New Global Group VCHA Debuts as the ‘Girls of the Year’ and Reveal ‘How Far We’ve Come’ (Exclusive)

There is something about sleep that is exciting yet terrifying. And whether you’re a “Go Getter” or not, the dream can often seem out of reach—especially when the seeds of self-doubt take root.

However, the six girls from the recently debuted global girl group, VCHA (pronounced Vee-cha), prove that their inhibitions can never bring them down. And as the first group of its kind to train through the K-pop system, they’re officially embarking on the journey of a lifetime — and they have a lot to tell PEOPLE about their early-morning excitement in Seoul.

“It just doesn’t feel right very often, so I always say it hasn’t hit me yet,” Savanna, a Florida native, says of their debut. “I don’t know when, [but] definitely will.”

The release of their debut single, “Girls of the Year” and its second track, “XO Call Me” show how the girls – Camila, 18, Lexi, 18, Kendall, 17, Savanna, 17, KG, 16, and Kaylee, 14 — embrace their new lives in the rehearsal room and on stage with astonishing confidence and syncopation.

VCHA.

JYP party

Perhaps one of the most endearing moments in the music video occurs when the group’s oldest member, Camilla, gets the chance to witness her from the past staring at her in the audience. With the confident look of a version of herself who bravely dropped out of nursing school to follow her singing dreams, she sings the refrain:

“Baby, tonight’s like a dream / Oh, I bet you never thought you’d see / Girls of the year / Yeah, that’s us / Something you never thought we’d be”

Young idols admit that they were not always “Ready for the World” as they are now. In fact, just under two years ago, they were complete strangers to each other, spread across the country like your normal girls next door. But fate dealt them a lucky hand when music industry leaders JYP Entertainment and Republic Records brought them together to participate in a new competition series called America2Korea.

During the 22-episode series set in 2023, millions of viewers tuned into YouTube to watch the girls audition, train and strive for a coveted spot in the new girl group. From the very beginning, it was clear that they were judged not only by their singing and dancing, but also by their “potential”.

Potential is the key word here, as most of the girls have had little or no training. But as they progressed to a one-week bootcamp in Los Angeles and later arrived at a bootcamp in Korea, they also had the chance to show more than just raw talent: their ability to work as a team, their character and their star quality.

VCHA.

JYP party

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All these criteria were pushed to the limit as each of the contestants struggled with criticism, self-doubt and frustration. Take Kaylee, who admitted early on that she lacked the confidence to dance, or Lexi, who had never had vocal training before. They knew the stakes were high – one mistake and it could spell the end of their budding idol dreams.

But finally the six girls made it to the end when they were announced as the final members of the group in September. Shortly thereafter, VCHA released their two pre-debut singles, SeVit (NEW LIGHT) and A2K theme song “Ready for the World,” which hinted at all the vibrant energy they had in store.

VCHA.

JYP party

There’s something about being called a global girl group that can feel like a big calling, as opposed to just being a pop star or a K-pop star. In particular, the word “global” has a special nuance. In order to resonate with the world, they will have to cross borders and become a unifying force — a difficult bar to reach.

However, they use their different backgrounds to rise above this challenge. In fact, it’s part of their artistic ethos as a group, where the name VCHA is based on a Korean word meaning “to shine light”. Their key pillars? Authenticity, togetherness and “the idea that we are all special because we are all different.”

Camila.

JYP party

Indeed, their geographic and ethnic diversity also translates into their distinct strengths. The “YOUniverse” music video takes this idea a step further, giving fans a glimpse into the girls’ past lives, with Camilla’s academic pursuits, Lexa’s 12 years of ballet dancing, Savannah’s gymnastics, KG’s guitar and songwriting hobbies, Kendall’s artistic passions, and Kaylee’s audition journey . When filming, Savanna says they drew on their experiences on the show, when their emotions were “all over the place.”

“But now, we’re here with each other, it’s something I get my emotions out of,” he adds of their next chapter ahead.

What perhaps resonates most with their fans, dubbed the VLIGHTS, is their authenticity and relatability. Girls don’t need to convince fans that they too have experienced the self-doubt that is so often felt in girlhood. Fans watched as the girls progressed and completely captured the message that believing in yourself can be so hard, but so worth it from the start.

In fact, fans were already able to witness the girls perform on stage before their debut on the Korean music show titled Music bank.

“There were so many emotions that we felt at that moment,” recalls Lexi from Wisconsin. “For me it was mostly very passionate. It personally motivated me more for the future, it was a lot of fun and a lot of happy feelings because we finally managed to do what we wanted for a very long time.”

Lexi.

JYP party

Despite the milestones the girls are starting to cross, they still have time to adjust to idol life and grow up as teenagers. For example, Kaylee says she and a few others still go to school, starting early at 7 a.m. and finishing at 10 a.m. From there, they train continuously until around 6 p.m.

“And on special days we have pilates,” adds the Washington resident.

The training in Korea was not only a first for Missouri native KG, but a first in the country, period. Filming music videos outside of their residential city area allowed her to witness Korea’s “beautiful” nature, such as the mountains, she says. Being immersed in Korean culture also gave them the opportunity to find their favorite Korean food.

“To me, it’s raw marinated crab,” Lexi says quickly.

“Kimchi jjigae!” Kendall enters.

“I just like the store,” Camila says after some thought. “And also anything containing rice cakes.”

“I’m so indecisive,” Savanna says simply with a laugh.

KG.

JYP party

According to Kendall, the training period wasn’t “too hard to adjust to,” as if he was in it A2K he already helped them get used to the lifestyle. Although the initial “long hours” were the “hardest” at first, it was something they eventually managed to overcome.

The same could be said for getting used to the wider perception of the public under the spotlight. And although not everything is always positive, the girls say they have “grown a tougher skin”.

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“I’ve learned to realize that I’m on my own and that we as a group are very skilled people who are good at what we do,” says Lexi as the group’s leader. “So as long as we’re just listening to the feedback we’re getting and improving over time, that’s the most important thing for us.”

“We’ve grown to a place where, as long as we’re doing our best and doing as much as we can, there shouldn’t be any reason to be hard on ourselves,” adds Kendall.

Kendall.

JYP party

In this sense, the show helped them “find themselves” by testing their limits and what suits them. It also comes with the opportunity to see how much they have changed since their first audition in front of JY Park, the founder of JYP Entertainment who selected the VCHA members.

“When I look back at the videos, especially for A2K, Music bank or other performances, I don’t feel like I’m watching myself,” reflects Texas-born Kendall. “It seems to me as if I might be watching a performer on stage. The comments don’t seem to be about me — I just kind of think of them as someone else.”

Their skill development also reflects their sisterly bond. They have a frivolous, goofy side to them that they aren’t afraid to keep to themselves, which is evident in their many humorous videos on social media. In particular, Savanna got the idea for one video after seeing some online responses to the “funny move” from their single “YOUniverse.”

“Honestly, I think it’s all pretty chaotic,” Savanna says, embracing their “funny” side. “I don’t know if this is shown to outside audiences, but we’re kind of really, in my opinion, crazy with the six of us together. I think that’s a lot of our true selves, so I think we like to capture those moments so we can share them.”

“It was kind of an inside joke for us too, because when we were learning to dance to help us balance, we would actually jump,” adds Kendall about the move.

It turns out that JY Park also has a “funny” side, despite being seen as a “big scary person” at first, says Savanna. Even Camila came to see the founder as a “wise man” after initially being the most nervous, “more than any other mission,” auditioning in front of him that first time. Kendall also says she could see Park as more than just a referee.

“He would also talk to us just in person about our lives and how we feel and now we can have a comfortable passage with him,” she says. “For example, we actually saw him in the hallway yesterday and we had a little chat, and that’s because he’s generally a good person as a company leader, as a person for us.”

Savanna.

JYP party

Now, as a newly debuted global girl group, there’s a new kind of pressure—but one that’s far more exciting, not decisive. Without the risk of elimination, the girls, they say, will be able to enjoy themselves more on stage.

“It’s definitely nerve-wracking, but I feel like it’s a lot more exciting for us to look ahead because I feel like as we get more experience, we become more comfortable and experienced performers who aren’t like, ‘Oh, I’m going to make a mistake,'” Kendall says.

“It’s more than, ‘Yeah, let’s perform. Let’s do it,’ she continues with resolute confidence. “We are looking forward to the future of being able to perform more shows, we are very excited.”

Kaylee.

JYP party

Luckily, the girls won’t have to wait long to show the world why they’re girls of the year. At the end of March, he will open for K-pop superstars TWICE in Las Vegas for his first US show. And not long after, their talents will shine internationally, where they will continue to be the opening act in Brazil and Mexico on TWICE’s fifth world tour, “Ready to Be”.

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For now, the girls have returned to their new home base in Los Angeles, where they will continue to practice and make new memories together. And even though they’re opening a new chapter on their journey, KG envisions returning to California will be more like coming home.

“We’ll definitely have déjà vu when we’re in LA and meeting each other for the first time,” she says with a sense of nostalgia. “I think this is a moment where we’re probably going to look at each other and feel proud of each other and ourselves for actually realizing how far we’ve come.”

“We came there not knowing whether we would win or succeed,” he continues with a smile. “And now to be there and know we’ve done it will be a really amazing feeling.”

Their debut single, “Girls of the Year” is now available to stream.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education