First Love is Never Returned unveils 'POP OUT! III' EP, 'Our March' music video & label launch with avex

First Love is Never Returned boldly begin a new chapter with the release of their third mini album POP OUT! III, the music video for the lead track 'Our March 僕らの行進曲', and the launch of their new label HEiLO RECORDS in partnership with avex.

Led by vocalist, keyboardist, and guitarist Kazuki Ishida – their latest release is a vibrant, seven-track EP that marks both a continuation and evolution of their sound. While previous works were penned entirely by Ishida, this release sees guitarist/keyboardist Keita Kotakemori and guitarist Arata Yamamoto contribute songwriting duties on tracks five and six, respectively, expanding the band’s sonic palette with even more personality and creative chemistry.

The album’s lead track 'Our March 僕らの行進曲' is a triumphant, emotionally charged anthem that channels the quiet frustrations of being overlooked – a theme drawn from the band’s own years of playing in the shadows of the mainstream. Wrapped in uplifting pop arrangements with surprising jazz and musical theatre touches, it captures the bittersweet beauty of persisting in the face of indifference. Strings performed by BIGMAMA’s Mao Higashide add rich emotional depth, while the music video – directed by fellow Hokkaido native Shinya Sato – visually amplifies the track’s themes of defiance and hope.

But the release is only part of the story. With POP OUT! III, FLiNR also announces the launch of HEiLO RECORDS, their new label formed in collaboration with avex. The name, derived from the Japanese words 緋色 (“scarlet”) and 緋色草 (“scarlet pimpernel”), symbolises emotions that bleed through colour and a deep sense of familial love. And for a band that has spent years building everything with their own hands, the label's formation marks a significant, and deeply personal, step forward.

The band shares, “We’re still just regular people living in Sapporo. We work day jobs, juggle time off, and chase music late into the night. For the longest time, we played in small venues without anyone noticing. We saw friends treated unfairly, and we ourselves were dismissed or mocked by people in the industry. Honestly, we hated the suits at major labels. That’s why we chose to go DIY. We only ever leaned on people who genuinely loved us."

"But then, a funny thing happened – some of those so-called ‘industry adults’ kept showing up. They came to live houses again and again. Even when we gave them the cold shoulder, they didn’t give up. Eventually, after many conversations and a few too many drinks, we realised something: maybe we could trust them. They happened to be from avex. But this decision wasn’t about trusting a company – it was about trusting people. And that’s how HEiLO RECORDS was born.”

POP OUT! III is the third chapter in a series that FLiNR says reflects their freest, boldest take on what pop music can be. It is a documentation of growth, of stubborn optimism, and of refusing to disappear.

As they look toward their upcoming summer tour and beyond, the band offers this message, “We hope this music finds you. We hope it reaches someone who needs it. This isn’t a flashy major debut. It’s the story of a band that works during the day, plays under dim lights at night, and keeps marching forward. If even one person hears our songs and feels less alone, that’s enough. Until then, we’ll keep walking – step by step, chord by chord.”