What if an established pop group invited people to watch it search for five new members—not through a distant agency announcement, but through a reality series that showed the doubts, difficult choices and emotions of the process?

That is the unusual story behind timelesz, the eight-member Japanese pop group that grew out of the former Sexy Zone. The change was more than a rebranding exercise. It asked long-time fans to accept new faces alongside familiar performers, while inviting a new audience to discover the group through an audition rather than through its existing music.¹

If you encountered timelesz through Netflix, social media or the 2026 album MOMENTUM, this guide explains how the group reached its current form, who the members are, and which songs and programmes offer a useful starting point.

First, the difference between Sexy Zone and timelesz

Sexy Zone debuted on November 16, 2011. The name, early catalogue and members’ individual careers became part of Japan’s long-running male-idol system, in which music, drama, variety television and live performances often develop together.²

On April 1, 2024, the group began using the name timelesz. Its remaining three members—Shori Sato, Fuma Kikuchi and So Matsushima—did not abandon the earlier history. They chose a new name to continue the story while opening the possibility of a different future.²

This matters because the eight-member timelesz was not created from scratch as a brand-new audition group. Three established artists were already part of the group. Their previous years of music and experiences became the foundation that five newcomers would join.

The audition that changed everything

After the rename, the three existing members launched a search for additional performers. The process became the Netflix series timelesz project -AUDITION-, first released in 2024 and continuing through the final selection in 2025. Netflix lists 18 episodes in the series.³

Unlike an audition where the judges are largely outside the group, Sato, Kikuchi and Matsushima took part in evaluating the candidates who might become their own colleagues. That created a difficult question at the centre of the show: how could someone who had not shared their earlier career become part of an existing identity?

The participants came from varied backgrounds. Some had experience in performance or entertainment, while others approached the opportunity through very different paths. The programme followed rehearsals and tests, but it also made the idea of joining a team as important as technical ability.

For overseas viewers, it helps to watch with that context in mind. The emotional stakes were not just about winning a talent competition. They were about changing an established group while trying to preserve what made it meaningful in the first place.

Meet the eight members

On February 15, 2025, timelesz announced its expanded eight-member formation. The original three remained, and five new members joined after the audition.¹

The three continuing members

• Shori Sato (佐藤勝利) — an original member who brought years of group experience into the audition and subsequent performances.
• Fuma Kikuchi (菊池風磨) — an original member with an established career across television, acting and music.
• So Matsushima (松島聡) — an original member whose performance experience helped form the group’s continuing core.

The five members who joined in 2025

• Takuto Teranishi (寺西拓人)
• Yoshitaka Hara (原嘉孝)
• Masaki Hashimoto (橋本将生)
• Shuto Inomata (猪俣周杜)
• Taiki Shinozuka (篠塚大輝)

The differences in age, professional background and public experience became part of the group’s appeal. New viewers could follow the audition journey; older fans could watch how the three familiar members adapted to new relationships on stage and off. To see the members themselves, use the official STARTO ENTERTAINMENT artist profile.

“Rock this Party”: the first music of the new chapter

When a group changes membership, its first music becomes a test of identity. For timelesz, “Rock this Party” was released digitally on February 28, 2025, soon after the five new members were announced. It offered a straightforward place to hear the new lineup together.⁴

The group’s first album in the eight-member formation, FAM, arrived on June 11, 2025. The title evokes the idea of family—fitting for performers who had arrived through different paths but were now expected to work as one group.⁵

The easiest way to explore is not to begin by memorizing every television appearance. Listen to one song, watch one official performance or music video, then return to the audition with a clearer sense of how the eight voices and personalities fit together.

From a new album to dome-scale ambition

The first year of the expanded group was busy. The eight members performed on an arena tour and prepared for dome-scale shows, while the cameras kept following their development. The Netflix documentary timelesz project -REAL- takes the story beyond the selection announcement and into the practical challenge of becoming a working group.⁶

Volume 1 of the documentary arrived in January 2026, followed by Volume 2 in February 2026. The latter follows further training and preparations as the eight members approach the stage. Some details of the production and its distribution vary by country, so overseas viewers should check their local Netflix catalogue rather than assuming every episode is available everywhere.

There is something distinctive about watching an established group change in public. The original members bring institutional memory; the newcomers bring fresh ambitions. The public gets to see the team become more experienced, but also has to accept that adjustment takes time. Not every disagreement or awkward moment needs to be interpreted as a crisis—it may simply be part of working together.

Why MOMENTUM matters in 2026

On April 29, 2026, timelesz released its second album with the expanded lineup, MOMENTUM. The group’s label described it as an expression of a determination to move forward with increasing energy while valuing the past, present and future. The album includes new songs and, in certain editions, smaller member-unit projects connected to experiences shown in the Netflix documentary.⁷

That makes MOMENTUM a useful follow-up to FAM. The earlier record introduces the eight-member chapter; the later album shows how that chapter developed through concerts, recording sessions and relationships within the team.

In July 2026, the group released the single “Kienai Hanabi” (消えない花火, approximately “Fireworks That Never Fade”), which added another recent point of entry into its discography.⁸

For overseas fans, the official Over The Top discography is a particularly reliable guide to release dates and formats. Some recordings may have separate physical, digital and streaming dates. Check which edition you are looking at rather than assuming that a CD release date is also its global streaming date.

What is happening next as of November 2026?

On November 9, 2026, the official label announced a new two-track single, “Zayuu no Mei / Honto no Koto wo Iu to” (ザユウノメイ / 本当のことを言うと), scheduled for February 3, 2027. The second song was also announced for an advance digital release on November 25, 2026. Both dates are in the future as of this article’s November 13 publication date.⁹

There is a useful caution for collectors: the label also announced the cancellation of the previously scheduled November 18, 2026 DVD/Blu-ray release for the 2026 MOMENTUM tour. An old shop listing or pre-order page may not reflect that update. Always check the latest label notices before ordering.⁹

How does timelesz fit into STARTO ENTERTAINMENT?

timelesz is part of the artist lineup associated with STARTO ENTERTAINMENT, the Japanese talent company that began operating in 2024 after the major organizational changes surrounding the former Johnny & Associates system. Several Japanese male-idol groups share that broader entertainment history, but they have different origins, catalogues and fan communities.¹⁰

If you have never followed this scene before, it can help to read about the agency transition separately from the music. Our companion feature, From Johnny’s to STARTO: Japan’s Male Idol Culture, explains why the corporate names changed and how the groups’ work is discussed today.

Where should a complete newcomer start?

1. Begin with the group’s official profile. Learn the eight names and recognize the three continuing members before entering the audition story.
2. Listen to “Rock this Party.” It offers a starting point for the eight-member sound after the February 2025 announcement.
3. Watch timelesz project -AUDITION-. The 2024–2025 Netflix series explains how the five newcomers were selected. Availability varies by country.
4. Try the album FAM. It is the first complete album of the expanded lineup, released in June 2025.
5. Explore timelesz project -REAL- and MOMENTUM. These show what happened once the audition ended and the actual group work began.
6. Follow official release announcements. New singles, videos and concert information are updated on the label and STARTO websites.

There is no need to study every previous release before enjoying the new songs. The important distinction is that timelesz carries an earlier history but now performs as an eight-person group.

Questions international fans ask

An identity that was built in public

Many long-running pop groups make changes behind the scenes and present the outcome only after it is complete. timelesz chose a more visible route. Viewers watched the selection, then followed the difficult work of turning a promise into a functioning eight-person act.

That journey explains why the group’s story can resonate beyond Japan. You do not have to know every detail of the former Sexy Zone years to recognize the feeling of starting again, learning how to trust new colleagues and trying to keep a shared past meaningful while creating something new.

timelesz is a new chapter and an ongoing story—one that is more rewarding when you understand both where the group came from and what the eight members have built together.