XG Makes Philippine Debut with ‘The first HOWL’ World Tour

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XG finally debuted in the Philippines as they held the Manila leg of their “The first HOWL” world tour concert on Friday, August 2, 2024, at the Araneta Coliseum. The event was filled with a mix of emotions as fans witnessed how far CHISA, HINATA, JURIN, HARVEY, JURIA, MAYA, and COCONA have come to collectively become one of today’s most exciting global pop groups.

The Korea-based Japanese septet pumped up the crowd of howling ALPHAZ with their opening performances of “SHOOTING STAR”, “GIRL GVNG”, and their debut track “Tippy Toes”, which was released in 2022.

JAKOPS (SIMON JUNHO PARK), CEO and Executive Producer of XGALX, performed DJ duties as he brought live mixes on-stage, including Lola Amour’s “Raining in Manila” and Bruno Mars’ “Versace on the Floor”.

On their solo performances, members showcased their individual prowess in rapping and singing.

COCONA, HARVEY, JURIN and MAYA spit fire bars with their solo rap performances. They later collaborated for “TRAMPOLINE”.

CHISA’s rendition of Adele’s “Hello”, HINATA’s performance of Taylor Swift’s “Red”, and JURIA’s take on Beyoncé’s “If I Were a Boy” showcased the singers’ distinct styles, which perfectly blended together in their rendition of “Losing You”.

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After their solo and collaborative sets, the seven members reunited on stage for an acoustic rendition of “LEFT RIGHT”, along with “WINTER WITHOUT YOU” and a cover of “JUST STAND UP!”. They also performed “HESONOO & X-GENE”, “WOKE UP”, “TGIF”, “MASCARA”, “SOMETHING AIN’T RIGHT”, and “PUPPET SHOW”. The night ended with “NEW DANCE” and — to the crowd’s ultimate satisfaction — the original version of “LEFT RIGHT”.

Throughout the show, there were shared moments of fun as XG learned some Tagalog phrases: “mahal namin kayo” (we love you), “maganda kayo” (you’re beautiful), “magaling” (excellent), and the popular “Eeyy” trend. The group also shared their desire to visit Manila Ocean Park and try some Filipino food. During a break, fans humorously mimicked the sound of a wolf howl as a motion graphic counterpart was displayed on-screen.

Before they ended the show, XG took a group photo and video with fans, promising that they would soon come back. They also announced their upcoming second mini album.

With lightsticks, banners, and wolf howls, the event was undeniably memorable. Fans can surely expect more from this promising group when they return for their next visit to Manila.

Written by Joram Flores

Editing by Emmy Borromeo

Photo courtesy of Ovation Productions/Kris Rocha