P-Pop's Breakthrough Artists That Hit the Ground Running

We keep calling 2022 the year of P-Pop and that's partially because the genre welcomed so many new artists. We couldn't possibly highlight them all here, but these five are in our Family of P-Pop artists that we cover. We're welcoming two new artists to the ranks, so read on to find out more.

VXON | January 7

We're not sure how they picked up the nickname so quickly, but the next thing we knew, VXON had been dubbed "The Monster Rookies of P-Pop" thanks to their edgy style and tendency to go hard on stage. They defined their own style as the Philippines' beast idol group right out the gate, and a year later, they've got 3 full songs and 2 OSTs under their belt. Formed under Cornerstone Entertainment, VXON is known for its aggressive rap style, over-the-top choreography, and duality that lets them move seamlessly between Pop/Rock songs and bubblegum pop.

In case that's not enough, all five members are involved in creating their music. C13 (leader, main rapper & frontman) is joined by Franz (main vocal) and Sam (lead vocal & lead rapper) in writing and producing their songs. With Patrick (main dancer) and Vince (lead vocal & visual) joining in on choreography and Franz working on the MV concepts, it's safe to say they are on the right track.

PABLO | January 28

Performing as a solo artist may be new to him, but PABLO is no stranger to the limelight. He's best known as the Pinuno (Leader)/Main Rapper/Lead Vocal of P-Pop group SB19. Since he's been writing and composing for the group for years, it shouldn't have come as a surprise when he released his own solo track, 'La Luna'. It was, though. Cryptic but meaningful, PABLO is setting a standard as an emotional rapper for his solo career.

He's been an aspiring performer for most of his life and got his chance with SB19. Prior to his solo debut, he performed several other unreleased pieces, 'Determinado', 'Akala' & 'Kelan' (all with his brother, Josue), and 'Kumunoy'. He also released a pre-debut teaser song, '???' on his YouTube channel.

G22 | February 25

Cornerstone Entertainment's girl group is monster enough to stand up to their brother group VXON. Coming out hard with their debut single, 'Bang,' the four-member group gathered a huge amount of interest with their beautiful vocals and hard-hitting choreography. Members AJ (leader, main rapper & sub-vocalist), Jaz (main vocal), Alfea (lead vocal, dancer & visual), and Bianca (main dancer & lead rapper) make up this undeniably fierce group. Taking on more than one role seems to be a signature of P-Pop and shows how versatile these women are as artists.

Now with four singles released in 2022, roughly one every quarter, we know the girls mean business. After all, their debut single was written and composed by AJ and Jaz, with help from Lim Jia Kang. Their third single, 'Defy,' was written and composed entirely by all four members. They were deemed impressive enough to be one of three rookie groups to debut on P-Pop Con's opening stage. Can we say taking their careers into their own hands? G22 are strong women, indeed.

KAIA | April 8

KAIA is finally here. After months of training, the release of a pre-debut single, 'KAYA by KAIA', and the loss of a member, the 5-member P-Pop girl group finally made it to debut. They've got a great line-up, featuring twins Charice (main rapper) and Angela (leader & vocalist), Alexa (lead rapper), Charlotte (main dancer & bunso), and Sophia (main vocal & lead dancer). All five members are becoming involved in creating their music, having written both 'KAYA by KAIA' and their debut single, 'Blah Blah'.

KAIA also has an impressive pedigree of mentors, coaches, and collaborators that have sprung up around them. Alexa was featured on the collaborative album of artist OhWon Lee, who has also worked with them extensively as a producer and composer. As the sibling group of P-Pop giants, SB19, they've also been known to train under the boys. With an impressive live debut as the opening act in PPOPCON 2022, we hold firm that we've never called these girls rookies.

Valfer | June 21

The name Valfer Alo should sound familiar; after all, he was once part of P-Pop's best boy bands. When Valfer left P-Pop boy group Alamat early in 2022, it came as a shock to everyone. The group had just made a comeback when they lost two of their number (Valfer & Gami), so the shock was palpable. He's continued to support his former group, even if he left without explanation. Valfer wasn't gone for good, though. A few months later, he announced his solo career under the same entertainment company, VIVA.

Since his debut, he's been defining a new style for himself, starting with his debut single, 'Sumpa'. The aggressive dance track mixes Filipino and Latin influences to create a sexy song. Costarring former KAIA member, Joanna, the music video goes a long way toward defining Valfer's solo career. He's since released a second single, 'Sana Naman', a yearning ballad that brings out the artist's emotional side. We hope his third release is still self-written and produced. Who better to express an artist but himself?

That's our highlights for debut artists in 2022. Who's your favorite breakthrough artist?