The seven members of XONARA open up about finding their sound, embracing their differences, and making “Imperfect” their own under 1Z Entertainment.

PHOTOGRAPHY Paolo Pineda
CREATIVE DIRECTION&nbsp;and STYLING&nbsp;Maura Rodriguez

On the morning of their L’Officiel Philippines shoot, XONARA is already having fun. The seven members move around the set like a group that has spent countless hours rehearsing together, and then a few more in heels. Nobody is shy about the clothes, and nobody needs much convincing when it is time to get in front of the camera. For their introductions, they turn the usual routine into a pass-the-mic game, greeting one another before signing off together: “Hello, we are XONARA!”
For the seven members of XONARA, the road to 1Z Entertainment took different turns. Eurekah was an SB19 fan long before she became a trainee under the same label, while Namie found her way in through 1Z's nationwide talent search. Megumi first caught the label's attention during a dance battle at its launch party, while Ella had a hand in shaping the creative direction of their debut single. Dominique and Tin both trace their roots to Surigao del Norte, where they share a hometown and a passion for music. Lei, meanwhile, came to 1Z through its talent selection process, eventually becoming one of the seven members of XONARA.
Rather than settle into a single formula, XONARA is making room for all of it. That openness is also at the heart of “Imperfect,” a song shaped by their own experiences and a reminder that there is no need to have everything figured out.

<h3 style="text-align: center;">In Their Own Words</h3>

Ask XONARA to describe themselves and it is hardly a one-person job. Lei gets things started, calling the group authentic and grounded, before adding with a grin: “They’re loud.”
Namie has another way of putting it. With seven personalities in one group, she says, there is bound to be someone audiences will see a little of themselves in. “XONARA is very relatable,” she says. “There’s like seven different personalities, so for sure there’s one of us you’ll relate to.”
That mix of personalities also comes through in the little details: what they choose to wear, what they bring to a shoot, and how they prepare for a performance. Even on a day built around trying something new, each member brings her own taste to the set.

ON EUREKAH: Top and skirt, PROUDRACE

ON NAMIE: Dress, PROUDRACE

<h3 style="text-align: center;">A First, Seven Times Over</h3>

For the shoot, the members get to try something they have not done before: a no-makeup makeup look. “It was our first time doing a no-makeup makeup concept, so yeah, we’re so happy to be doing it,” says Ella. Namie is just as pleased with how the day is going. “There were so many firsts, so we’re really happy.”
Their personal wardrobes, however, are a different story. Ask about their style and the answers come flying. “Y2K!” says Tin. “You have to have leather and black boots,” adds another member. “Silver accessories,” says Dominique. Think low-rise silhouettes, oversized leather, and a little Opium era attitude. The members enjoy putting their looks together, often styling themselves and even taking scissors to their own bangs.
Before a gig, they make sure their bags are packed with the essentials: earphones, chargers, knee pads, water, and an extra shirt for those who sweat through everything. Eurekah has one more item she never leaves behind: a pair of scissors she calls 'Marilu.' “For a gig, I always have to have scissors,” she says, deadpan, before admitting that the sound of them is, in fact, calming. “It relaxes me.”
The personal touches are fun, but there is plenty of discipline behind the way XONARA performs. Their confidence onstage did not happen overnight. It came from long training days, extra practice, and learning to push one another.

<h3 style="text-align: center;">Where the Strength Comes From</h3>

When training began, Megumi says they had “almost zero to little experience.” There was a lot to learn, and much of it happened outside their scheduled sessions. “Hard work really pays off,” she says. “Seeing that they do extra work after training. It really pays to see how much they’ve worked hard to get to the skill that we have today. Although we’re still growing.”
Some of their strongest memories come from the months they spent living together in a small condo unit. Eurekah remembers one member in particular who could not seem to stop practising, even when everyone else was asleep. “In the dead of night or the early hours, she’d be training,” she recalls of Tin. “We’d hear her out on the fire exit, training, all by herself. And you just catch it too, like, what am I doing? I need to train too.”
For Eurekah, having people around who are just as determined makes a difference. “If it’s meant for you, it will happen no matter what,” she says, “but the people around you matter so much. It’s important that the environment is healthy, that everyone is passionate. Because it rubs off on you.”

ON MEGUMI: Dress, PROUDRACE

ON ELLA: Dress, PROUDRACE

ON DOMINIQUE: Dress, PROUDRACE

Of course, not every training memory is quite so inspiring. One session in particular still makes the members wince. After deciding to train on their own without telling management, they found themselves doing planks in heels. “We were in a plank. And in heels,” Namie remembers. “It was brutal, five minutes. And we weren’t allowed to come down. If we did, the five minutes would start over.” Wall sits, squats, and repeated choreography run-throughs in heels were also part of the routine. “It just really hurt,” the group concedes. “But we got so much stronger there.”
They have picked up a few habits from working under 1Z, too. Being on time, for one, means arriving well before the call time. “We have a belief in 1Z,” Namie explains. “When you arrive on time, you’re late.” The unofficial standard is an hour early. Better to have time to spare than to be the last one through the door.
All that work has helped shape the group audiences see today. But being a new act also means being watched closely, with fans eager to learn everything they can about the members. Sometimes, what people think they know is not quite right.

<h3 style="text-align: center;">The Noise and What’s Real</h3>

A new girl group naturally comes with plenty of curiosity, and the internet has its own way of getting to know its latest favorites. Sometimes, though, the assumptions are a little off. XONARA has already collected a few misconceptions, and the members are more than happy to set things straight.
“I don’t own SM,” Ella clarifies, after a shared surname sparked a thousand comments. Namie has also been labeled an anime lover by fan accounts. “I watch animation,” she says. “But anime, no.” Eurekah, who may come across as the loud one, says she is actually much quieter around people she does not know well: “I’m only loud when I’m comfortable with the people I’m with. When I’m not, I’m really quiet.” Megumi has her own explanation for why she sometimes appears to be looking past people. Her eyesight is poor enough to affect her performances, so, “sorry if I look snobbish, it’s because I really can’t read properly.”
Then there are the fan theories and ships. The members seem to find those just as amusing. “We just laugh,” Namie says. “Since we’re still new, we understand that there’s a lot of curiosity about each of us.” Megumi adds that, whatever people might read into their interactions, the group knows where it stands. “It’s important that we’re super grounded in ourselves as a group,” she says. “It’s enough for us to know what’s true.”
Knowing what is true about themselves also matters when the group makes music. Rather than trying to fit an outside idea of what a girl group should sound like, XONARA has started putting its own experiences into its songs. “Imperfect” is perhaps the clearest example.

<h3 style="text-align: center;">Imperfect</h3>

The song “Imperfect” feels especially close to the members. Co-written with Filipino American artist Ruby Ibarra, it came together during virtual sessions, with the girls sharing stories that eventually found their way into the lyrics. “It was very raw, very authentic,” says Tin of the process. “That’s how ‘Imperfect’ came together, through the stories we shared.”
Tin had admired Ibarra long before they worked together, so the collaboration was a big moment for her. One thing the artist said has stayed with her. “I can’t forget what she said about why she chose us,” Tin says. “She said that if she ever had a child, she’d want her child to hear this kind of artist.”

ON TIN: Top and skirt, PROUDRACE

ON LEI: Dress, PROUDRACE

The song gives listeners a chance to hear the members talk about the things they do not always get to show onstage. For Ella, that includes the moments of self-doubt that come with being in the public eye. “I feel like if you listen to it, you can kind of tap into our consciousness a bit,” she says. “There are parts of self-doubt. You can see those glimpses of weakness that we have because we’re human. And that’s what makes us relatable. And in turn, that’s what makes us perfect also.”
Megumi points to the standards people encounter every day, especially online. “This is the age of media, and a lot of people… there are standards and expectations that kind of cloud your mind,” she says. “This song is a good reminder that those are just things set by a group of people that you don’t really have to abide by. It’s okay to be different, because that’s what makes you you. We’re imperfectly perfect because you were born that way, and that’s enough.”
For a group that is still finding its feet, that message leaves plenty of room to experiment. And judging by the ideas the members already have, they are not planning to stick to just one sound or concept.

<h3 style="text-align: center;">What Comes Next</h3>

If the members had their way, XONARA could go in just about any direction. Megumi is curious about something out of the ordinary. “Something bizarre,” she says. “I can’t pinpoint what exactly that is, but I think XONARA can pull it up.” Dominique would love to see the group as a band. “XONARA as a band,” she says, to enthusiastic agreement from the others. Namie is curious about something heavier. “Metal rock. Just curious,” she laughs. Lei has her eyes on a heels concept, “something we haven’t really explored.” Eurekah, meanwhile, has theatre on her mind. “Me, theater.”
Tin is not in a hurry to settle on a direction. The group is still learning, and she is happy to see where that takes them. “We know as a group that we still have a lot to learn along the way,” she says. “Maybe what we want in our music will shift too, and we’re very open to those changes.”
They also have a few words of advice from their seniors at 1Z. SB19 has reminded them to keep sight of where they started, even as bigger opportunities come their way. “No matter how far we’ve come, we should never forget where we came from,” says Lei. Tin also remembers a message they received when XONARA was first announced: “We’ll give you the pen, but it’s up to you what you do with it.”
For Ella, one of the best things about being in a group is having six other people who understand exactly what she is going through. The thought of performing alone still makes her nervous, but sharing the stage makes the experience a little less daunting. “It’s a very unique experience,” she says of being in a group. “Before performing, I was like, oh my gosh, if I’m doing this alone, I feel like I would faint. You’re not alone, and everyone knows what you’re going through because they’re going through the same thing.”
As the shoot winds down, the members are asked to describe XONARA in one word. Before anyone can overthink it, all seven answer excitedly: “XONARA is imperfect!”
Girl groups are often expected to look flawless, sound flawless, and get everything right. The pressure can extend from their appearances to the way they perform and carry themselves in public, leaving little room for an off day or a mistake. Against those expectations, it is refreshing to hear XONARA speak so openly about being imperfect.
They are still learning, still experimenting, and still working out what kind of group they want to become. To them, imperfection is not a shortcoming. It means they can try a different sound, take a creative risk, make a mistake, and come back with something unexpected.&nbsp;
With seven members who each have their own ideas, XONARA has plenty left to explore. For now, they seem perfectly happy to enjoy the process, heels and all.

VIDEO Jun Morden
MAKEUP&nbsp;Winley Denoyo, Hailey Salas, and Kim Roy Opog&nbsp;
HAIR Ciandro Abellanosa and Jodi Katalbas
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Jeron Ellana&nbsp;
PHOTOGRAPHER'S ASSISTANT Cesar Salve
VIDEOGRAPHERS Geron John &amp; Keen Ian Amoguis
INTERN Pauleen Marie Yap

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