They’ve always been an IYKYK group. But the tides of fate are changing, and these seven girls are on the cusp of something even bigger than they know. The past week has been a mighty switch-up for the inimitable septet that is XG, who’s just had their proper first taste of superstardom ever since their phenomenal festival stage in the desert. Namely, their Coachella debut.
“Coachella is a huge stage we’ve dreamed about for so many years, and honestly, it still doesn’t feel real that we’re performing here,” muses Chisa. Surreal doesn’t even begin to cover it then.
But we’re fairly certain they’re not the only ones feeling it. All over the Internet, there’s been a consistent buzz surrounding the septet’s Sahara stage set in the Colorado desert—unexpected, yet absolutely electrifying. It’s only been three years since they debuted, but the first Coachella weekend was already bonafide proof that these girls are the real deal. Promising epic vibes, they started their hour-long setlist with the exhilarating and indescribable intro that would be all-too-familiar to fans of the group, the cosmic killer combination of ‘Hesonoo’ and ‘X-Gene’ together. Other recognisable hits were scattered through the set—think the animalistic ‘Woke Up’ or the catchy dance appeal of ‘Left Right’. Plenty of beloved tracks from their latest Awe album also made the list, like the addictive ‘IYKYK’ or a vocally-driven rendition of ‘Is This Love’. All before the girls took it away with the rousing magnetism of R&B favourite ‘Shooting Star’.
Cementing their station as one of the most memorable debuts out in the desert, the group made sure the crowd would be chanting ‘XG’ by the end of it. In all of an hour, XG proved a singular truth: strip away the futuristic concepts and high-octane visuals, you’ll still be met with a performance powerhouse, a group of seven bold girls whose live vocals and stage charisma are unmatched for a group so young in their years.
Ahead of their Coachella turn this year, Vogue Singapore spoke to the girls of XG—Jurin, Cocona, Harvey, Juria, Maya, Chisa and Hinata—and had them take us through their mindset for the major festival debut, new music and what the pack of seven is working towards next.
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How are you feeling about your Coachella debut and who are you most excited to see at the festival?
Chisa: I’m incredibly excited—and also a little nervous. Coachella is a huge stage we’ve dreamed about for so many years, and honestly, it still doesn’t feel real that we are performing soon. Today, XG is ready to connect with the universe and go absolutely crazy on stage! The artist I absolutely have to see is Lady Gaga. She’s the artist I love the most—my eternal star. I couldn’t see her during the first weekend because of rehearsals, so I’m definitely going to burn her performance into my memory next week.
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Prior to the festival, you'd been in the middle of your tour. Was there anything special prepared for the Coachella stage?
Maya: Coachella is one of the biggest music festivals in the world and it’s also our first time performing there, so we’ve prepared new performances and songs with different arrangements to it. Shinobi is a special dance performance we’ve prepared just for Coachella and we’re super excited to show our Alphaz the piece.
3 / 8
You've just released alternate versions of 'In The Rain'. Is there a reason why this song is extra special to you girls?
Hinata: This song really showcases XG’s R&B side on a deeper level. In the music video, we perform mainly with umbrellas, and we think it’s a great chance to show a more simple, chic, and stylish side of us that we haven’t shown in a while.
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You've got a new single, 'Million Places' coming in May. What can fans expect from the track?
Juria: ‘Million Places’ is a new track that incorporates the precious moments we’ve spent with our global fans whilst on tour. Drawing from the experience of feeling the love of fans across different cities and cultures, the song expresses a special journey that transcends borders and distances—a journey that XG has created together with our fans.
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How has it been touring together? What do you enjoy the most?
Harvey: Touring as a group of seven has been so much fun! We’ve been able to visit so many places for the first time, see new sights, and try new foods—all together. Being able to share those first-time experiences with everyone made everything even more special. It’s such a joy to travel the world while experiencing the same sights and feeling the same emotions as a team.
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It's been three years since you first debuted. How have you grown as a group?
Cocona: There are parts of us that have changed a lot over time, and parts of our mindset and feelings that have remained the same since the beginning. As we’ve slowly gained more experience, we’ve been growing and improving every day. These past three years have been slow, but also felt like they flew by in the blink of an eye.
Looking back, we’ve achieved so many goals—but there are still things we have yet to accomplish, and that just makes us even more excited for what’s ahead. We want to give everything we’ve got in this moment, not just for now, but for the future. Instead of being satisfied with where we are, we want to continue believing in ourselves, stay united as XG, and keep pushing forward toward our goals and dreams together.
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At this point of your career, what would you say is XG's distinctive sound and identity?
Jurin: We believe that something cosmic and limitless is at the core of our identity. It might sound a little strange, but we actually call ourselves ‘aliens’. Not in the literal sense, but because we don’t want to be confined or boxed into anything. Whether it’s through music, fashion, or as a group, we always want to embrace infinite possibilities and stay true to that mindset.
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What would you say is something XG is working towards now?
Maya: We have the second weekend of Coachella left, and we still have the finale show of our world tour at the Tokyo Dome. So right now we are focusing on preparing exciting performances for our Alphaz!
