Bubblegum pop, take a seat. Japan’s hardest new girl group, f5ve, just stormed onto the global stage with their unapologetically punk and glitter-splattered debut album, SEQUENCE 01. Released via LDH Records / Three Six Zero Recordings, this 11-track hyperpop behemoth melds together trap, funk, Y2K futurism, and J-pop maximalism into one fever dream of an album. Oh, and there’s also a toxic new single with the one and only Kesha? Yeah. It’s that kind of debut.
The Venom Has Arrived: ‘Sugar Free Venom’ featuring Kesha
Let’s start with the glaring highlight. The new single ‘Sugar Free Venom’ is a no-holds-barred, sugar-high-to-snakebite song featuring U.S. pop sensation Kesha, and yes, it slaps flat.
Written by BloodPop® and accompanied by a neon-glow video from Charlotte Rutherford (PinkPantheress, Nicki Minaj) and Crystalline Structures Studio (IVE), the track combines glitched-out trap beats with sweet-and-evil atmospherics. The video is a purple-hued fever dream in a nightclub that seems to have been created by a technicolor snake god. f5ve dance through choreography as sharp as Kesha’s raps, capturing the duality of danger and playfulness inspired by Habushu, a Japanese snake-infused spirit.
Kesha, whose rap skills are as deadly as her eyeliner, delivers one of her strongest assets in years. The song is a time-traveling spiritual sequel to “Blow” and “Woman” infused with Tokyo style. The video even features an elegant nod to her infamous 2012 Tokyo subway performance of “Die Young” as a pop culture full-circle flex.
“When we dance to this song, we feel strength that says it’s okay to be ourselves, even if we’re not perfect,” f5ve said. “It’s like turning the ‘venom’ inside us into a weapon.”
SEQUENCE 01 Is A Genre-Bending Debut, Which Dreams in HD
Clocking in at 11 tracks, SEQUENCE 01 is an album and then some. It’s a body-sensory immersion into the sound vision of f5ve. Executively produced by BloodPop® (Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber) and featuring production assistance from A.G. Cook (Charli XCX, Utada Hikaru), Hudson Mohawke, AOBeats, and Count Baldor, this debut doesn’t just distort genre. It blows it to bits and rebuilds it as a dream sequence.
From electro-funk to cyberpunk rave, the album zips between planes. Thematically, f5ve paints visions of surrealism and satire. Whether they’re battling Japanese work culture in ‘Underground,’ bending time in ‘Magic Clock,’ raving with aliens in ‘UFO,’ or shrinking to insect size in ‘Lettuce,’ each song is a full-concept microcosm that melds sci-fi absurdity with very real, very feminine strength.
Tracklist:
- initiate sequence 01
- underground
- magic clock
- ufo
- firetruck
- lettuce
- sugar free venom (feat. Kesha)
- television
- bow chika wow wow
- jump
- リア女 (real girl)
The closing track, ‘リア女 (Real Girl),’ is a cheeky yet vulnerable anthem rejecting curated perfection. That theme runs through the album like a heartbeat. Meanwhile, ‘Bow Chika Wow Wow’ and ‘Jump’ double down on f5ve’s refusal to stay in one musical lane, bouncing between funk guitar, hyperpop distortion, and pure dancefloor chaos.
“This album is filled with songs we love and cherish—we listen to them on repeat! Creating these songs with BloodPop was unforgettable,” the group said. “We’ve broken free from genres, mixing diverse elements to bring infinite possibilities. It’s our dream sequence. We hope this album transcends language and borders and touches hi-5s all over the world!”
Who is the f5ve?
If you’re late to the party, we’ve got you covered. f5ve (“fi-vee”) is a five-girl pop band created by former heavy-hitters SAYAKA, KAEDE, MIYUU, RURI (formerly Happiness and E-Girls), and RUI (of iScream). They’re not a girl group. They call themselves inter-dimensional dream agents, which sounds mad until you see them live and go, oh, they’re not joking.
Their purpose is to break into your subconscious and extinguish your self-doubt. Their weapons? Beat drops, serotonin, and raw, good, chaotic energy. F5ve delivers maturity, weirdness, and vulnerability on a revolving sushi belt of sound in a style usually contained within cutesy tropes. Imagine cyberpunk Sailor Scouts with improved choreography.
f5ve Take Over the U.S. with Live Dates, Parties, and Festival Debuts
To celebrate SEQUENCE 01, f5ve is officially performing live in the U.S. for the first time. On May 17, 2025, they will be headlining an album release party in Los Angeles, presented in association with Subculture. There’ll be a head-to-head f5ve performance, outrageous visuals, and a radio-friendly two-hour B2B DJ set by Underscores and Umru.
And wait, it gets even better. f5ve will perform live at the LadyLand Festival in Brooklyn, NY, on June 27. They’ll join a stacked lineup that includes Cardi B, FKA Twigs, and Pabllo Vittar. Cancel your weekend plans already.
Merch Drop and Collectibles: Your Wardrobe Just Got an Upgrade
Already aesthetic? Yessss. F5ve has dropped its first official merch. Be on the lookout for f5ve-coded hoodies, tees, and yoga bottoms, as well as accessories straight from the ‘UFO’ remix visual. That includes the UFO viral snapback, USBs, Chika tote bags, and a sticker set that screams “main character.”
And for fans? SEQUENCE 01 is on vinyl and CD, with exclusive sticker sheets, foldout posters, and photo cards. Even your shelf might get a little drip.
International Hype, Co-Signs, and a Cultural Surge
They’re not new kids, but f5ve is already racking up co-signs like badges. Grimes, A.G. Cook, and Rosalía have all publicly voiced their support. Media tastemakers such as NME, i-D, DAZED, and PAPER have already made the group out to be the next cultural giant.
Harper’s Bazaar Japan recently ranked them among Japan’s Most Powerful People of 2025, and Capital Buzz called them “the future of global pop.”
The Pop Girls Are Fighting, and f5ve Just Popped into the Arena.
With SEQUENCE 01, f5ve haven’t just launched; they’ve blown up. It’s daring, crazy, and sumptuously well-produced. This is pop music’s final form: unusual, mad, genreless, and utterly emotional.
If you’ve ever wanted to party with aliens, cry on the dance floor, or weaponize your inner chaos, your agents have arrived.
Welcome to the dream sequence.
