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Japanese girl group XG crept into the pop landscape quietly — literally, with their whispery lo-fi single “Tippy Toes” in March 2022. In the year since, they’ve built their identity slowly, first with the girl power anthem “Mascara” and then with their viral video “Galz Xypher,” a killer showcase of multilingual rap talent that amassed fans on TikTok. With their newest set of singles, “Shooting Star” and “Left Right,” the septet prove they have only one goal in mind: worldwide recognition.
“When the whole world knows XG stands for Xtraordinary Girls,” XG’s 20-year-old leader Jurin tells Teen Vogue, that’s when they’ll know they’ve made it.
You’d be forgiven for assuming XG is a K-pop group. Jurin, Chisa, Hinata, Harvey, Juria, Maya, and Cocona show all the signs of a rookie K-pop act: youthfully demure, impeccably styled, and fresh from media training. A closer look reveals more. XG prefers to be called a “global group,” with Japanese members singing in English and promoting internationally in addition to performing on Korean music shows. “We have one dream of reaching the world with our music,” Harvey says.
Their newest song “Shooting Star” is the next step toward that goal. The music video combines spacey, retro themes with bold lyrics that talk about forging their own path; musically, they were inspired by the ‘90s vibes of groups such as TLC, while aesthetically, they channel fantasy films like Avatar, which is a favorite among the members. Jurin notes there’s a neo-romanticism to “Shooting Star,” while still staying true to the “edgy” XG identity. The group works closely with their executive producer, the former K-pop rapper Simon Jakops, on the style and overall feel of their tracks. “We have this shared album with Simon on our phones,” explains Maya, who is a native English speaker. “When we have concepts and styles we want to do we just discuss it there.”
“Shooting Star” brings together XG’s ethos as a group: “There’s a part where Chisa sings, ‘All the shooting stars in the dark’,” says Jurin. “When I heard it I thought, ‘Ah! that's us!’ because we're still in the dark a little bit, but everyone here shines so brightly and each one is such a bright star. I just think that line encapsulates us perfectly.”
Indeed, each member has their own strengths. Jurin is a former model and snowboarder who is XG’s fearless leader. She is assisted by Chisa, 20, a model and actress who is the group’s main vocalist and mood-maker. Hinata, XG’s main dancer, loves K-Pop and hopes to collaborate with soloist SOLE one day. Harvey, who fittingly bears a certain resemblance to Camila Cabello, is a fan of the singer and enjoys learning and singing in Spanish. (“When we were in training I liked listening to Camila Cabello and covered one of her songs,” the 20-year-old says. Harvey also wants to sing in French.) Juria, who featured in a cover of Justin Bieber’s Peaches with Chisa in the early days of their debut, has been singing professionally since she was 10. Maya, 17, is the group’s primary English speaker and a confident spokesperson during XG’s international promotions. Cocona is the group’s maknae, or youngest member at 17, and recently went viral on Tiktok for a fancam of her rap from XG’s Galz Xypher video.
Together, they are XG — a global pop group that is attempting to redefine the global music scene by making their own niche. Their other new song is “Left Right,” a more adult-sounding vibe shift about taking agency, whether in a relationship or on a stage. “There’s this lyric ‘the only direction I know,’” Maya says. “It’s a statement from us that we want to push forward towards our goals no matter what people say.”
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Their rapid ascent to recognition has come with its own pressures, especially when it comes to proving themselves under the “global group” tag. “It would be a lie if I say nothing worries us,” admits Jurin. “When you have a big dream like we do, there are always things to be worried about. There's definitely walls and obstacles, but we're in this as a team. Sometimes it's hard, but then I remember that I'm not alone. We're here together, and I'm surrounded by my friends, and we've already experienced so much together.”
Chisa chimes in. “You may find this funny, but one of our obstacles is that we love music too much,” she smiles. “We love it so much it's hard to tear ourselves away from it sometimes. There are times I know I should give my body a rest, but then everyone is like 'Woo!' and it's so fun … But before you realize what's happening it's like...” she trails off, and Hinata finishes, “Music is your whole life.” Jurin concludes, “Before you realize it, you haven't taken a break and all this time has gone by.”
Living and training together for more than five years also brings its tensions and disagreements, of course. “It’s not even big things, sometimes it’s stuff like, ‘You ate my sweet potato!’” laughs Maya. “But we always work it out and our bond has become so much stronger.”
What’s next for XG? Many fans have been hoping for a member addition in Ezaki Hikaru of Kep1er, who is rumored to join the group once Kep1er’s two-year contract expires. Hikaru trained with the members of XG for several years under the Japanese company Avex, which launched XG, and they have all gotten to interact with each other as both Kep1er and XG have promoted extensively on Korean music shows like Music Bank and Inkigayo. Recently, Hikaru popped up on XG’s TikTok to dance to “Shooting Star” with the members.
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Questions about the veracity of the rumors elicit giggles and conspiratorial looks from XG. Jurin is the first to collect herself and respond. “Hikaru will always be part of the XGALX family. If she ever finishes her career with Kep1er, maybe we could make something new,” she begins diplomatically. “Maybe in a new version, we're also thinking maybe we can work together, maybe someday, we're thinking too. But we support her wholeheartedly, and love her so much!” She and the whole group join in making hand hearts for their fellow trainee.
Meanwhile, XG will continue on their path toward global stardom, though the concept of fame has still not sunk in fully for them. “We went to a shop in Japan once and one of the workers told Hinata that she looked like Hinata from XG,” beams Juria, who was once part of Japanese idol group Amorecarina. “I couldn't believe that we were so famous in Japan already!”
Cocona has spoken the least so far, but her face lights up as she recounts her experiences with their fans, known as ALPHAZ. “Seeing the messages from fans from all over the world always makes me feel, 'Well the fans are doing their best to send us support and love, so I'd better do my best too,’” she says softly. “More than being called famous or feeling famous, I just want to keep interacting with fans like this.”
Hinata agrees, adding her own fan story. “One of our fans slipped us a little love letter that said ‘To XG’ on it. It said, "I've been a fan of you guys since [your debut] and I'll keep believing in you,” she says. “If I see the fan again I want to say thank you so much, I was so happy to get your letter, and I'm going to keep doing my best to achieve our goal.”
Additional translation provided by Robert Bolgeo.
