Within three years of releasing their first single, the rising global girl group XG were at Coachella to help close out the festival at the Sahara Tent. Members Jurin, Chisa, Hinata, Harvey, Juria, Maya, and Cocona delivered an electrifying set that spanned their discography from fan-favorite tracks like “LEFT RIGHT” and “IS THIS LOVE,” which had a viral moment due to their “Glitch Dance,” to powerful all-rap anthem “WOKE UP,” which showcases XG’s strengths as rappers.
Despite being one of the final acts to perform both weekends, XG drew a sizable crowd, with fans chanting “XG! XG! XG!” ahead of the members taking the stage in their signature, avant-garde fashion and makeup looks. They always bring something out-of-the-box and original on stage, a mission that stems from their label, XGALX, making their performances truly a sight to see.
The group is currently finishing up their first world tour, known as the first HOWL, which kicked off in 2024 in their home base of Japan, and spanned across Asia, Europe, and North America, with a number of additional shows added this year in Europe, South America, and the U.S, and grand plans to wrap the tour at the renowned Tokyo Dome on May 14. The conclusion of the tour will come with new music, with the release of their single “MILLION PLACES.” The track draws inspiration from XG’s journey across the globe throughout their world tour and reflects on the love they’ve received from their fans, ALPHAZ.
XG sat down with Rolling Stone to reflect on their journey thus far, dive into what makes them “Xtraordinary”, and share their goals for the future.
What was your reaction when you heard you were performing at Coachella?
Hinata: At first, we couldn’t believe it — we all froze and were like, “Wait, what?” It was a dream stage for us, so the fact that we were able to stand on it this early was such a surprise, and we were just filled with happiness.
Do you remember who the first person you told was when you found out?
Hinata: I wanted to keep it a surprise from my family, so when the announcement came out, I got tons of messages — they were honestly so shocked!
Editor’s picks
Being based in Japan, what did you know about Coachella before?
Cocona: Every year, we always set aside time to watch Coachella performances together. We’ve watched primarily Main Stage performances, but since we were performing on the Sahara Stage this time, we went back and watched past performances from that stage as well.
What was your impression of the festival before, and what is your impression now that you’ve seen it in person?
Cocona: I hadn’t been in person, so preparing based only on imagination was quite challenging. Once we actually arrived, we realized how much the wind could vary from day to day — it could get really strong — and the air was super dry, which made performing difficult in many ways.
How was that? I remember the wind was crazy for week one, especially during “IN THE RAIN.”
Cocona: Doing a show in such a different environment was tough, but it also taught us a lot and turned out to be an incredible experience. I want to take everything I learned from this and keep pushing forward toward even more growth!
Were there any challenges or surprises while preparing for your set?
Jurin: I think this was the period of our careers when we faced the most challenges ever — from last-minute setlist changes to editing and adding audio, as well as adjusting costumes.
You definitely never know what to expect with big performances like this, especially in unique environments like Coachella. Another thing about festivals is that you’re given the opportunity to reach audiences who may not be familiar with your music yet. What do you want people who don’t know XG to think after watching your performance?
Harvey: We’d be so happy if the visual and auditory impact leaves them thinking of us as a seven-member group of aliens. [Smiles.] We hope they can feel the bond that unites us as one, witness the strength of our unity, and see how much we truly enjoy music — and we’d love for the fans to share and resonate with that moment together with us!
Related Content
If you had to describe XG as a group in three words, what would they be and why?
Juria: “Xtraordinary,” just like our name, XG [Xtraordinary Girls]. I believe our style is all about making our own path without being bound by norms, standards, or common sense. “Aliens” — when you think of XG, I think “aliens” definitely comes to mind. We’ve always believed in them ever since we were trainees, and we really, really want to meet them! Aliens have no limits — there’s nothing they can’t do, and that makes them the strongest in my eyes. I want to become just like them. [Laughs.] And “wolves.” Our unity and collective strength are just like that of a wolf pack. We’re always moving as one, supporting and helping each other every step of the way — that kind of teamwork really reminds me of wolves!
To that point about acting and moving as a pack, how has your teamwork grown over the past couple of years?
Chisa: Over the past year on our world tour, we naturally started gathering more frequently for meetings and had so many more chances to talk about each other’s strengths and roles within the group. I truly feel our bond has grown stronger and our teamwork has improved so much.
What do your members mean to you?
Chisa: To me, my members are like people who understand me as well as I understand myself— and I think it’s one of our biggest strengths that we all feel that way about each other. We’re like a real family, like sisters — always together, whether we’re having fun, feeling down, or facing anything in between. I can confidently say that I understand their joys and pains better than anyone. They’re the ones I connect with the most in my life right now. They’re pure love… love you so much! [Smiles.]
You flew to Seattle between weekend 1 and weekend 2 of Coachella for a tour stop — how do you stay energized with such a busy schedule?
Juria: I think it’s really important to refresh ourselves by doing things like going shopping or enjoying delicious local food!
Any fun memories in particular thus far?
Juria: The day after Coachella, we all went to In-N-Out Burger — it was so good, I was seriously about to cry from how delicious it was. [Laughs.] We also did a lot of shopping at Sephora!
XGALX*
Now that you’ve performed at Coachella, what are some goals you have, personal or as a group? I know you have a Tokyo Dome show coming up very soon, so exciting!
Hinata: We have so many goals! Topping the Billboard Hot 100, performing on the main stage at Coachella, winning a Grammy — there are so many dreams we want to make come true. But more than anything, we want to enjoy the journey and use our music and performances to bring courage and love to people all around the world!
And what’s something you’ve learned during your careers since debut? Whether it be a technical skill or something you’ve learned about yourselves.
Cocona: That of course, the opinions and evaluations from others are important, but what matters most isn’t that. What’s truly important is our dreams and goals. “What do we, as XG, want to achieve? What do we want to leave behind in this world?” Keeping that at the core and moving forward with that mindset every day is something I believe is really important.
I also feel more and more how vital communication is. In the past, most of our communication was just between the members and our producer Simon, but now that we have a much larger team and so many staff involved, we’re constantly working on how to share ideas more effectively and efficiently. We’re always learning and adjusting how we communicate to keep everything running smoothly.
There’s so much to learn every day. And while it can be challenging at times, I’m truly grateful to be in an environment where we can keep growing and learning together.
Trending Stories
And looking to the future, what are areas you want to grow in in the future?
Maya: There are so many areas in which I want to grow in the future. Both as a group and as an individual. I feel like there’s never a time when I feel 100 percent satisfied with my performance, but I don’t take that as a negative thing because nobody’s perfect and there’s always a place for improvements. And that’s totally normal. That’s why I like to be honest with myself and make sure I have time to reflect.
Everyday is a new day because there’s always so many different things to learn. I want to challenge myself into doing new things and learn so I can grow and do better in the future!
