By way of Ok-pop’s speedy adjustments within the final three a long time, a relentless customary has been JYP Leisure’s specific consideration given to its feminine teams.
From Surprise Women turning into the primary Korean-pop act to crack the Billboard Scorching 100 to the likes of TWICE and ITZY making inroads with U.S. label offers and area excursions, plus a Japanese group NiziU who’s had a No. 1 single on the Japan Scorching 100 yearly since their 2020 debut, the corporate has lived as much as its firm tagline as a “chief in leisure” with famous strict tips for courting, weight-reduction plan, media engagement and extra. So when a mid-interview miscommunication over the interview time with JYPE’s newest woman group abruptly ends the dialog when the schedule can’t spare one other 10 minutes, the fleeting encounter feels prefer it mirrors the meticulousness and unwavering requirements to success set by Ok-pop trade giants like JYP. Particularly for the excessive stakes with VCHA, a first-of-its-kind “world” woman group, there’s no room for missteps.
VCHA started with a daring imaginative and prescient outlined by JYP founder J.Y. Park and Republic Data founder Monte Lipman: their A2K competitors sequence got down to create “the primary American artist made out of the Ok-pop system.” Amid more and more heated competitors from trade heavyweights like SM Leisure, HYBE and Geffen Data with related initiatives, JYP and Republic pulled forward on this next-generation pop race, culminating within the six-member woman group that’s serving to evolve the definition of Ok-pop and altering how corporations like JYP and Republic historically function.
Not like the Korea-based counterparts who famously bear years of rigorous coaching, VCHA launched into a whirlwind journey encompassing vocal and dance coaching, character assessments, and even “star high quality evaluations” by way of 22 episodes of A2K the place the ultimate lineup of members Lexi, Camila, Kendall, Savanna, KG and Kaylee — who vary from ages 18 to 14 — had been revealed in September 2023 and made their official debut simply 4 months later, right now, on Jan. 26, 2024 through “Women of the Yr” by revealing its digital single and music video.
After 4 buzz tracks hinting at their sound like “Prepared for the World” and “Y.O.Universe” (the latter of which carried out on public Korean TV channels like KBS and MBC alongside different Ok-pop acts), “Women of the Yr” marks the official begin of VCHA and what midwest-born, 18-year-old chief Lexi says “actually emphasizes confidence, self-worth and what we try to be, which is, clearly, ladies of the 12 months.”
An upbeat, bubblegum-pop anthem with hooks able to get lodged in younger listeners brains, “Women of the Yr” additionally encapsulates a refined but poignant message of feminism and self-empowerment with lyrics like, “No extra doubtin’ and no glass ceilings.” Chatting with Billboard of their new house base in Los Angeles, the Florida-raised, 17-year-old Savanna sings that line on the observe and personally connects with the lyric when “going deeper due to the which means itself.”
“Women of the Yr” embodies the essence of VCHA’s mission—to encourage and empower a brand new era of followers who aren’t as sure or preoccupied by cultural, language and nation boundaries. With all six based mostly within the U.S. or Canada, the VCHA members’ backgrounds vary from white and Latino to Black, Korean, Vietnamese, and Hmong.
Texas native Kendall acknowledges the variety they characterize and the prospect to be a job mannequin.
“‘Women of the Yr’ is such an announcement, however to us, it actually means to have the ability to turn out to be a bunch or somebody that different folks can proudly look as much as,” the 17-year-old says. “To have the ability to characterize totally different communities is truthfully such an honor as a result of all of us had folks from our cultures or from our nationalities who we appeared as much as rising up and so they made such a big effect on our lives. So, for us to probably have the ability to develop into turning into these folks for others is actually what being a ‘woman of the 12 months’ would imply to us.”
VCHA is in good firm with Republic Data signees like Taylor Swift, TWICE, Ariana Grande, Stray Children and ITZY all cited as totally different inspirations to the members. The ladies will open for upcoming stadium exhibits their JYP/Republic label mates TWICE are holding in Las Vegas, Mexico Metropolis and São Paulo — one thing of a dream for youngest member Kaylee, who says TWICE is the primary artist she remembers connecting with from a younger age.
“I can’t say that I’m nervous or excited as a result of I can’t suppose that it’s really going to occur,” the 14-year-old Philly singer says. “It seems like a dream quite than one thing that we’re going to be acting on stage opening for TWICE. It simply appears so unreal to have the ability to do one thing like this so early in our profession.”
The truth is, Ok-pop live shows historically would not have opening acts, marking one more method VCHA is shaking up the system’s formulation with a web page from the western playbook. “That is one thing that was all type of sudden,” Lexi provides, “We’re simply tremendous honored to have the opportunity even to do one thing that’s probably not achieved.”
To arrange for the upcoming exhibits, the sextet has all-day coaching periods, rehearsals and content material creation that start round 10:30 or 11 a.m. native time as soon as youngest members Kaylee and KG, who’re 14 and 16 respectively, end education, which they take earlier within the mornings through on-line studying courses. Kaylee and KG level to some problem in balancing faculty and group work however have the older members to assist them research.
With VCHA’s launch of “Women of the Yr,” coupled with the easy-listening, R&B-pop reduce “XO Name Me” as a b-side that Kendall notes is a part of the “new sounds” they’re excited to indicate, the teenagers are transferring into unknown however thrilling territory that feels extra centered on deeper, heartfelt messaging than the maximalist showmanship present in most Ok-pop debuts.
Take the second within the “Women of the Yr” music video the place Camila walks from her dance rehearsal into an enormous VCHA live performance the place she catches her glammed-up, onstage model performing, and the 2 change smiles—a second of recognizing her journey that included years of auditions and competitors exhibits like The Voice Children in Canada and France, to now debuting in a bunch backed a few of the world’s most confirmed gamers in pop.
See what all of the VCHA members needed to say about their progress, wanting again at trustworthy moments from their character evaluations in A2K to the place they stand right now.
The function of chief is a vital one in Ok-pop and Lexi, you’re the chief of VCHA. How has your function shifted from somebody who was identified to assist the contestants in A2K to now main VCHA?
Lexi: Clearly, I’m tremendous grateful to be the chief to assist manage issues on this group. Though I’ve the title, I do suppose that I get a lot assist from the opposite members — like, everybody helps me out a lot. Despite the fact that I’m the chief, I feel that all of us assist out quite a bit within the group for us to have the ability to achieve success and work arduous.
I do do loads of the group issues like establishing our instances for once we ought to apply or spreading issues out for what we must always do all through the day and for what’s developing. I assist us attempt to keep on activity too. Generally I’ll have to speak [with the label teams] just a bit bit for issues like our schedules.
I bear in mind Camila was voted co-favorite workforce mate with Lexi throughout A2K evaluations. You’re additionally the eldest member, and also you stated loads of that motivated you to type of assist deal with and encourage your members. What does that relationship appear like now?
Camila: Really in my household, I’ve at all times been the youngest so I’ve at all times been nicely taken care of. I realized quite a bit from my mother and my brother, and the way they made me really feel at all times so protected and cozy. I wished to try this as nicely if I used to be ever in a bunch. Being right here, it’s the identical factor since we final talked; I feel as a result of I’m a really empathetic particular person, I at all times really feel what different folks really feel. I at all times attempt to make folks comfy and ensure everybody’s okay emotionally.
Savanna, J.Y. Park stated he had doubts about your seriousness however you shared how nerves aren’t useful. I beloved your perspective and reply then. Is {that a} mindset you proceed right now?
Savanna: If I used to be to elucidate this extra, being in gymnastics at a really younger age led me to study totally different strategies to not let my nerves get the most effective of me since, if I used to be in a nervous state, I might carry out worse— particularly on occasions the place I needed to stability on a four-inch beam. Though I used to be positively nervous, I utilized this realized strategy of mine in the course of the evaluations of A2K. I feel I nonetheless have this mindset right now as we do nervewracking actions however I attempt to calm the members down and allow them to know that we’ve labored our hardest up thus far and to attempt to chill out, belief your apply, and provides it your all.
Kendall, I bear in mind you had been super-focused on each your and the group’s progress throughout Boot Camp with many moments practising by yourself. How are you right now with leaning in your members?
Kendall: I might say that the extra time we spent collectively and the nearer we turned, the extra I used to be capable of depend on my members. As an individual, I typically are inclined to suppose to myself and revel in spending time by myself, however it’s good to have a assist system with the opposite ladies that I can at all times lean on.
J.Y. Park additionally stated very truthfully that he thought KG had a “strong fashion fastened in you” that couldn’t work in a bunch. However not solely did you show you could possibly adapt, you’re within the group! How do you are feeling you’re evolving as an artist right now?
KG: Sure, J.Y. Park was precisely proper. I had a really fastened fashion and distinctive method of singing the place I fell off my phrases, and that sort of singing is just not normally present in Ok-pop teams. I can sing many various types, so eradicating what he didn’t like was not troublesome for me however his recommendation made me a greater singer and match for this group so I actually admire it. I feel being an artist or performer means you’re at all times continuously evolving and, proper now, I’ve advanced into the Ok-pop world.
Kaylee, you anticipated that you could possibly be the “Moodmaker” of the group. Do you assist set the group’s tone?
Kaylee: All of us have totally different personalities and all of us are so enjoyable to be round! So everybody has the potential to turn out to be a temper maker of the group.
