Few J-pop acts have ventured into the global market as intentionally and successfully as XG. Formed by K-pop producer JAKOPS under Avex's XGALX label, the septet — Jurin, Chisa, Hinata, Harvey, Juria, Maya and Cocona — are blazing a trail that fuses K-pop training, global influences, and proud Japanese roots. From their genre-blending hip-hop and R&B sound, to their bold embrace of Japanese fashion subcultures, XG is uniquely poised for worldwide success.
2024 was a game-changing year for XG. Viral moments with trilingual "GALZ XYPHER" clips and breakout singles like "Shooting Star" and "Left Right" from early in their career set the stage for their first world tour, taking them across Asia, the U.S., and Europe. Amidst their hectic tour schedules and major brand collaborations, they already released their second mini album, AWE, all while preparing for their newly announced Coachella debut.
The members spoke to GRAMMY.com about their whirlwind year, recounting tour highlights, creative breakthroughs, and their ever-evolving artistry. Vocalist Chisa shared her thoughts via email, as she was unable to join due to illness.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
Embarking On Their First-Ever World Tour
Maya: This is our very first world tour, so we were nervous but very excited. We all stepped in to choreograph for some of the songs, thinking about the formations and concepts. Mentally, we all just focused on enjoying, cherishing and living in that moment, and we wanted to leave an impactful performance to our fans. A lot of work was put into [this tour], we worked hard and our fans are receiving that energy, so we're happy.
Jurin: Everywhere [we've been] has been amazing, but what really shocked me was the amount of energy and passion that the European audiences had. It was like they were watching some kind of sport. At one point that entire audience was just stomping, we could feel the whole venue shaking just from the stomping, the vibes. It's not something we've ever experienced in Japan or Asia or America, so that was really refreshing.
There were certainly some incidents and challenges along the way. Our live performances are now close to two-and-a-half hours since we've released [and added] some new songs. But every time we encounter these challenges or something happens on stage, we learn from it and improve ourselves. We try to overcome whatever it is and take measures to prevent it. I don't think we ever felt overly stressed at any point, and even with these challenges, they just seem like points of improvement.
Chisa: Personally, one of the highlights was that I've always wanted to go to London, and being able to visit there as part of the world tour made me so happy. In London, we had an off day, and I got to visit all the places I had been dreaming of. I went to Abbey Road, where The Beatles recorded, the street and bars associated with Amy Winehouse, and even the location of David Bowie's album cover photoshoot. It was all so surreal, and I felt incredibly fortunate. London is such a special city to me, especially with its connection to the music, fashion, and art I love. It left a lasting impression on me.
Partnering With Valorant For "Undefeated"
Hinata: Since we were trainees, [the video game] would constantly pop up on our feeds — we saw the openings of some of the tournaments and the music videos that Valorant would [release]. So to be able to collaborate with such a huge franchise was such a huge honor for us.
Recording Their Second Mini-Album, Awe
Jurin: One of the central themes of the mini-album is the Japanese word for 'awe' which is 'Ikei (畏敬)' and every time you encounter something new I think there's a sense of curiosity, fear and excitement all bundled together. While some of the tracks we recorded last year, as we continued to produce some work on the record, we felt kind of awed by what was happening with our path as XG. In many ways, it represents that current state of XG, and hopefully we were able to encompass that in the album itself.
Cocona: This was the busiest year we've had since our debut. Between the world tour and television appearances, we were attending events and shooting videos, so we didn't have as much time to practice or even just talk, record and work on the music together. Because time was so limited, we all had to step up in some way, but I think that really drew out the teamwork within us. I think it gave both XG as a unit and myself a lot more confidence, and taught us that this is all possible with teamwork.
Chisa: During the making process of this mini album, I was fortunate to experience some really busy yet fulfilling days. There was a month where we filmed two music videos, which was a lot to handle. We even had moments where we were finalizing choreography within just two days before the shoot. It was a different level of making process compared to what I experienced with "NEW DNA," and I was able to grow and challenge myself in ways I hadn't before.
Designing Their Own Tamagotchis
Juria: Ever since I was small, I remembered playing the game itself and wearing Tamagotchi accessories, so I've really, really loved it from a young age. It's a dream come true for us to be able to design and customize our own Tamagotchi and put our names on it. It was such a humbling experience to be able to collaborate with the brand.
Hinata: Because we knew they were going to be sold as official products, we thought we had to skew a little more on the fancy, elevated side. But in the end, the designs are extensions of our self-expression, so we wanted to make something that was like none other, something uniquely our own. In the group, I'm often the Dad or Ojisan character, kind of like an old man [laughs] but I also like things that are really cute or Kawaii, so I coined this new term — Oji-kawa — which uniquely expresses my design.
Pushing Boundaries In Fashion & Beauty
Cocona: One of the biggest reasons [I shaved my head] was to be a gamechanger, and that applies to both XG and myself. I felt like something needed to change, and the idea happened to overlap with the concept of our single 'WOKE UP,' which pushed me to make the decision. Before shaving my head, I was really trying to discover myself and tried so many different looks, but it didn't feel like it was enough, or that it fit me. In some ways, it did feel like I was trying too hard. After shaving my head, I think it helped me realize that being yourself and just "as is" is fine. In a lot of ways, I feel more comfortable in my own skin.
For "WOKE UP," I think the American football look with the shoulder pads, helmet, and uniforms was a really intimidating and aggressive look, plus this cuteness that's unique to XG.
Hinata: In the video for 'Something Ain't Right,' the costumes we wore were a combination of the Gyaru and Kawaii subcultures, and everyone had their own character come through. It really shined a light on what makes Japan quite unique in its culture, fashion and expression.
Jurin: I would like to try a look with a Kimono sometime. I know Cocona had that in some of her costumes on tour, but I think it's something only we can do because of our heritage and culture being Japanese. I'm imagining us all in Kimonos for a music video on location, like a temple or shrine somewhere.
Landing On The 2025 Coachella Lineup
Juria: Since we're currently on tour, we do these personal meetings that we call our "Space Talk" discussions and during one of these, our producer Simon came and said 'Hey, you guys are going to Coachella!' And that was just such a huge moment, because I remember way back when we were still trainees we would watch different Coachella performances, study and learn from them. The fact that we've been invited to perform on the same stage that we learned from is such an honor, and made us so happy. We're going to bring more than 100% to the stage and show what these seven aliens can do!\
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During one of our meetings back in January, we specifically set going to Coachella as one of our goals. So the fact that it's actually happening is so hard to believe, and I know I sound like I'm repeating myself, but it really is a dream come true.
Harvey: There are a few tracks that we definitely want to perform there, but again, nothing is decided yet. We explored a deeper angle to R&B in our new mini-album, and I personally really look forward to "In The Rain," because it shows that side of R&B that we haven't explored much. Since Coachella is in the U.S., I think a lot of our American fans would be able to vibe and resonate with that, so we're looking forward to seeing the choreography and everyone's vocals coming together and hitting that melody.
Constant Growth & Exploration
Harvey: Speaking of "In The Rain"... towards the end of the song, there's this part of Chisa's that goes 'Let it drip and drop down nonstop / Baby let me soak and scrub wash you off / In the rain' and she's just hitting those melodies. I was at the studio while she was recording it with our producer Chancellor, who was working very closely with her on the lyrics. We've always wanted to be more involved in the creative process and bring out something within ourselves, but participating on that level is something we haven't done as much as we wanted to. So, it was so cool watching Chisa be part of that. I hope all seven of us will be able to draw out more of that creative process from within us.
Maya: I feel like this year was a big one for us stepping outside the box, beginning with Cocona shaving her head in the "WOKE UP" video and doing the "Howling" music video, which represents our concept as a group, like a wolf pack. Through our ongoing world tour, we've really been challenging ourselves to try new styles and different makeup, like Hinata and Jurin trying doll makeup in Berlin, which I thought was such a new way to express ourselves.
Something special about us seven is that we are never afraid to try new things, and I really cherish that. I really respect each of the members because they're not afraid to try, and I feel so much love for them. It's been such a great experience, and I feel like 2025 is going to be another year for us to keep trying new things. With Coachella and the rest of our world tour coming up, we want to focus on showing the world what we can do.