Over the last decade, K-pop has been making its way into the Western hemisphere thanks to its catchy beats and mesmerizing aesthetic. And while we love jamming out to our favs like BLACKPINK, TWICE, (G)I-DLE, ITZY and æspa, there’s a new girl group making waves all over the globe that you’re about to obsess over.
Meet VCHA; a new global girl group under JYP Entertainment and Republic Records that, according to member KG, “hope to shine onto others through our music and performing.” KG, along with Lexi, Camila, Kendall, Savanna and Kaylee, came together while giving it their all on the reality singing competition series A2K, which the girls say was both an “amazing opportunity” and “great learning experience.”
“Being a part of the competition series was definitely not easy, it was very competitive. We all shared this experience together, and learned to be there for one another when it got hard. But being a part of the journey, getting to work with professional trainers, and traveling overseas, was such an amazing opportunity all around. We’ve learned and improved so much,” KG tells Celeb Secrets in an exclusive interview.
“Being on the competition series was such a great learning experience for all of us. I would say we all found our identity through all the missions we had to undergo. We learned from professionals, and had to quickly improve our skills to make it to where we are today. Since we all came in as regular people, we quickly bonded and relied on each other during this process, which led to deep and close relationships with each other,” Savanna adds.
Officially a band since the show’s two-part finale in September 2023, the girls released songs towards the end of the year as a “pre-debut.” To no surprise, Lexi, Camila, Kendall, Savanna, KG and Kaylee received an overwhelmingly high demand for more music as the tracks and their music videos racked in millions of spins and top spots on the US Billboard “Hot Trending Songs” chart.
In January, the girls made their official debut with their songs “Girls of the Year,” which drew in a ton of praise from both music critics and fans alike. Showcasing their journey from being regular teenage girls to k-pop’s next big thing, the upbeat track, according to Camila “was the perfect debut track” for the girls.
“I believe ‘Girls of the Year’ was the perfect debut track! It really showcased our journey from being regular teenage girls aspiring to become an artist one day, to being in an incredible global girl group inspiring many,” Camila says.
Keeping the momentum, the girls released their second single “Only One” on March 15th, which is all about concessive love to a crush through sweet lyrics paired with a fun, lively melody. The single’s performance video, which they dropped simultaneously, features powerful choreography and eye-catching visuals, which now has over 4.4M views and counting. further exemplifying the group’s lively charm and incredible synergy.
Bringing their lively charm and incredible synergy to the big stage, VCHA recently opened for TWICE at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, where they were able to perform “Only One” along with never-before-heard tracks to a venue that holds 65,000 spectators.
Of the performance, Lexi shares, “We feel so honored to be able to perform in front of such a large crowd at such an early stage of our journey. It was truly a special moment for us. Being able to present ourselves on that stage is a memory that we will never forget!”
Up next, the girls will bring their music to the festival stage this summer, as they have been announced as performers for Lollapalooza in Chicago this August.
Celeb Secrets sits down with Lexi, Camila, Kendall, Savanna, KG and Kaylee (virtually) to learn everything we need to know about VCHA as well as what’s to come from them the rest of this year and beyond. Keep reading our full Q&A below and let us know what you think of VCHA and their music by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sliding into our Instagram DMs at @celebsecrets.
You can connect with VCHA by giving them a follow on Instagram at @official_VHCA.
Celeb Secrets: For those who aren’t aware, who is VCHA?
Camila: “VCHA is a new global girl group under JYP entertainment and Republic Records. We were created on a survival show called A2K where we had to successfully complete a series of missions that required singing, dancing, star quality, and character. After a long journey and hard work we came together to become an inspiring group!”
KG: “We are VCHA, a girl group formed from the survival program A2K (America 2 Korea) under JYP Entertainment and Republic Records. We hope as a group to shine onto others through our music and performing.”
CS: We know that your band is all about authenticity, togetherness and being special — how do you incorporate your mission into your music?
Lexi: “We love that our group came together as unique individuals that shine a light upon others with our music and performances. Although we have different backgrounds and cultures, we just want to show the world who we are and what we love to do with our natural bond and friendship.”
Savanna: “Our music is not only fun, but they also include special lyrics that show our authenticity and togetherness. With us also being from different backgrounds, we hope to inspire others with that, as well as with our music.”
CS: In a world that’s so saturated with K-pop girl groups, what makes VCHA unique?
Kendall: “I believe what makes VCHA unique is the fact that we started out just a year ago like regular people, and we have put hard work and dedication to come together as a group all representing different backgrounds, to inspire others like us. As a group, we demonstrate that you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.”
Camila: “I believe that one of the major factors that make VCHA unique is that we all come from different backgrounds. Being able to represent diversity and connect with those that share the same culture as us is truly special. We all bring something different to the group and I think that’s unique.”
CS: We know that you came together last year on A2K. Can you talk more about what it was like being on a singing competition series and how it made the bond stronger among all of you?
KG: “Being a part of the competition series was definitely not easy, it was very competitive. We all shared this experience together, and learned to be there for one another when it got hard. But being a part of the journey, getting to work with professional trainers, and traveling overseas, was such an amazing opportunity all around. We’ve learned and improved so much.”
Savanna: “Being on the competition series was such a great learning experience for all of us. I would say we all found our identity through all the missions we had to undergo. We learned from professionals, and had to quickly improve our skills to make it to where we are today. Since we all came in as regular people, we quickly bonded and relied on each other during this process, which led to deep and close relationships with each other.”
CS: What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned about yourselves — whether personally or professionally — while being on A2K?
Lexi: “There are so many things that I’ve learned about myself, but the most important thing for me is to be patient. I’ve always wanted to be able to grow fast in terms of my skills and I didn’t realize that these things take time. Being patient with yourself is so important, so that you can genuinely grow and not rush anything.”
Kendall: “I believe I’ve learned a lot about myself through this whole journey, but I feel the biggest thing I learned is how important it is to be resilient and how resilient I am. No matter what, it’s so important to have confidence and belief in yourself, because if you don’t then you can be swayed by everything, when instead you could enjoy just being yourself.”
CS: 2024 has been a big year for you already, as you made your official debut with your song “Girls of the Year.” What made you want to release this as your debut song and what have been some of your favorite fan messages you’ve received from it?
Camila: “I believe ‘Girls of the Year’ was the perfect debut track! It really showcased our journey from being regular teenage girls aspiring to become an artist one day, to being in an incredible global girl group inspiring many.”
KG: “‘Girls of the Year’ was the perfect debut song for us because it’s about our journey together as a group to achieving our dreams. We are so grateful for those who leave us positive messages on our music, they inspire us to keep working hard.”
CS: You just dropped two new songs “Only One” and “Favorite Girl” — can you tell us more about them and share some of your favorite memories while recording?
Lexi: “Through these two new songs, we hoped to show a new side of us. As we go on in this journey of ours, we continuously want to be able to present new sounds to our fans to give variety and show our uniqueness. ‘Only One’ is practically a love letter meant for our fans, VLIGHTS, to thank them for their support and ‘Favorite Girl’ really emphasizes confidence and loving yourself. These two songs are super upbeat and fun, so it was such a great experience! I had to really get into the mood to give off a certain vibe. It was like acting as if I was a character in a movie!”
Savanna: “‘Only One’ and ‘Favorite Girl’ are two pretty different tracks, which showcases new sides of VCHA. ‘Only One’ has a very fun vibe as we express our love to our VLIGHTS, and ‘Favorite Girl’ is all about having confidence in yourself! These songs were pretty fun for me to record, as I got to rap with my low voice, and showcase my higher range as well!”
CS: Is there a line or lyric that you’re obsessing over in one (or both) of these tracks?
Kendall: “One of my favorite lyrics is from ‘Favorite Girl,’ when it says, ‘Only me can hold me down, Only me can stop me now.’ I have a strong appreciation for this lyric as it embodies the idea that you are the only one who can set limits on yourself. You are capable of doing anything. Don’t listen to others’ opinions. Instead, focus on and trust your beliefs, so you can accomplish whatever you set your mind to.”
Camila: “My favorite lyrics are from ‘Only One,’ specifically the phrase, ‘Only one that knows your heart, your highs, your lows.’ I think those lyrics are so special. It means that no matter what we’re always going to have, ‘that person,’ in our case our VLIGHTS, always supporting and loving us in our highs and lows.”
CS: In addition to dropping the songs, you also shared the stage with TWICE at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas for a special performance. Can you tell us all about it and what it was like singing your songs in front of a stadium-sized audience?
Lexi: “We feel so honored to be able to perform in front of such a large crowd at such an early stage of our journey. It was truly a special moment for us. Being able to present ourselves on that stage is a memory that we will never forget!”
KG: “We are so grateful for our experience performing in Vegas as the open for TWICE. It felt so special being there, and the audience was bigger than we expected. It is a moment we will never forget.”
CS: Have you been able to connect with the girls from TWICE at all? If so, did they give you any advice/tips/tricks for your performance?
Kendall: “To begin with, I want to express my gratitude to TWICE for everything and for allowing us to open for their concert. This experience has been truly eye-opening and has taught us a lot about performing, among other things. They have been very supportive to us, as we have filmed dance challenges with them and they have even asked ONCE on stage to support VCHA, so we just want to say thank you to TWICE.”
Savanna: “We got the chance to meet with TWICE backstage throughout the tour, and they have been so kind to us. We got to film some dance challenges with them, and that was super fun! We hold so much gratitude towards them, and are so honored to have been able to open for them!”
CS: We’re assuming that more music is on the horizon. What can you tease in terms of what’s to come from VCHA in 2024?
Kendall: “This is just the start of VCHA. So I would say to expect the unexpected, VCHA wants to try out many sounds to see what fits us best so we will be exploring the many different kinds of music. We also have a lot in store for our VLIGHTS, so we hope they can stay by our side throughout this whole journey.”
KG: “In 2024, we have many things to look forward to. We will be performing at Lollapalooza for the first time in August. We are really looking forward to it!”
CS: What’s the overall message you want fans to take when listening to your music?
Lexi: “I would just like for our fans to feel happy overall when listening to our music. I hope that it can uplift others and boost their moods! I love that feeling when sounds or lyrics make me feel better after listening to it, so I would really love to have that effect on others.”
Savanna: “We hope that our VLIGHTS can feel uplifted and inspired by listening to our music!”
CS: Since we’re Celeb Secrets, do you have any secrets about yourselves or even the band that we wouldn’t know just by following you on social media/listening to your music?
Camila: “A fun fact is that all of us are really good gamers! I’m still getting there but it’s really fun to play at night together!”
Kendall: “I would say one thing you might not be able to tell just by listening to our music is that VCHA are all foodies. We really enjoy trying different dishes everywhere we go and also enjoy cooking too!”
