From fierce on-stage fashion to a diverse personal wardrobe, learn how to curate your own unique style with AJ of G22, Alexa of Kaia, and Denise of Daydream
As intersectional as it is influential, P-Pop incorporates dance, music, and art in all its forms. While the genre is beginning to gain a broader audience globally, local talents shine with catchy music and sharp choreography. But not only do these two need to come together, but also should the group’s identity and style. As public figures, these artists are tastemakers for the image they put out as a P-Pop girl group member and as a fashion enthusiast. MEGA talks to AJ from G22, Alexa from KAIA, and Denise from Daydream—the fashion darlings from the rising P-Pop girl group scene.
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AJ from G22: Glam Rock Realness
Dubbed the “Female Alphas of Philippine Pop,” G22 is ‘Takin’ Over’ the music scene with their vocal prowess and magnetic performances. AJ, main rapper, leads the group with extreme swag and a style that hits the delicious spot right between masculine and feminine.
“This is how we introduce ourselves—our image,” the artist tells MEGA. “What we wear is an open book—it’s very important for us in this industry.”
Like other groups, fashion choices are thematic and usually in line with the recent album or song. For their first single, BANG!, AJ shares most of their ensembles had a post-apocalytpic vibe. For their most recent release, Loka, part of the soundtrack for the film Shake, Rattle & Roll Extreme, it’s all about punk rock. Whatever the music, for G22, it’s vital they still keep their ‘alpha essence’: “This strong and forward image is what makes G22, G22,” AJ shares.
Yet the uniformity of the members does not stand in the way of individualism and authenticity—fundamental traits behind any successful group. Jaz is more on the elegant side, and Alfea’s is more animated, and AJ is all about street-look grunge.
“Back when we were trainees, we didn’t have these ‘individual characters,’” AJ admits. “We just naturally showed them to people. But when the team was discussing style, it was a no-brainer. It was us already, anyway.”
So, for this girl group, their image is not so far-fetched from their own personal styles when they’re not dominating the stage. In fact, her personal sartorial preferences came first. “There’s an old soul within me,” AJ says. “It’s like I want to dress not too trendy, but there’s pieces of trendy. I like the old style, I’m very experimental, and I usually base on my environment. Hindi siya plakado or calculated. I like mixing stuff and jumping to different kinds of themes, and right now, my personal style is the grungy look.”
This experimental styling not only applies to AJ when she’s off-cam, but also when she’s with the other members of G22 and the team working with them. It’s a creative collaboration and process. “We always have a say,” the leader states. “And even though we need to build character for each of the members, it needs to be cohesive—show that we are a strong force together. We take colors fit for the song, and comfort and safety to avoid wardrobe malfunctions, and personal opinions into play.”
The artist also shares that the girls even go shopping with their stylists sometimes—which can be both a fun and challenging activity, albeit necessary as a girl group. “The people, the fans look at us—the clothes and styling,” she says. “As girls who are also really interested in fashion, we like to experiment and we give this as equal importance as our music. It’s in our training and we’re also challenging ourselves to be more ‘next-level’ fashion-wise.”
G22 is fast-moving towards taking the ‘girl crush’ concept—the portrayal of strong, powerful, and independent women, the mash-up of a cool and powerful vibe with a hard-hitting sound. It’s important for the group to identify themselves differently from others in the P-Pop scene, but fashion sense also means something personal for AJ. “It’s a representation of myself. When I try something on, something new or unusual like long-shorts, it’s me,” she states. “I feel like whenever I wear clothes that are very androgynous, I’m representing the girls who want to dress the same way I do—not stuck in one box, but an endless spectrum of possibilities.”
ALEXA from KAIA: Biker Babe
The five-member girl group ushers in as a P-Pop act that is fresh, unabashedly fun, and feminine with jams and shows that spotlight the Filipina young blood and talent. MEGA talks to lead rapper Alexa about the group’s style as something less cosmetic, and more ‘next-level’, and how this takes her into a different direction for her own sartorial holy grail.
On stage or in music videos, KAIA has made hot pants, cropped tops, and chains and glitters their style calling cards. With an image of ‘teen crush’, the group alternates between wide-leg pants and mini-skirts and various pops of colors reminiscent of the early K-Pop with Girl’s Generation. Like G22, KAIA makes the styling a creative and collaborative process with the team and the stylists. “They already know my style and preferences,” Alexa tells MEGA. “They sometimes say, ‘I got this fit for you because this is Alexa-core and because I knew you’d look perfect in this.’ It’s just great that they associate this kind of fashion sense with my identity—even though I’m in a group.”
It’s quite impressive how the line blurs a little for Alexa when it comes to her group and personal style, because it’s a little different. “I usually go for the edgy biker or street style, mixing fringe and leather, playing with layers and textures,” the artist says. “This is my aesthetic because it gives me the freedom to be bold with my wardrobe choices and reflects me as a person. But even though it’s a bit far from KAIA’s image, we always find ways to incorporate our personal preferences to fit the group or the songs.”
That’s the best thing about fashion—it’s also an art form. It’s an ever-changing canvas for creative and personal expression. Accessorizing, mixing and matching different pieces, and playing with colors and textures are all a thrilling and imaginative process. It’s the same for KAIA, where they start as a schoolgirl-next-door look, they’re constantly evolving with light and fun concepts and colors for Dalawa, or go dark and sultry for Kaya, or just organized and aesthetic chaos for Turn Up.
For KAIA, it’s clear that the girls can express themselves when it comes to their public image, which is not so often appreciated in an industry where group appearance comes first. However, Alexa shares their fashion sense isn’t really just about the outward persona or the fabrics put on for the camera: “Fashion goes with the story you’re telling,” she says. “We get to wear different choices and different styles, and it’s fun. But I also take into consideration my feelings when I wear the clothes. Do I still feel like myself? Can I show who I am while wearing these?”
For the artist, while it’s crucial her image as a KAIA member is perceived as 1/5th of the group, her authenticity and desire to experiment needs to shine through as well. “People usually look to trends, but they don’t always work,” Alexa says. “They come and go. For me, if I always imitate what I see online, I lose my identity. So I use trends, interpret them, and make it an inspiration to find a way to make it my own.”
DENISE from DAYDREAM: Femme & Fierce
All-girl trio Daydream is sustaining the wave of P-Pop by bringing bop after bop and performances that boast powerful vocals and synchronized dance moves. These girls pack a punch with their music and artistry, but other than that, they also showcase style that is never one-dimensional and one-size-fits-all—according to rapper and vocalist Denise.
Outside of Daydream, Denise’s sartorial wardrobe isn’t specific—there’s a lot of experimentation but also leans towards the essentials and layers. “I like to play with colors a lot,” she shares. “I make sure that the pieces I try on go well together, and I base my outfits on where I’m going or where I’m going to be. I’m someone who’s just really personally interested in fashion, so it’s a fun process.”
But on-stage: “They’re more ‘leveled-up’; very thematic. More colors, extra elements and accessories, boots…they’re not outfits I would wear on a casual day out here in the Philippines,” Denise says.
It’s clear that Daydream’s fashion also evolves alongside their songs or eras—Fallin’ for You saw a ‘dreamy’ vibe fit to the lovelorn song, and Stay Stuck is a more polished grunge look, complete with lace and corsets, and more recently delved into the Y2K concept with Make Me Better. The group is always down to play with color, yet embrace each member’s individuality as well.
“When it comes to style, different people have different approaches,” Denise tells MEGA. “As public figures, we really want to let our personalities shine through our different outfits. We’re not conservative, we wear a lot of shorts and tights, but we make sure these are safe and comfortable for each of the girls.”
The artist goes on to expound that each of the members have their own characters incorporated into their public image. Kiara is all cute and girly, Pau ventures into the sexier side, and Denise is all about the glam and glitz. But like KAIA and G22, Daydream also makes sure the looks go together depending on their music or event—cohesive, but still unique. “We’ve never talked about how we each have our personal styles, we’re just very different even when we try to match for group activities—which works really well aesthetic-wise,” Denise shares.
What’s even more impressive is that the girls style themselves. The artist tells MEGA that that the trio is making it a point to choose their pieces and fits to make them in line with their personal choices. In this way, the artists exercise not only their individuality, but also their creative freedom; for P-Pop girl groups, it’s a method for expression and a way to continuously renew their uniqueness. “We make sure we look good regardless of standing alone or standing together,” Denise says. “That’s why we talk about color palettes and elements we think would go well combined. Sometimes, we go shopping together or even borrow from each others’ closets. People tend to recognize our styling, they ask who our stylists are, and I’m very proud to say that it’s all just us.”
It’s fair to say that Daydream is garnering their following and contributing to the rise of P-Pop when you can resonate with them—not just to bop to their catchy tunes, but also to make them your inspiration for creative expression.
Photos and Featured Image: CORNERSTONE ENTERTAINMENT, DENISE SILVA, KAIA OFFICIAl (Via Instagram)
