we reach.

This year marks the release of our very first album, and we’re determined to bring this album to life by performing it live for all of you. Please look forward to it—we’re working hard to make it an unforgettable experience!

GHEE: Thank you so much for always supporting us. In 2025, we’re aiming to challenge ourselves in many ways and explore new approaches. We’re committed to doing everything we can to ensure our music reaches as many people as possible. We hope you’ll continue to support us as we take on new challenges and work hard to share our songs with the world. Your encouragement means everything to us!

HIROTO: Everyone! Thank you so much for always supporting us! In 2025, we want to use this album to let as many people as possible know about us and expand the scope of our activities even further! We aim to grow into artists big enough to go beyond Japan and take on the world with a global tour! Please continue to support WHH as we take on these exciting challenges!