Recommended Video
Low-rise denim, charm necklaces, candy-colored accessories, and a healthy dose of pop-star confidence—G22’s latest music video, “Groove On,” taps into the spirit of Y2K fashion without feeling trapped in the past. While many modern interpretations of the era rely on familiar tropes, stylist and creative director Eldzs Mejia approached it with a more intentional eye, drawing inspiration from early-2000s girl groups while ensuring the looks remained authentic to G22.
RELATED: Meet the Rising P-Pop Girl Groups Taking Over Today
Nostalgic, but Uniquely G22
For Mejia, the challenge was never about recreating the past. Instead, it was about capturing the feeling of a specific era while allowing G22’s identity to shine through. “The goal was to evoke memories of a specific pop culture era without simply recreating it. I wanted viewers to feel connected to the references while seeing something that still feels current and uniquely G22,” he shared.
The music video was a playful return to the early 2000s, complete with bloomer shorts, charm necklaces, candy-colored accessories, leopard-print wedges, and bootcut low-rise jeans. Yet the styling never felt like a costume. Contemporary touches such as gingham prints, layered bikini tops, and chain-link detailing kept the looks firmly rooted in the present.
While the visual references drew from icons like Britney Spears and glossy magazine editorials of the era, Mejia was careful not to lean too heavily into nostalgia. “I simply didn’t want the styling to feel like a stereotype or a Y2K costume. It was important that the outfits still felt authentic to G22 and looked like something AJ, Jaz, and Alfea would genuinely wear today,” Mejia explained.
G22’s Natural Evolution
As G22’s music and performance style have evolved, so too has their visual identity. According to Mejia, one of the group’s defining turning points came with “Pa-Pa-Pa-Palaban,” a release that challenged expectations of what a Filipina girl group could look and sound like.
“When they made their comeback with ‘Pa-Pa-Pa-Palaban,’ it marked a complete shift from what audiences were used to seeing from girl groups in the Philippines,” Mejia expressed.
From there, the group’s creative direction continued to evolve. Rather than a departure from what came before, “Groove On” feels like the next step in that progression—one that builds upon the bold visual foundation they have already established. “We’re still taking creative risks, but in a way that feels authentic to who G22 is, while maintaining that signature wow factor,” the stylist added.
Distinctly G22
Despite being a trio, G22 has cultivated a commanding visual identity that feels immediately recognizable. For Mejia, fashion functions as an extension of the group’s storytelling, helping shape an image that audiences can instantly associate with them. “We want people to instantly recognize a G22 silhouette, a G22 look, or an outfit that feels theirs uniquely,” he shared.
“There’s still so much territory to explore, and I believe P-pop has tremendous potential to influence fashion just as much as fashion can influence P-pop.”
– Eldzs Mejia
As G22 continues to push both sonic and visual boundaries, “Groove On” demonstrates how the group is shaping a style language of its own—one that honors pop history while helping move P-Pop fashion forward. “As one of the pioneering generations of P-pop groups in the Philippines, G22 helped set a high standard, and we’re excited to continue pushing boundaries and showing what else we can bring to the table,” Mejia added.
Photographed by ANDREA BELDUA and ALEXIS DAVE CO. Creative direction and styling by ELDZS MEJIA. Art direction by VINCE CANLAPAN.
Frequently Asked Questions
The styling draws from early-2000s girl group aesthetics, featuring low-rise denim, bloomer shorts, charm necklaces, candy-colored accessories, and leopard-print wedges. Stylist Eldzs Mejia balanced nostalgia with contemporary touches — gingham prints, layered bikini tops, and chain-link detailing — to keep the looks current and specific to G22.
Eldzs Mejia served as stylist and creative director for “Groove On.” He approached the Y2K concept by drawing from early-2000s pop icons like Britney Spears while prioritizing authenticity to the group’s identity, ensuring the outfits felt like something AJ, Jaz, and Alfea would genuinely wear today.
G22’s visual language shifted significantly with “Pa-Pa-Pa-Palaban,” which Mejia describes as a complete departure from conventional Filipina girl group aesthetics. “Groove On” builds on that foundation — referencing pop history while advancing a style identity that is recognizably and specifically G22.
The video features bloomer shorts, bootcut low-rise jeans, charm necklaces, leopard-print wedges, and candy-colored accessories — key signifiers of early-2000s pop fashion. These were styled alongside contemporary pieces to avoid a costume aesthetic and maintain the group’s current visual identity.
According to Eldzs Mejia, P-Pop groups like G22 are helping establish a distinct visual language for Filipino pop culture, one that engages with global fashion references while remaining grounded in local identity. As pioneering acts in the genre, G22 are actively shaping the aesthetic standards of what P-Pop fashion can look and feel like.
