With their recently released first all-rap single and embarking on their first world tour, XG continues to give that jolt of excitement we have come to love them for.
Related: Why XG Is The Rookie Girl Group That You Need To Add To Your Playlist ASAP
If 2023 was XG’s breakthrough moment, 2024 looks to be the year the seven-member girl group, composed of members JURIN, CHISA, HINATA, HARVEY, JURIA, MAYA, and COCONA, solidify their status as one of the it girl groups on the scene. Following the release of their collaboration single with VALORANT, UNDEFEATED, last April, the girls came in hard when they dropped their first solo song of 2024 and first all-rap single, WOKE UP. True to what many have come to love XG for, the track is unlike any they’ve released, yet is filled with the type of confidence you’d expect from seniors in the industry.
WOKE UP LOOKING LIKE THIS
Given the impressive set of pipes the group has, WOKE UP is a noted departure, one that CHISA shared was a bit of a challenge to her. Yet, thanks to the help of the rap line, she was able to immerse herself even more in the experience. “[G]etting to see it through their eyes really helps me see it differently and pay more respect to what they are able to do,” CHISA reveals to NYLON Manila.
WOKE UP’s fusion of 808 bass and distinct East Asian elements puts XG on that all-rounder status. And while the track may be a departure from what we’ve heard from XG these past couple of years, it does harken to their hip-hop roots. “[W]e wanted to tap into that hip-hop identity, which then became our first release of the year,” explains Cocona. Of course, no XG release is complete without a music video, with WOKE UP’s MV showing the girls transform into fierce wolves, challenging stereotypes and boundaries. From the storyline, visuals, looks, and more, the MV is equal parts mystical and awe-inspiring,
THE FIRST HOWL IS COMING
This level of serving is what XG is taking with them on their first world tour “XG 1st WORLD TOUR ‘The first HOWL’”. “[T]here’s a lot of different performances and experiences that fans have never seen before,” teases HINATA on what fans can expect from the tour. Kicking off in Osaka, Japan last May 18 and 19, The first HOWL will make a stop in Manila this August 2 at the Araneta Coliseum, a development both Filipino ALPHAZ ( the name of XG’s fandom) and the group themselves are ecstatic about.
Also, HARVEY points out that it isn’t just performing to Filipino fans that has gotten her excited for the trip. “I also understand that there are a lot of very historical buildings and architecture in the city of Manila, so I’m looking forward to, if time allows, just taking a stroll through the city with the rest of my members and kind of sharing this romantic moment together.”
Before the release of WOKE UP, we got the chance to speak to XG as they opened up about their new release, world tour, meeting their Filipino fans, and more. Read what they had to say below.
WOKE UP is described as your first all-rap song. What was your experience like working on the track and getting to focus solely on rapping?
CHISA: For me specifically, I usually do vocals, so I’ve always wanted to rap and having done it through this track, it was a lot of fun, but it was also challenging since it was too hard to do it because I know a lot of other members who rap all the time, thinking about this is what they’re doing, this is what they’re experiencing every single time, getting to see it through their eyes really helps me see it differently and pay more respect to what they are able to do. So continuing to evolve XG and becoming just an all rounder as a member of XG, to me, was very fulfilling.
Given how different WOKE UP is from your past releases, why did you decide to make it your first solo single release of 2024?
COCONA: As XG, we’ve sung many different types of tracks and genres in a way, but a lot of our roots go back to hip-hop and R&B. Last December, we released a single, WINTER WITHOUT YOU, which focused on a more R&B-type of vibe and sound. So with WOKE UP, we wanted to tap into that hip-hop identity, which then became our first release of the year.
Your Filipino ALPHAZ are excited to see you when you come to Manila this year. Is there anything you’re looking forward to in Manila?
HARVEY: Of course, we’re very, very excited to see our FILIPINO ALPAHZ in person and being able to share the same space and enjoy the experience of delivering our music to them directly is what I’m looking forward to the most, but I also understand that there’s a lot of very historical buildings and architecture in the city of Manila, so I’m looking forward to if time allows, just taking a stroll through the city with the rest of my members and kind of sharing this romantic moment together.
What can fans expect from your first world tour?
HINATA: So this time around, there’s a lot of different performances and experiences that fans have never seen before. So I hope everyone kind of stays excited and somewhat anxious to experience it firsthand.
How would you say your relationship has grown since you first came together as a group? How would you describe your dynamic with each other?
JURIA: I would say that we’ve spent the better part of six years together. Ever since we were trainees we’ve lived together, trained together, so we’ve formed this very, very strong bond over the years. So I can almost look into anyone’s eyes and understand what they’re trying to say. So I think we’ve gotten really, really close.
With all the new attention you’ve been receiving, does that add more pressure to what you do?
MAYA: Well I would say that rather than feeling a lot of pressure, it’s more of showing more and more of what we can do and want to as well as delivering unique and impactful performances, showing our level-uped sides to our ALPAHZ.
With your music and presence as a global girl group, what message would you like to impart on your fans?
HINATA: Through our music, I hope we can impart onto our fans these ideas of love and hope and infinity in some ways, and that our music is able to carry that message and theme to the fans and we can share that.
What does it mean to be Xtraordinary Girls?
MAYA: To be Xtraordinary Girls means to break free from boundaries and norms and staying true to ourselves and pushing forward and our motto is to empower people from diverse backgrounds worldwide through our music and performance style.
What message do you have for your Filipino ALPHAZ?
JURIN: To all the ALPHAZ in the Philippines, thank you so much for always supporting us and giving us your energy. We really can’t wait to see you guys in person and share that moment together.
Photos courtesy of XGALX
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