“You’re not like the others, futuristic lover. Different DNA, they don’t understand you”
If you’re a KatyCat or a hardcore pop music fan, you may recognize these lyrics from Katy Perry’s 2010 hit E.T. But for real, this just describes what makes XG the next girl group to watch for.
With the current wave of the Y2K concept, it is evident that it has taken the whole entertainment industry by storm, especially the music scene. This concept heavily borrows from 90’s to early 20’s imagery, music, and fashion, which has been well received by the global market. The KPOP industry easily adapted to the demand—it easily became an inspiration for different albums and comebacks from popular KPOP groups like IVE, TWICE, New Jeans, Red Velvet, and Aespa, to name a few.
And as the rise of the Y2K craze continues, it is challenging to make songs for the sake of hopping on the trend. Virality is just one factor, but the song itself should be full-package and powerful to be called a hit! The growing popularity of XG draws the attention of the general public as they rise with their perfectly distinct sound and concept—marrying the feel of nostalgia and modern pop topped with an out-of-this-world fashion statement.
FINDING THE XG
But have you ever wondered what XG stands for?
Simple, it’s Xtraordinary Girls. Promising isn’t?
XG is a Japanese girl group based in South Korea and managed by XGALX— a project under one of the top entertainment companies in Japan, Avex Inc.
XG is formed by 7 members, namely: JURIN, CHISA, HARVEY, HINATA, JURIA, COCONA, and MAYA, which is the first ever group created by the XGALX company. They have trained for about five to six years and were chosen to debut as the final members of the group.
SIGNAL FROM THE COSMOS
JURIA’s line in their debut song “Tippy Toes” perfectly sets up the whole XG concept: “We’re on the rise, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet”!
For a rookie team, it’s very ambitious to introduce an unknown group that aspires to change the game. But XG took all the risks. They latch on a hip-hop sound, pulling off a girl-crush concept with angst and a boss vibe attitude—which paid off as their first single, Tippy Toes, sold out physical copies in less than 48 hours during its pre-sale. It also became No. 1 in the iTunes Alternative Song Chart in 7 countries, including France and Malaysia, and reached the Top 15 in the USA and Japan. Together with their second single, Mascara, XG successfully shook up the music scene in preparation for their massive arrival.
THE HEAT FROM THE HIT
On January 25 of this year, XG came back stronger with their third single, “Shooting Star,” which showed the balance of their Hip-Hop sound infused with R&B style. The music video is greatly influenced by the Y2K trend going on in the music industry. With the emergence of this concept in mid-2022 up until the present, XG is one, if not the top, artist that masterfully executed and released a song that married the contemporary and retro sounds.
Every beat, flow, and lyrics added a huge chunk to XG’s storytelling of their brand identity as an extraordinary girl group that is ready to bring uniqueness through fresh music, concept, and visuals. Shooting Star was followed by a nostalgic, laid-back R&B song, Left Right. The track is heavily inspired by the chill vibe of the 90’s and its visuals. XG’s fourth single continued the galaxy-themed lore, which made it an eye-popping and incredible sensory experience for their general public.
As XG soars to higher grounds, or should I say universe, the group gains attention from different people and turns them into actual fans called ALPHAZ. It goes back to their debut song, Tippy Toes, which showcases the XG as a pack like wolves led by their Alphas.
These two songs have put them on the radar of the rookie group to watch in 2023 and earned them invites to perform at famous concert festivals like Head in the Clouds and KCON in Los Angeles.
NEW WORLD, NEW DNA
After the success of their first single album, Shooting Star, the group prepares to unfold their new chapter.
UNSTOPPABLE. That’s what XG’s energy was in rolling out their new era for their first ever mini album entitled New DNA.
XG is one of the few groups in the KPOP industry (which is also proudly elevating JPOP music) that is fearless to have a three-track release or pre-release for an album—a trend that was notable during the second generation of KPOP. Aside from requiring a large budget to produce this strategic plan, the song and music video should also stand out, respectively, and must be title-track worthy. KPOP in general is known for its high-budget visuals. They put so much effort into the set and stages to give the best possible performances for the entire KPOP market. That’s why releasing multiple title tracks is such a big thing because multiple promotions come in, and companies are going to need a huge budget for it.
True enough, with the smart plan of their team, XG just devoured and delivered.
COCONA shared in the group’s exclusive interview in Apple Music: At Next Artist about the unconventional concepts of their pre-released songs in the album. She breaks down the themes that further explain the narrative that they want to put out to the world, and I quote “’GRL GVNG’ (Girl Gang) was “arriving”, ‘TGIF’ was “evolution,” and ‘New Dance” is all about “exploration.”
These three songs effectively transcend the different sides of XG. It shows the team’s swag, personality, vibe, and overall versatility. They literally HIT MAKERS in the making!
CONCLUSION
A week after the release of their first ever mini album, entitled New DNA, XG once again proved that no one can prepare for their arrival. The album dropped with a new music video for the song ‘Puppet Show,” which is the fourth track to have visuals.
XG is a force that is ready to conquer the world. They are X-traordinary and X-emptional artists who have no fear to create, reinvent, and explore different genres and fashion style. Maybe aliens are real after all, and if XG is one of ‘em, I’m thrilled to welcome them and experience their world.
