By KYNESHA ROBLES
P-Pop fans are thrilled by the debut of YGIG, the newest girl group under SBTown, the same talent management behind internationally acclaimed P-Pop group SB19.
YGIG debuted last November 25, under SBTown and Universal Records. Out of the 20,000 auditionees, the 7 girls who made it into the group are Alexei, Maeg, JM, Vien, Darlene, Hazelyn, and Jewel.
“Gusto po talaga naming mag-debut as 7 members, kaya we really worked hard to make sure na no one will be left behind,” JM, one of the group’s main rappers, said.
Four years of rigorous training, which combined both online and in-person rehearsals, under Korean trainor Adie Hong preceded their long-awaited debut. “‘Yung fun part ng trainings namin is ‘yung nakikita namin ‘yung progress namin. Nakikita namin ‘yung improvement ng bawat isa sa amin. Mas masaya kaming nakikita ang bawat isa sa amin na nag-i-improve ng sabay-sabay,” Hazelyn, lead vocalist, said.
The girls solidified their debut with their creative input in their single “Shaba Shaba,” which is a play on the words “siya ba.” “From lyrics to choreography, it was the collective effort of all the members,” Vien said, the group’s main dancer and rapper.
“The very first time we heard the recorded version of our debut song, ‘Shaba Shaba,’ was a very surreal experience, dahil napakinggan namin for the first time ‘yung boses ng mga members through the speakers,” Maeg shared. “Si Sir Robin din after marinig, he congratulated us. Sabi niya, ‘good job, I’m so proud of you.’ Parang lahat ng years and months ng training naging worth it through that one song,” the group’s subvocalist and rapper added.
“I’m really proud of you, okay?” Geong Seong Han quipped after her, SBTown’s president and CEO, also fondly known as “Tatang Robin” to many.
“With the help and support of every member, together, we were able to persevere and endure, and we will continue to do so,” Alexei, one of the group’s main rappers, said.
Even onstage, the girls’ camaraderie was evident as they hyped up and cheered for each other before their first ever live performance of Shaba Shaba at their debut media conference in Quezon City last Nov. 24. For a few seconds before the lights and music started, they had their own bubble of solidarity, cultivated by four years of perseverance together. “To be here is already a dream come true,” Hazelyn said about their first conference when asked what their dreams are as a group.
