XG (group)
Japanese vocal group based in South Korea
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
XG (Japanese: エックスジー; Korean: 엑스지; initialism for Xtraordinary Genes) is a Japanese vocal group based in South Korea.[1] The group was formed by Xgalx, a subsidiary of Avex. The group is composed of seven members: Jurin, Chisa, Hinata, Juria, Cocona, Maya, and Harvey.[3] They made their debut on March 18, 2022, with the release of the digital single "Tippy Toes".[4]
Name
The group's name, XG, originally stood for "Xtraordinary Girls".[5] Xgalx described the name as aspirational, stating the group strives to empower young people worldwide through its music and performances.[6][7] XG's fandom name is "Alphaz",[8] which was chosen because it "evokes how each fan can become a leader, have a connection to XG, and be a part of the new movement taking the world by storm."[9]
In January 2026, Xgalx reinterpreted the initialism as "Xtraordinary Genes", stating that "Genes" symbolizes the power and creativity at the group's core and a commitment to creating new culture beyond convention.[10]
Career
2022–2023: Introduction and debut
XG's social media accounts were launched on January 25, 2022, with a short video entitled Xgalx – The Beginning.[11] The video showed several girls in training for the Xgalx Project. This was followed by a dance performance video directed by Choi Hyo-jin, of the Korean street dance TV show Street Woman Fighter.[12] Over the next few weeks, the group released a series of teaser content, including a rap video featuring Jurin and Harvey performing a cover of Rob Stone's "Chill Bill",[13] and a vocal cover video of Justin Bieber's "Peaches", performed by Juria and Chisa.[14] On February 2, XG posted solo dance performance videos, with each member dancing in different styles.
On March 18, 2022, XG made their debut with the release of their all English-language digital single "Tippy Toes".[15] On June 29, they released their second all English-language single titled "Mascara",[16] followed by their first television appearance on South Korean Mnet's M Countdown performing the single.[17] On November 17, XG released a rap cypher video entitled Galz Xypher.[18] The video became viral on a TikTok through an XG fan account, gaining over 15 million views on the platform.[19]
On January 25, 2023, XG released their third all English-language single, Shooting Star, featuring a single of the same name, its music video, and an additional track titled "Left Right".[20] On March 6, XG entered the Mediabase US Radio Top 40, becoming the first female Japanese artist and the first Japanese group to do so.[21] On June 30, XG released "Grl Gvng" accompanied by its music video, as a pre-release single preceding their debut EP New DNA.[22] On August 4, XG released "TGIF" accompanied by its music video, as the second pre-release single to their debut EP New DNA.[23] On August 23, XG released "New Dance" accompanied by its music video, as the third and final pre-release single to their debut EP New DNA.[24] On September 27, XG's debut EP New DNA was released alongside its lead single "Puppet Show", accompanied by its music video. The EP was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for shipments of over 100,000 copies.[25]
2024–present: Valorant, world tour, Awe, and The Core - 核
In March 2024, XG announced their first world tour, with shows across Asia, North America, and Europe in October and November.[26] On April 12, XG collaborated with Riot Games to release the single "Undefeated" for the online video game Valorant.[27] One month later, on May 21, they released another single titled "Woke Up".[28] Toward the end of the year, XG released several more singles, including "Something Ain't Right" on July 26 and "IYKYK" on October 11, in anticipation of their second EP, Awe.[29][30][31] On November 8, XG released Awe alongside a music video for the lead single, "Howling".[32] On November 20, it was announced that XG would be performing at the 2025 Coachella Music Festival.[33]
On September 19, 2025, XG released the music video "Gala".[34] On December 6, Cocona revealed on their 20th birthday that they are transmasculine and non-binary, having undergone top surgery earlier in the year, and thanked the rest of XG for supporting their identity.[35] On December 16, the group performed on The Voice's season 28 finale. It marked XG's first appearance on American television.[36] On January 23, 2026, XG released their first full-length album, The Core - 核, and the music video for its lead single "Hypnotize".[37]
XG's second world tour, "XG World Tour: The Core", began on February 6, 2026. The tour began in Yokohama, Japan and is scheduled to continue across Japan, Asia, North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia and Latin America.[38][39] That same month, XG was announced as part of the lineup for Fuji Rock Festival '26.[40]
On February 23, 2026, XG's producer Junho Sakai (known professionally as Simon Jakops), was arrested along with three other men on suspicion of possession of cocaine in violation of the Narcotic Control Law.[41]
Musical genres
XG's music covers genres such as hip-hop and R&B[42] with elements of EDM and psychedelic music.[43] On services such as Spotify, they are placed under the K-pop and Japanese dance-pop genres.[44] XG calls themselves a "global group" and their sound "X-pop", which is neither K-pop or J-pop.[45][43] XG sings in Korean, Japanese and English in order to help their music reach a wider audience.[8]
Endorsements
In February 2025, XG became the face of cosmetics brand Anessa and the group's song "Is This Love" was used as the theme song for its global campaign.[46] On April 4, 2025, XG appeared at Shanghai Fashion Week as models for Nike's "Victory Lap" collection.[47] XG has also been featured in promotions for McDonald's Japan on February 10 and September 29, 2025 for "Real-Time MacPa with XG" and "Blue Mac Day" respectively.[48][49]
On February 5, 2026, Cocona was announced as a global brand ambassador of Gucci,[50] and on February 27, appeared at Milan Fashion Week for the fashion house's Fall/Winter 2026-27 collection.[51]
Members
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Sales | Certifications | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPN [53] |
JPN Cmb. [54] |
JPN Hot [55] |
AUS [56] |
KOR [57] |
US [58] | ||||
| The Core[37] |
Track listing
|
5 | 5 | 1 | 85 | 13 | 93 | ||
Extended plays
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Sales | Certifications | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPN [53] |
JPN Cmb. [54] |
JPN Hot [55] |
KOR [57] |
US [62] | ||||
| New DNA |
|
2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | — |
| |
| Awe |
|
3 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 175 |
| |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region. | ||||||||
Remix albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| XDM Unidentified Waves[68] |
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Sales | Certifications | Album | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPN [69] |
JPN Cmb. [70] |
JPN Hot [71] |
KOR Album [72] |
HUN [73] |
NZ Hot [74] |
SGP [75] |
US D/E [76] |
WW Excl. US [77] | |||||
| "Tippy Toes" | 2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | ||
| "Mascara" | — | 27 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| |||
| "Shooting Star" | 2023 | — | 27 | 26 | — | 32 | — | 23 | — | 144 |
|
| |
| "Grl Gvng" | — | — | 94 | — | — | 16 | — | — | — |
|
New DNA | ||
| "TGIF" | — | — | 93 | — | — | 33 | — | — | — |
|
|||
| "New Dance" | — | — | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
|
| ||
| "Puppet Show" | — | — | 63 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "Winter Without You" | — | — | 58 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | |||
| "Undefeated"[85] (with Valorant) |
2024 | — | — | —[a] | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Woke Up" | 5 | 7 | 5 | 12 | — | — | —[b] | — | 183 |
| |||
| "Something Ain't Right" | — | 24 | 20 | — | — | 18 | — | 36 | 161 |
|
Awe | ||
| "IYKYK" | — | 33 | 13 | — | — | 25 | — | — | — |
| |||
| "Howling" | — | — | 44 | — | — | 30 | — | — | — | ||||
| "Is This Love" | 2025 | — | 33 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ||
| "In the Rain"[94] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "Million Places"[95] | 2 | 3 | 6 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | |||
| "Gala" | — | 34 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Core | |||
| "4 Seasons" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "Hypnotize" | 2026 | — | — | 18 | — | — | 7 | —[c] | — | — | |||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region. | |||||||||||||
Other charted songs
Videography
Music videos
| Title | Year | Director(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Tippy Toes" | 2022 | Jeong Nu-ri (Cosmo) | [102][103] |
| "Mascara" | Paranoid Paradigm (VM Project Architecture) | [104][105] | |
| "Shooting Star" | 2023 | Rima Yoon, Jang Dong-ju (Rigend Film) | [106] |
| "Left Right" | Jinooya Makes | [107] | |
| "Grl Gvng" | Cho Gi-seok | [108][109] | |
| "TGIF" | Rima Yoon, Jang Dong-ju (Rigend Film) | [110] | |
| "New Dance" | Seo Dong-hyuk (Flipevil) | [111] | |
| "Puppet Show" | Hong Min-ho (Studio Achilles) | [112] | |
| "Winter Without You" | Yvng Wing (Aedia Studio) | [113] | |
| "Woke Up" | 2024 | Cho Gi-seok | [114] |
| "Something ain't Right" | Yvng Wing | [115] | |
| "IYKYK" | Rima Yoon | [116] | |
| "Howling" | Cho Gi-seok | [117] | |
| "Is This Love" | 2025 | Kim Zi-yong | [118] |
| "In the Rain" | Jihoon Sheen (Someofuz) | [119] | |
| "Gala" | Cho Gi-Seok | [120][121] | |
| "Hypnotize" | 2026 | Kim In Tae | [122] |
| "Rock The Boat" | [123] | ||
Awards and nominations
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee(s) / Work(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K-Star MVA[d] | 2023 | Next Star – Women | XG | Won | [125] |
| MTV Video Music Awards Japan | 2022 | Rising Star Award | Won | [126] | |
| 2025 | Best Visual Effects | "Woke Up" | Won | [127] | |
| Music Awards Japan | 2025 | Top Global Hit from Japan | Nominated | [128] | |
| Best Japanese Hip Hop/Rap Song | Nominated | ||||
| Best of Listeners' Choice: Japanese Song | Nominated |
Concert tours
The First Howl World Tour
| Date | City | Country | Venue | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 18, 2024 | Osaka | Japan | Osaka-jō Hall | 55,000[130][unreliable source?] |
| May 19, 2024 | ||||
| May 25, 2024 | Yokohama | K-Arena Yokohama | ||
| May 26, 2024 | ||||
| July 11, 2024 | Seoul | South Korea | Yes24 Live Hall | 65,000[131] |
| July 13, 2024 | Taipei | Taiwan | Taipei International Convention Center | |
| July 16, 2024 | Singapore | The Star Theatre | ||
| August 2, 2024 | Manila | Philippines | Araneta Coliseum | |
| August 4, 2024 | Bangkok | Thailand | UOB Live | |
| August 7, 2024 | Kuala Lumpur | Malaysia | Mega Star Arena | |
| August 13, 2024 | Hong Kong | China | AsiaWorld–Expo Hall 10 | |
| August 20, 2024 | Shanghai | Mercedes-Benz Arena | ||
| August 22, 2024 | Chengdu | Dong'an Lake Sports Park Gymnasium | ||
| August 24, 2024 | Beijing | National Indoor Stadium | ||
| October 4, 2024 | Las Vegas | United States | The Theater at Virgin Hotels | 50,000[132] |
| October 6, 2024 | Los Angeles | Peacock Theater | ||
| October 8, 2024 | San Francisco | Bill Graham Civic Auditorium | ||
| October 9, 2024 | ||||
| October 12, 2024 | Grand Prairie | Texas Trust CU Theatre | ||
| October 14, 2024 | Sugar Land | Smart Financial Centre | ||
| October 16, 2024 | Atlanta | Gas South Arena | ||
| October 18, 2024 | New York City | Theater at Madison Square Garden | ||
| October 21, 2024 | Chicago | Wintrust Arena | ||
| November 18, 2024 | Manchester | England | Victoria Warehouse | — |
| November 19, 2024 | London | OVO Arena Wembley | — | |
| November 22, 2024 | Berlin | Germany | Uber Eats Music Hall | — |
| November 24, 2024 | Paris | France | Le Zénith | — |
| November 26, 2024 | Düsseldorf | Germany | Mitsubishi Electric Halle | — |
| November 27, 2024 | Brussels | Belgium | Forest National | — |
| November 29, 2024 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | AFAS Live | — |
| February 8, 2025 | Nagoya | Japan | Port Messe Nagoya Exhibition Hall 1 | — |
| February 9, 2025 | ||||
| February 14, 2025 | Sydney | Australia | ICC Sydney Theatre | — |
| February 16, 2025 | Melbourne | Margaret Court Arena | — | |
| February 22, 2025 | Tokyo | Japan | Ariake Arena | 30,000[133] |
| February 23, 2025 | ||||
| March 8, 2025 | Fukuoka | West Japan General Exhibition Center Annex | — | |
| March 9, 2025 | ||||
| March 15, 2025 | Osaka | Osaka-jō Hall | — | |
| March 16, 2025 | ||||
| March 21, 2025 | Hangzhou | China | Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium | — |
| March 23, 2025 | Shanghai | Mercedes-Benz Arena | — | |
| March 26, 2025 | Beijing | Wukesong Arena | — | |
| March 28, 2025 | Chengdu | Dong'an Lake Sports Park Gymnasium | — | |
| April 17, 2025 | Seattle | United States | WaMu Theater | — |
| April 24, 2025 | São Paulo | Brazil | Tokio Marine Hall | — |
| April 27, 2025 | Mexico City | Mexico | Arena CDMX | — |
| May 14, 2025 | Tokyo | Japan | Tokyo Dome | 50,000 [134] |
| Total | N/A | |||
The Core World Tour
| Date | City | Country | Venue | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | Yokohama | Japan | K-Arena Yokohama | — |
| February 7, 2026 | ||||
| February 8, 2026 | ||||
| February 17, 2026 | Osaka | Osaka-jō Hall | — | |
| February 18, 2026 | ||||
| February 21, 2026 | Nagoya | IG Arena | — | |
| February 22, 2026 | ||||
| March 14, 2026 | Fukui | Sun Dome Fukui | — | |
| March 20, 2026 | Sendai | Sekisui Heim Super Arena | — | |
| March 25, 2026 | Kobe | Glion Arena Kobe | — | |
| March 26, 2026 | ||||
| April 4, 2026 | Fukuoka | Kitakyushu Messe | — | |
| April 5, 2026 | ||||
| April 10, 2026 | Tokyo | Yoyogi National Gymnasium | — | |
| April 11, 2026 | ||||
| April 12, 2026 | ||||
| Total | N/A | |||
