Lance Joseph Martinez

P-Pop Girl Group XONARA Makes Waves As They Debut with “TABI” and Drops Its Music Video

Article (news)

Tracking the meteoric rise of Pinoy Pop, lightning strikes the cobblestones of Escolta as a new girl group arrives. XONARA has officially dropped into the scene with a fierce sonic identity and lethal Y2K street style. Recently, the highly anticipated seven-piece sisterhood pulled up to Old Manila and threw a launch experience dubbed “XONARA’s World,” marking their place as the first-ever P-Pop group launched under 1Z Entertainment. Yes, the powerhouse agency founded and helmed by none other than P-Pop kings SB19. <div> </div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1779423503057officialxonara_1779015600_3898866762460870729_42623605593.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Photo from @officialxonara</div><div style="text-align:center"> </div>Dominique, Ella, Eurekah, Lei, Megumi, Namie, and Tin have already been putting in the work under the radar. Before this official launch, they were spotted performing live as pre-debut trainees during SB19’s sold-out “Wakas at Simula: The Trilogy Concert Finale” and <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@metrodotstyle/video/7635355787165977876?lang=en%20xonara" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the star-studded Aurora Music Festival</a>. Those early, high-stakes stages served as their literal trial by fire. By the time XONARA stepped onto the Escolta stage for their debut last May 16, everyone’s eyes were locked on them as they set the rookie bar high. <div> </div><div>Decoding their group name</div>During the media conference, the group sat down with the press to break down what XONARA stands for and what it means to be. The anatomy of their name is actually deeply layered and rooted in Filipino pride. <div style="text-align:center"> </div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYZ1rd1JIzl/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=1080&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A575025%2C%22ls%22%3A574088%2C%22le%22%3A575016%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="857" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div> </div>The first pillar stemmed from the concept of Sonar. For the group, this represents an auditory mission that goes far deeper than typical pop hooks. “Sa sonar po, we tackle &#x27;yung voices po namin, &#x27;yung story po namin, &#x27;yung sound po namin beyond what&#x27;s tangible,” stated Megumi. The middle layer of their identity draws inspiration from Sora (Tandang Sora a.k.a. Melchora Aquino), a name that carries heavy symbolic weight for the group’s overarching credo. “For Sora, we really look up to her as a revolutionary figure, how she embodies perfectly &#x27;yung bravery, courage, and compassion,” she continued. Perhaps the most grounded element is its direct tribute to the Narra, the national tree of the Philippines. Known for its unbreakable wood and ability to withstand the fiercest tropical storms, the narra is the ultimate symbol of Filipino endurance: “It represents our resilience and our grit as XONARA.”Megumi further explained the idea in the very first letter of their name: the X. Rather than using it to signify mystery or an exclusive club, XONARA’s definition of the variable is surprisingly inclusive.  “For the X, it represents ‘yung limitless possibilities po namin, as we mentioned, we’re big on how we are as people—the human side of things. And that represents anyone po. Us, you—it includes everybody,” she beamed. <div> </div><div>The birth of a sisterhood</div>Following 1Z Entertainment’s nationwide talent search back in 2024, only seven hopefuls were chosen to endure a strenuous developmental bootcamp. When asked how they officially formed, Eurekah laid bare the intense reality of their two-year trainee grind, saying, “Siguro i-de-describe ko po ‘yung naging training namin na, ‘yung buong two years po na ‘yon ay sobrang challenging. Ang dami po naming pinagdaanan, sobrang daming breakdowns, pero ‘yung nagpapatuloy lang po sa’min is ‘yung isa’t-isa.”Coming from varying backgrounds, cities, and personal walks of life, the group also navigates differences. Yet, at the end of the day, their unyielding obsession with the stage unites them. <div> </div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1779423950200[image] - 4203123.jpeg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Photo from @officialxonara</div><div> </div>The gripping, emotionally charged moment of the press conference came when the girls were asked if they ever felt like underdogs and what pushed them to fight through.“Since iba-iba po kami ng pinanggalingan, iba-iba po ‘yung experiences namin, hindi ko maitatanggi na iba-iba rin po ‘yung skills and experiences namin sa path na ito. Kaya personally po, sa journey ko, na-feel ko po na naging underdog po. Hindi ko po inakala na makaka-survive po ako sa journey or kahit maka-apak po ngayon kasama with the girls,” Tin became visibly emotional. Tin further explained that the intense pressure they felt wasn&#x27;t born out of toxic industry rivalries or trying to out-hype other acts. Instead, the real warfare was purely mental and internal.“‘Yung sa training po namin, I just feel super blessed po. The push is from within po kasi e. The competition is not from dito po, pero sa sarili po namin. And ‘yun po ‘yung parating tinuturo sa amin ng coaches namin, na ang kalaban lang &#x27;yung sarili mo. Kaya you don&#x27;t have to compare your chapter 1 to someone’s chapter 30.”For anyone sitting in the dark feeling like they aren’t enough, Tin left them with a profound piece of advice born from her survival of the trainee trenches: “As long as you keep on going, you keep on showing up, it’s more important. It&#x27;s more valuable than you could ever think na kapag nandu’n ka sa sitwasyon na ‘yun. Kahit hindi mo man nakikita na may bright light, [you just show up.] ‘Yan lang po &#x27;yung ginawa ko, I just showed up. Naniwala po ako sa coaches namin, naniwala po [ako] sa girls, naniwala po ako sa training namin. And everything was worth it.”Even the group’s choice of debut venue has meaning. On why Escolta matters, member Dominique divulged that the historic district was a poetic manifestation of what XONARA intends to be over time.“Actually, ‘yung gusto pong maging lugar ng XONARA is ‘yung Escolta kasi po it is rich in history—ang daming napagdaanan, daming culture na nangyari, but it’s still standing today. And of course, it’s continuously evolving.”“Same rin po sana mangyari sa XONARA ‘yung sa Escolta. We hope to make or create something that could last a very long time and hopefully make history,” she added.<div> </div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="925" height="525" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RYVCYF6dPDc?si=sVTrj5BA4FZe5eZB" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Inside the creative process behind their debut single, “TABI”</div>Keeping entirely in line with the creative autonomy of their 1Z pedigree, XONARA wrote their debut track, “TABI,” themselves.Eurekah dropped a major bombshell about the track’s humble beginnings: “Actually, si &#x27;TABI&#x27; po ay nag-start as an assignment pa po sa amin. ‘Di namin akalain na ito po pala ‘yung magiging debut track namin.” However, the road from a studio homework to an industry-shifting debut wasn’t a walk in the park. To hear the girls tell it, the creative process behind “TABI” underwent a relentless cycle of evolution before it ever reached the public’s ears. “Sobrang daming revisions, sobrang daming drafts,” Eurekah remarked.She went on to state her experience while writing the verse with Tin: “Umabot po kami sa point na walang-wala na po talaga kaming maisip. Wala na talaga. Tapos kailangan pang magpa-check sa coaches like, ‘Okay lang po ba ‘to?” In fact, the girls were incredibly candid about the grueling, high-pressure environment that forged the song.“Umabot po sa point na umiiyak na talaga kami pero [roon] sa feeling na ubos na ubos ka na, du’n pa rin po ako kumuha ng [inspiration] para masulat po ‘yung second verse. S’yempre, pressured din po that time kasi kailangan matapos,” Eurekah confessed their breaking point, facing down deadlines, and uncompromising standards of the team. One of the most brilliant aspects of the single is its title, which Tin explicitly noted should be pronounced exactly how it is said in the track. On the surface, it sounds like a straightforward command, but “TABI” is actually a brilliant linguistic easter egg that carries different meanings depending on the language you speak. <div style="text-align:center"> </div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-2" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYgUldry0jg/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=1080&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A2%2C%22os%22%3A1205277%2C%22ls%22%3A574088%2C%22le%22%3A575016%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="881" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-2" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div> </div>At the media con, Tin broke down the track’s clever triple-entendre. In Tagalog, TABI operates on two fronts: it can be a confident warning to step aside (“Tumabi kayo riyan”), or it can function as an intimate, open invitation for fans to stand directly alongside them (“P&#x27;wede bang tumabi kayo kasama namin?). In Bisaya, the song translates to conversation, meaning this is officially giving the public something worth talking about. Meanwhile, in Japanese, (a nod to their half-Japanese member, Megumi), “TABI“ translates to journey. If you’ve listened to the track, you already have the infectious, rhythmic “Wave, wave, wave” line permanently looped in your brain. “Ayun po, since super na-connect po kami sa &#x27;TABI,&#x27; ginawa po namin siyang title track. Kasi sa song po namin, kung napansin niyo [may part na], ‘Wave, wave, wave,’ parang wave lang po na ‘pag makita mo ‘yung wave, it’s either na tatakbo ka kasi pinapatabi ka ng wave or makikisabay ka sa wave,” noted Tin.The single serves as an introduction to who XONARA is and a diary of what they endured to get to their debut. In their words: “&#x27;TABI&#x27; is about us. It’s an introduction to who we are and what we went through [in] our journey.” It maps out their highs, their devastating lows, and their resilience. More than anything, the girls want their listeners to find a sense of comfort within the track’s high-octane energy. During the launch, the girl group did a live performance of their debut track, followed by the release of its official music video. <div> </div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17794244080441zentertainment.ph_1777546888_3886667456086000019_59786172061.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Photo from @officialxonara</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>What’s ahead for XONARA</div>We know that P-Pop is soaring to new heights on the global map lately. While global domination is absolutely in the pipeline for the 1Z Entertainment group, Megumi emphasized that they are passionately protective of their roots.“S’yempre po, before debuting as XONARA, include po du’n is achieving our goals,” Megumi noted. “But for now po talaga, our focus is driving our own culture, our own home. Because home is truly where the heart is po.”Ella doubled down on this cultural intimacy when discussing the group’s concrete goals for their monumental first year. The girls are eager to build a genuine, safe ecosystem for their fans.“For our first year, we really want to be able to connect with fans po. Be able to create a community that really feels our music, because that&#x27;s why we do what we do. We write from the heart. We compose from the heart to reach other people, to help people’s stories be heard. We would love to really connect and create that community together,” Ella said with intense earnestness. <div> </div>Lead photo from @officialxonara

A rising P-pop girl group is making waves in the OPM scene—get to know IZ Entertainment’s XONARA.

A rising P-pop girl group is making waves in the OPM scene—get to know IZ Entertainment’s XONARA.

What XONARA Is All About—The Stories Behind Their Group's Name, Debut Track “TABI,” and Identity

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What XONARA Is All About—The Stories Behind Their Group's Name, Debut Track “TABI,” and Identity

Leigh Sofia Lazo

Published May 22, 2026 11:30 PM PHT

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Updated May 22, 2026 11:59 PM PHT

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