Just five months into their journey as XONARA, 1Z Entertainment’s seven-member girl group is already preparing to take its music beyond Philippine shores. Following an explosive debut, a growing following, and several performances at home, the girls are flying to Singapore for Music Matters Live—marking their first international stage.
MEGA sat down with the girl group, who reflected on their five-month journey and their newest single just before flying to Singapore.
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First Flight
Already preparing to fly within a few days, the girls of XONARA were overjoyed and ecstatic upon receiving the news, especially as some will be flying internationally for the first time, like Namie.
“Naging excited ako kasi first time ko makakasakay sa airplane at makapunta sa ibang bansa. Sobrang saya ko na sila (XONARA) ang kasama ko at magpe-perform pa kami.” (“I was really excited because it’s my first time riding an airplane and going to another country. I’m so happy that XONARA is with me, and that we’ll even be performing there.”)
XONARA will be joined in Singapore’s Music Matters by fellow Filipino acts Lola Amour, KAIA, and Pixie, making the festival another opportunity for Filipino music to reach audiences beyond the country. For the seven members, however, the weight of representing home is something they are already thinking about.
“Sobrang laking privilege makarating sa international stage,” Eurekah expressed, acknowledging how early they are in their career as a girl group. “Kinakabahan rin kami, to be honest, hindi lang namin dala pangalan ng XONARA, but the Philippines.” (“It’s such a huge privilege to reach an international stage. We’re nervous too, to be honest. We’re not just carrying the name of XONARA, but the Philippines.”)
Ella nodded in agreement. While the group is grateful for the opportunity, she also recognizes the responsibility that comes with being a new Filipino act stepping onto an international platform.
“We’re very grateful to be given the opportunity to perform abroad, especially since we’re a new group. But we also don’t want to take that for granted. We’re definitely trying to spread P-Pop, so we hope to do the best of our abilities.”
“Pangarap din namin na maipakita ang talento ng Pilipino sa ibang bansa.” (“It’s also our dream to showcase Filipino talent in other countries.”)
– Eurekah
Bringing a Piece of Home
On an international stage, XONARA isn’t just bringing their music—they’re bringing the parts of home that shaped them.
For Namie, that means the warmth and openness that Filipinos are known for. “Filipinos are very expressive, and sana makita rin ‘yun ng mga tao through our music and performances,” she said. (“Filipinos are very expressive, and I hope people can also see that through our music and performances.”)
For Lei, that representation is more personal. As a Cebuana, she hopes to bring a piece of her home province to an international audience. “Gusto ko lang maranasan nila yung language, music, and traditions na galing Cebu,” she shared. (“I just want them to experience the language, music, and traditions that come from Cebu.”)
Tin, meanwhile, wants XONARA to remain grounded in the stories they grew up with. “I agree with the girls. We’re just going to show who we are, kasi yun din ang pinaglakihan namin. We’re going to share yung stories na bitbit namin. We’re going to be proud of who we are,” Tin added. (“I agree with the girls. We’re just going to show who we are, because that’s what we grew up with. We’re going to share the stories that we carry with us. We’re going to be proud of who we are.”)
While some members are thinking about culture and home, others want the audience to feel something beyond language. For Megumi, that comes down to passion.
“Yung passion at yung feelings namin… I hope it translates sa performance namin and tumagos sa puso ng mga casual [listeners], and international [audience]. We really want to bring that feeling to other people, especially with our new single coming up,” she expressed. (“Our passion and our feelings… I hope they translate through our performance and reach the hearts of casual listeners and international audiences. We really want to bring that feeling to other people, especially with our new single coming up.”)
Dominique hopes that feeling also communicates something about the Filipino spirit, adding, “And also through our songs, we hope that we [can] show the fighting spirit of Filipinos.”
Their debut song “Tabi” is strong and upbeat, while “Pula” was all about camaraderie and sisterhood. “This next single we’ll release is about vulnerability,” Dominique teased.
And that vulnerability may be one of the most personal things XONARA is bringing with them to Singapore.
Of course, XONARA has also built a loyal following, with fans who are ready to support them from the Philippines to Singapore. “Thank you so much for that effort. First time namin and for sure, maraming new faces, kaya seeing familiar face na nakikita namin sa Philippines… it really helps us and motivates us,” Tin stated, directed to their fans.
Where Music Meets Vulnerability
XONARA’s upcoming single isn’t about having everything figured out. Instead, it explores what it means to accept yourself—including the imperfect, vulnerable parts.
Set for release on October 2, the song is particularly close to the members’ hearts. “It’s about how we accept ourselves, how we are human, and the vulnerability of being human,” Tin explained. “And we’re so grateful because we have an international artist that we collaborated with to create that song.”
The song also reflects where XONARA finds themselves now: only five months into their journey, navigating the pressure of being young artists while figuring out who they want to become.
“Moving forward with this journey, sobrang bata pa namin [but] marami kaming realizations,” Megumi reflected. “There’s a lot of pressure, you have to do things right, you have to do certain things. And being young and naive, sometimes it gets into your head.” (“Moving forward with this journey, we’re still so young, but we’ve already had so many realizations. There’s a lot of pressure—you have to do things right, you have to do certain things. And when you’re young and naive, sometimes those things get into your head.”)
At its heart, their newest single is less about having it all figured out and more about making peace with the fact that nobody does. “It’s a song for yourself,” Dominique declared. “Yung lyrics niya, it’s your inner thoughts in a singing way.” (“It’s a song for yourself. Its lyrics are like your inner thoughts put into a song.”)
For a young group stepping onto increasingly bigger stages, that message feels especially fitting. XONARA may be representing Filipino music abroad, but they are also still learning, growing, and discovering themselves along the way.
Moving Forward
Five months together as XONARA, and much is already in store for the group. While their international debut is fast approaching, the girls are also quietly working on what comes next.
“There’s only little we can share,” Megumi laughed. “But we do have a very clear vision of how we want to move forward—and that’s something we’re working on while preparing for our new single. There’s a lot in store, and we’re so excited to share more.”
For now, Singapore marks the beginning of another chapter, arriving as seven young artists still discovering what their sound, stories, and collective identity can become.
Singapore may be XONARA’s first international stage, but it certainly won’t be their last first. With new music, bigger stages, and a clearer vision ahead, the seven members are entering the next chapter of their journey—one song and stage at a time.
Featured Image and Photos: 1Z ENTERTAINMENT
Frequently Asked Questions
XONARA’s first international stage is Music Matters Live in Singapore, just five months after their debut, where they’ll perform alongside fellow Filipino acts Lola Amour, KAIA, and Pixie.
XONARA’s new single releases on October 2. The group describes it as a song about accepting yourself, including the imperfect and vulnerable parts of being human, made with an international collaborator.
XONARA’s debut single is “Tabi,” described as strong and upbeat, followed by “Pula,” which centers on camaraderie and sisterhood among the group’s members.
XONARA is a seven-member girl group under 1Z Entertainment, which debuted five months before their first international performance in Singapore.
Members of XONARA say they hope to showcase Filipino expressiveness, regional culture (including Cebuano traditions), and the Filipino “fighting spirit,” while spreading P-pop and representing the Philippines as a new group.
