XG
2022 was evidently the year of women in the music industry. With iconic groups such as Girls’ Generation making their highly anticipated comeback and Blackpink releasing new music, to K-pop girl groups such as Twice selling out stadiums in America, it was only fitting for all-Japanese girl group XG to quickly grab hold of the twirly doo and re-define what it takes to be a global hip-hop/R&B group in this decade.
Comprising members Jurin, Chisa, Harvey, Hinata, Juria, Maya and Cocona, XG (short for Xtraordinary Girls) is the first group to debut under the global entertainment production company, XGALX. With a mission to produce artists with a defined worldview and create a culture of bold creativity, XGALX fostered a holistic regime, ensuring the septet be second to none in rap, vocals and dance.
With a fresh and inventive base in music and performance, XG debuted on March 18th, 2022, with “Tippy Toes,” aiming to empower young people from all over the world – from all walks of life. “I think that if we can be a catalyst for something in your life, then that is empowering for us,” explains the group’s leader Jurin. “We need to love ourselves and be grateful to those around us, and to focus on and cherish the present. We try to keep this in mind every day. I think this is also the secret to having confidence and staying strong!”
Their XG have returned with their latest English single “Shooting Star.” The track follows the group’s June 2022 viral track “Mascara.” The release of “Shooting Star” was accompanied by a B-side titled “Left Right” which dives into deep bass, trap and synth to support XG’s rap and vocal blends.
“Shooting Star” is also a bass-driven hip-hop track with trap influences and a unique sound of bells running all through. The pre-chorus delivers an interesting switch up, combing synth with the heavy bass to create a dreamy pop groove. The track focuses on XG’s goal to stay driven as artists and rise to the top as they sing, “Baby if I give it my all will it pay off/ Working overtime no days off/ All these shooting stars in the dark/ Make a wish/ Taking off from the ground it’s amazing/ So outta this world/ I’m in space now I’m going up/ Heading to the stars.”
The music video for “Shooting Star” is a glorious fever dream of rainbows, flowers, cosmic spaces, snowy landscapes and neon sets. The screen changes ratios often and there are shots through a fish-eye lens, adding a of late-Nineties or early-2000s throwback vibe. A few particularly stand-out moments include all seven members performing together with blue hair, sharp choreography scenes in a miniature of a city, and the lighting that shifts constantly to add a dazzling mood shift on each set.
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