KAIA’s goal as a P-pop girl group: Combine Filipino stories with their own

KAIA members (from left) Angela, Sophia, Charlotte, Alexa, and Charice in a concept photo for “You Did It.” Image: X/@KAIAOfficialPH

KAIA, a P-pop girl group consisting of Angela, Charice, Alexa, Sophia, and Charlotte, believes in the power of combining Filipino stories with their own, which translates into creating relatable songs for their listeners.

The quintet made their debut in April 2022 with a goal to show strength amid trials. This was reflected in the name of the group itself, which is a combination of the Cebuano word “kinaiya” (self) and Filipino word “kaya” (capabilities).

They have since released the songs “You Did It,” “Turn Up,” “5678,” “Dalawa,” “Blah Blah,” and “Kaya.”

Two years later, KAIA said in an exclusive interview with INQUIRER.net that they’re happy to be part of the groups contributing to the rise of the P-pop industry.

“We’re very happy that P-pop is rising, especially the groups now. They’re striving when it comes to music. Nakikilala na talaga ang music natin (Our music is becoming known), and us as KAIA, we’ll continue working hard,” the group’s leader Angela said.

KAIA’s Angela, Charice, Alexa, Sophia, and Charlotte are the portraits of boss ladies when they go onstage. But offstage, they are regular adults who are often eager to chat with anyone, but each of their inner strengths emerge the moment they share their thoughts.

This was seen in Angela, who stated they want to be “hands-on” with the things they do, particularly in creating “relatable” Filipino music.

“We want to be hands-on with our music, so it would translate to our story which in turn, contributes to Filipino culture. This would make Filipinos relate to us,” she said.

Knowing their ‘weaknesses’

When asked what makes them stand out, the girl group considers being aware of their “weaknesses” as their biggest strength. This, along with being “open” to sharing their ideas while being accepting of what every member can offer.

“Kapag alam mo ang weakness mo, alam mo paano kayo magtutulungan at collaborative efforts. D’un mo malalaman s’an niyo mapupunan ang isa’t isa. Hindi ka naman perfect (If you know your weakness, you know how you can help each other and show collaborative efforts. You know which gaps to fill. We’re not perfect),” Angela said.

“And I think that’s what’s special with KAIA, we work through our weaknesses together. That’s what makes KAIA, KAIA. We’re open to criticisms, areas for improvement, and all comments — positive or negative — we take it and we work on it.” she further added.

P-pop girl group KAIA in a concept photo for “You Did It.” Image: X/@KAIAOfficialPH

Charice chimed in with her twin, saying she’s proud of the group for being “open” when it comes to brainstorming future projects and concepts for performances. “I’m proud of us because we freely give ideas with everything we do. I’m also super proud of the girlies for listening to each other’s ideas too,” she said.

“Lahat kami may opinions (We all have opinions),” Alexa added with a knowing smile.

Touching on their hunger to be better, Sophia said the group is not one to settle.

“What I like about KAIA talaga is we don’t settle at all. Which can sometimes be overwhelming, but at the same time, that’s where we become better performers,” she said.

On their second year

After celebrating their second debut anniversary with a school-themed fan con last April, Charlotte admitted their career is not entirely smooth sailing, but they’re able to move forward because they love each other.

“Madali lang ituwid ang lahat kasi mahal namin ang isa’t isa (It’s easy to get through everything because we love each other),” she said.

KAIA also pointed out that Alexa’s strong sense of “self-love” is one of the reasons why they stayed strong not only as a girl group, but also as close friends.

“We practice together a lot. I feel that’s where the ‘self-love’ comes in, which in turn, reminds us that we always do our best. This also helps us in moving forward to the future. We do what we do because we love what we’re doing. I hope we always believe in ourselves,” Alexa said after being gestured at by her bandmates.

Sophia and Angela chimed in, saying their determination comes from the group themselves, with the main vocalist saying they “inspire each other to be better.”

“If you love what you’re doing, it doesn’t feel like work. Our work is very special to us. We’re very passionate about our craft,” Angela added.

Touching on their fans (called ZAIA), Angela said the “intimate relationship” they share with them is one of the reasons why they stayed strong together until now. “Our relationship with our ZAIA is very intimate. They’re very special to us. To be able to celebrate two years with them feels overwhelming for us,” she said.

P-pop girl group KAIA in a concept photo for their “KAIAVERSITY” fan con last April. Image: X/@KAIAOfficialPH

Apart from their fans, Charice also shared that their coaches and their team also played a huge part in their careers, and why they stayed strong together until now.

In July 2023, KAIA was included in Canada-based MsMojo’s list of breakout “international girl groups to add to your playlist,” which ushers a new era of female artists in the music industry. The girl group was recently in Singapore with SB19’s Josh and hip-hop artist Al James for a concert.