Fan Chant: VCHA on Debuting Through A2K and Being Inspired by ITZY, Stray Kids, and More
The post Fan Chant: VCHA on Debuting Through A2K and Being Inspired by ITZY, Stray Kids, and More appeared first on Consequence.
Fan Chant is our weekly column for K-pop fans, stans, and newbies. Each week, I’ll be sharing exclusive interviews, lists, and other exciting from our friends in Korea and beyond. Also make sure to subscribe to my companion newsletter!
While there are many paths people can take to becoming a K-pop idol, one thing’s for sure — the training process is no joke. For the young women who recently debuted in VCHA, a new group formed via JYP Entertainment and Republic Records, the road was made all the more interesting by the fact that all six members are from North America.
The path to debuting as VCHA was chronicled in a first-of-its-kind reality show called A2K, an acronym for “America to Korea.” “It’s crazy that the show is over; although it was challenging and time consuming, it seems like it went by super fast,” shares member Savanna, a former competitive gymnast who was drawn to the all-encompassing performance aspects of K-pop.
For all six girls who completed the lineup, A2K offered a once-in-a-lifetime chance to break into the South Korean music scene. It also feels like a bold new look at how K-pop of the future could look. Read VCHA’s reflections on their time on the show below, and catch their bright debut music video.
So nice to meet you guys (virtually)! Congrats on making it through the show to debut — first and foremost, how are you feeling after this experience?
Lexi: I’m feeling a lot of emotions, honestly! I’m so pumped to be here and work with my fellow group members so that we can release awesome music and perform on stage together! It’s still unreal to me that I was on A2K and that I debut as a VCHA member. It hasn’t fully hit me yet, but I’m still super excited.
Camila: After this experience I’m feeling super excited! I can finally say that I’m part of a girl group — it’s been one of my dearest dreams! I’m so happy that I can do what I love and share this experience with my members and fans.
Kendall: After making it through the show I’m feeling really happy and excited to be a part of VCHA and get share our journey with the world! I can’t wait to explore new paths and opportunities and enjoy what’s to come with VCHA!
Savanna: Whew! It’s crazy that the show is over; although it was challenging and time consuming, it seems like it went by super fast! I feel so much gratitude towards the experience because it built me up and taught me so many things including but definitely not limited to dancing and singing. Such an unforgettable experience!
KG: It’s nice meeting you too. I feel so lucky to be here. It was a journey full of ups and downs but with hard work and determination we overcame it and I’m so proud of us for achieving our dream together.
Kaylee: Thank you so much! I’m feeling pretty great! It’s so exciting to be part of this experience and to be part of VCHA!
Competition shows are super tough environments, but what are some of your favorite positive memories from your time on A2K?
Lexi: We’re all very silly people and tend to laugh a lot, so we definitely made a lot of positive memories. One memory is when I made a run-down music video on our self-camera back on the second mission of Korea. It was chaotic, fun, and silly and I always found myself laughing on the ground every time I watched it.
Camila: My favorite memories from A2K were definitely the moments where we got to hang out on our free time. We had so much fun together! Simple things like shopping, eating, or hanging out in our rooms together were really special moments because we got to relax and just have fun.
Kendall: One of my favorite positive memories from the show was during the second mission in Korea, in team “Marteami!” We were practicing dance at our studio and working on connecting our emotions to the song so we decided to have some fun, and made a small music video of [TWICE’s] “Alcohol-Free” but in an emo version! It is a really funny video and kind of iconic between us, and we can all laugh at it together, so it brings me happy memories.
Savanna: I remember after each performance and mission, we would hang out altogether, and have sleepovers. We would let loose after a pressure-filled day and laugh so so much!
I’m super curious what inspired you guys to pursue the K-pop training system, since you’re all from North America. Who were some of the artists that introduced each of you to K-pop and inspired you to take this path?
Kendall: For me, I had a few friends who were K-pop fans before I got into K-pop, so they definitely influenced me along the way. However, the group that actually made me start looking at K-pop seriously on my own was Stray Kids, and their song “Christmas EveL.” They definitely were the biggest influence because their music overall is incredibly unique and inspiring, and their journey as a group encouraged me to aspire for my own dreams as well.
Savanna: I was really attracted to the performance aspect of K-pop. I really loved all the dances, and the stage presence is so cool. I always loved performing, and K-pop included all the different passions inside of me, and ways I wanted to show myself to the world.
KG: ITZY inspired me to get into K-pop. I really love that K-pop is more than just music. It’s the choreography. It’s the fashion. It’s the loyal fans, and I love that. I saw ITZY perform at KCON in 2022, and that’s the moment I knew I wanted to become an idol. It’s crazy to think that now I’m in the same company as the group that inspired me.
Kaylee: The first artists that inspired me and introduced me to K-pop were TWICE and miss A. I also loved collaborating with Xdinary Heroes and NMIXX for “Y.O.Universe” challenges and am excited to be collaborating with more artists in the future!
JYP is behind some great groups. What was it like working with J.Y. Park himself? What are some key takeaways from that guidance?
Lexi: Working with J.Y. Park is awesome. He is a very knowledgeable person and I love learning things from him. One key thing I’ve learned is to really evoke emotion when singing or dancing. It’s been super helpful, and it’s also motivated me to study and go watch performances so that I can pull the audience in!
Camila: Working with J.Y .Park was incredible. I learned so much through his words of encouragement. He taught me that no matter what happens, if things don’t go the way you want them to, you should never give up and you should always keep trying. He is very wise, and I think I’ve become wiser after meeting him and taking his advice. I’m super grateful to J.Y. Park.
Savanna: Working with J.Y. Park felt unreal. He is a very wise person and has great insight on not only performing, but your character as well. Some things I kept was to be confident in your training and let loose on stage. This allows me to leave room for things like spontaneous facial expressions, and just express my emotions to the fullest!!
KG: Working with J.Y. Park is something I’m so grateful for. I feel so lucky to be able to work with him and hear his advice as he really has had experience in this industry. J.Y. Park hasn’t just improved me in my physical skills, but the most important thing he has taught me is about having a good character. I feel J.Y. Park has improved me as a person, learning to become a person who is humble, honest, and diligent and I really respect that.
What are some specific goals you all have as a group?
Lexi: As a group we really want to be able to meet our fans one day! We appreciate all the support and love that we’re receiving so we really want to show our love back by meeting everyone. Another goal is to perform on a big stage one day! We want to shine upon the audience with our performances.
Camila: One of the goals I want to achieve as a group is to be able to do a world tour and meet all our fans around the world. I’ve always had an interest in visiting new places and learning about different cultures. I think it would be amazing to perform all around the world. Not only that, but also enjoy what they have to offer such as food, culture, nature, special locations etc.
Kendall: As a group we would strive to get to perform for our fans someday. Our fans are incredibly important as they have supported us throughout our whole journey, and they make us very happy, so we want to be able to give them good performances live as well as to finally meet them in person! Another personal goal of mine is to perform back at my hometown in Fort Worth, Texas where I have seen many other artists perform. To get to perform there one day with VCHA would be a dream come true!
Savanna: I can’t wait to meet our fans and perform in front of an audience! We all want to go on tour in the future; it really seems like so much fun. I love traveling, so I know I would love the experience. All in all, we just want to be constantly growing in what we do and continue to enjoy it.
KG: One goal we have is for VCHA to take us around the world. We want to perform on big stages and meet fans all around the world.
Kaylee: My goal has to be performing on big stages! Since we just released our pre-debut, we haven’t had many stages, and I would love to have some performances with fans in the audience! They cheered us on during the show and they are still supporting us now! It would be amazing to thank the fans in person!
ICYMI: Jung Kook Breaks Down ‘3D’ feat. Jack Harlow
Jung Kook, photo courtesy of BIGHIT MUSIC
If you somehow didn’t see my many excited posts about it, I spoke to Jung Kook of BTS about his recent single with Jack Harlow. Read the interview here, and get the scoop on his upcoming solo album here.
Song Rec of the Week:
These moody vibes are giving me everything this lovely fall week. Gotta put a classic on repeat.
Fan Chant: VCHA on Debuting Through A2K and Being Inspired by ITZY, Stray Kids, and More
Mary Siroky
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