Avex’s hidden elite gals finally make their debut!

A Fresh Breeze in K-POP!? A Japanese Girls' Unit with an Average Age of 18 -
XG

These days, K-POP has gained immense popularity worldwide, and it's only recently that we've started seeing Japanese artists making their mark. As you may know, Mina, Momo, and Sana from Twice are Japanese. Following in their footsteps, it has become common for aspiring young artists to head to Korea for training.

In the midst of this trend, Japan's music industry is not standing idle. Major agency Avex has launched a Japan-Korea joint project called "XGX," aimed at nurturing artists with global appeal. In January, they finally unveiled the highly anticipated first unit of this project.

The group is called XG, a seven-member girls' group. The name stands for "Extraordinary Girls," symbolizing their aim to break the mold. Their genre is a blend of pop and R&B. After five years of meticulous training by their agency, the members have reached the next level in rap, dance, visuals, and vocals. Let's start by watching their music video for their debut single, "Tippy Toes."

Despite being their first single, the music video for "Tippy Toes" is already nearing 20 million views on YouTube just four months after its release. Their second single, "MASCARA," surpassed 21 million views within a month of its debut. Both tracks are rapidly gaining views, and the comment sections are filled with praise from fans around the world.

XG has garnered a global fanbase despite their recent debut, not only due to their talent but also because of three key factors, which I believe are crucial to their worldwide success. The way their agency trains and nurtures them is fundamentally different from the traditional approach.

• All nine members of the group are trilingual, fluent in Japanese, English, and Korean. Interestingly.
• All their song lyrics are in English.
• Their first appearance on a music program was in Korea, making their debut in Japan a kind of "re-import."

If you watch videos where they introduce their songs or speak, you'll notice how effortlessly they switch between Japanese, English, and Korean. It's truly impressive that all members can speak three languages. Interestingly, most of their conversations within the group are reportedly in Korean.

Typically, the path to global success for K-POP groups involves debuting in Korea, then in Japan, and finally making their way to the U.S. and other markets. This was the case for groups like BIGBANG, BTS, TWICE, and Shoujo Jidai, who first gained strong footing in Asia before embarking on world tours. It's only relatively recently that K-POP groups have started appearing on American music shows.

However, XG took a different approach by entering the Korean market first, even before gaining popularity in Japan. Given that interest in K-POP is quite high among Japanese listeners, the fact that they are succeeding in Korea suggests they have the potential to make a mark on the global music scene as well. XG strategically targeted Korea from the outset. In Japan, they recently made their terrestrial TV debut on the show "Sukkiri." They've also made a splash internationally, with a large billboard in New York's main street. It's clear that XG is pursuing global success right from the start!

Now, let's introduce the stunning members of XG. Since they've just debuted, there's not much information available yet, but I'll do my best to give you a solid introduction.

First up are the two members from the rap line, who also take on the role of visuals for the group. These two often start the songs and hold the center position with confidence. They were the first and last members to be revealed, and they are driving XG's popularity. Here's a video of their rap performance—watch how they move, their rhythm, everything is incredibly cool. Check it out!

The members are listed in the order they were revealed, along with their birthdates.

■ No.1 JURIN - Born on June 19, 2002 (20 years old)

JURIN, with her stunning dance skills and beauty, was the first member to join XGX. She has a diverse background, having previously worked as a model and a professional snowboarder—quite the talent! While her face might be partially hidden in some performances, it's her incredible dancing that truly stands out. Be sure to watch her in action!

■ No.7 HARVEY - Born on December 18, 2002 (19 years old)

Next up is Harvey. She's half Australian, with long limbs and a small, adorable face that makes her stand out. Before joining XG, she was active as a model and was frequently featured on advertisements for the famous salon SHIMA. Back then, she had an Instagram account, and I remember following her thinking, "Who is this cute girl?" However, one day she suddenly announced, "I'm taking a break from social media to pursue my dreams!" and disappeared from the scene. A few years later, she reappeared as a super talented girl who could rap and dance!

Here's a video of her dancing. As a bonus, I'm also including a video from when she was younger, likely around 16 years old—so cute!

■ No. 2 CHISA - Born on January 17, 2002 (20 years old)
　 No. 7 JURIA - Born on November 28, 2004 (17 years old)

Next, let's introduce the two main vocalists, CHISA and JURIA. But before diving into their details, be sure to check out this video!

That performance was truly breathtaking, wasn't it? Their voices are so beautiful, and you can see how much they genuinely enjoy singing. It's rare to find such adorable members with voices as angelic as theirs—they're truly special. There's not much information available about these two, but their talent speaks volumes.

Now, let's continue with the introductions—there are still more members to showcase!

■ No. 4 COCONA - Born on December 7, 2005 (16 years old)

COCONA is responsible for both rap and vocals. I personally love her rap style—her voice has a husky tone that gives her rap a strong and powerful feel. And of course, her dance skills are exceptional as well, making her a standout in the group.

■ No. 5 HINATA - Born on June 11, 2002 (20 years old)

HINATA is a vocalist and dancer known for her incredibly charming smile and a relaxed, clear singing voice. Personally, I think she has the most "idol-like" face in the group, radiating a classic idol appeal.

Now, it's time to introduce the final member.

■ No. 6 MAYA - Born on August 10, 2005 (15 years old)

MAYA is the lead vocalist and the youngest member of XG. Despite being only 15 years old, she exudes a mature presence that belies her age. Her dance style is also impressively sexy and captivating, making her a standout performer in the group.

Now that we've finally introduced all the members, it's time to talk about their second single, "MASCARA." This song has a strong girl-crush vibe, with lyrics that boldly declare, "I don't need anyone who messes up my mascara." The choreography, which includes a gesture of applying mascara, is absolutely fantastic!

With their growing presence on music shows, XG is on the path to greater success, and I'm really excited to see what they achieve next.

It's truly thrilling to see a girl group from Japan making waves on the global stage. I'm committed to spreading the word about this amazing group, and I'll continue my mission to introduce them to as many people as possible. I hope they gain even more popularity in Korea as well. Oh, and by the way, their fandom name was recently announced—it's ALPHA-Z! Let's all support them together!

Here are the links to XG's official site and YouTube channel:

XG Official Website
XG Official YouTube Channel