XG on “Woke Up”, hip-hop influence and American tours

In the hit record “Shooting Star,” international girl group XG boasts: “Everything I do, I do A1 – without fail.” This bravado may seem like a case of overreaching to anyone unfamiliar with it, but XG, which performs entirely in English, has the chops to back it up. Not only did “Shooting Star” earn XG the distinction of being the first female Japanese artist And first Japanese group to chart in the US radio Top 40, but subsequent releases, including the group’s New DNA The EPs and single tracks have gone viral on TikTok and YouTube, gaining over 30 million views. This success proves that the mix of powerful music, unforgettable music videos and catchy choruses resonates with audiences around the world.

XG has revealed its latest track, “Woke Up,” available to stream now, with a realistic visual that includes a silver grid shaped like vampire fangs with the group’s name inscribed in the design over a set of gloss-covered lips black and an eyeball hidden inside. ; it’s a darker, more menacing vibe than the group has offered before, but the members are excited for fans to hear it. In another example of the group breaking boundaries, “Woke Up” is XG’s first all-rap track, something the members are excited about.

“We’ve been playing this game for a long time and we’re finally able to do it, so we’ve kept it nice and warm all this time,” Chisa explains with the help of a translator. The group is entirely Japanese: Jurin, Chisa, Hinata, Juria, Cocona, Maya and Harvey. And while the seven-member crew may draw comparisons to other groups from Asia, XG’s longtime R&B influence — the group collaborated with Ciara and Jackson Wang on a remix of “Left Right” – distinguished him from the usually pop group. -heavy styles of his peers.

“It was such an honor to collaborate with Ciara and I am very, very grateful and humbled,” Juria said. “As for other artists, there are so many that I really can’t choose one. In order for us to collaborate with many amazing artists in the future, we as XG continue to grow and to evolve.”

The group is no stranger to the world of hip-hop. Last summer, a cover of TLC’s “No Scrubs” went viral and a Cocona rap music video set to JID’s “Surround Sound” and Aretha Franklin’s “One Step Ahead” spawned countless reaction videos. Most recently, they leaned into their signature R&B style with a cover of Flo’s “Losing You.” The members verified their hip-hop influences, citing the obvious to the obscure and proving that they are deeply rooted in the genre.

“We’re listening to J. Cole. Joey Bada$$,” Maya and Jurin say. “Lil’ Kim,” Harvey adds enthusiastically, showing how the queens of classic hip-hop transcend time and space.

Another way the group stands out from the rest is its members’ ability to take on all roles. While other musicians focus on rapping or singing, with specific members taking the lead in dancing or punchy singing, the ladies of XG don’t divide their tasks: each conquers every line, rhyme and dance move .

“I think being able to rap, dance, sing, because of everyone doing that, we each have our own identity. But we can communicate with each other and understand what other people think and feel “, Chisa said. “In itself, that really ties the team together, in a way that I think clear roles wouldn’t.”

About these amazing videos. A sci-fi fantasy, complete with fuzzy Simon Miller technicolor props? Check. A post-apocalyptic Y2K-tinged music video worthy of a Marvel franchise? Check. And snowy, Star Wars-adjacent video? Check and check. Meanwhile, the group showcases razor-sharp choreography and brandishes its now signature, definition-defying style, ranging from exaggerated hip-hop baggy silhouettes, bobs and buzzy logos (think: Diesel, Jean Paul Gaultier and Louis Vuitton) in “Gvrl Gang” and “Mascara,” to cozier knits and luxe turn-of-the-millennium layers and rave pants in the video for “Winter Without You.” Although fans may have a case of fashion whiplash thanks to the wide range of styles XG embodies in each performance, the group doesn’t hesitate when asked to do the impossible: sum up their vibe in a single word.

“Bold,” Chisa offers.

“Alien,” Harvey said.

“Infinite,” Hinata said.

“Miscellaneous,” Maya adds.

Music videos help shape artists’ identities; combined with the choreography, it’s what fans often remember most about their favorites. Sometimes these clips can seem cookie-cutter, like they came off a production line to squeeze the most out of each track, but the girls of XG insist they had a lot of input on their outings.

“We get involved in the creation of the music videos. With Simon (Jakops, executive producer and creative director of the group), he listens to our opinions and our thoughts and we have very informal conversations with him, which is very open and conducive to a lot of things. creative discussions,” says Jurin, the group’s leader. “Some of our ideas are taken into account and they put a high priority on implementing as many of them as possible. I think that really gives us responsibility for the outcome of the clip.”

Another reason fans are excited is the band’s upcoming world tour, dubbed The first HOWLwhich will see XG return to America following performances at KCON and Head in the Clouds Los Angeles in 2023. Asian stops include Yokohama, Osaka, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Seoul, Taipei, Bangkok and Manila, followed by North America in October and Europe. in November.

“The last time we went to the United States was last year and we saw great energy from all of our American ALPHAZs,” Maya says, shouting out loud. nickname used to describe the band’s fans. “We are so excited to come back and meet you again and create that energy.”

“Meeting ALPHAZ in person is really a source of our own motivation,” adds Jurin. “We are currently planning our entire tour, to see what places you can visit. I’m very excited to see ALPHAZ around the world.”

World domination is inevitable, but it’s clear the group is just getting started. The members of XG say that social media, with its millions of views, stitches, dance covers and mashups, is a continuous source of inspiration and a way for them to connect with their fans.

“Some (fans) will cover our dances. We saw other ALPHAZ doing a guitar arrangement of one of our songs and it’s so fun to watch, because we can see that energy, that passion, that love, and you can see it and feel it through social media,” Harvey said. “We’re really happy and it motivates us. We hope to continue to bring more music like this, so that ALPHAZ can enjoy and experience it in their own way. »