The vision is clear. It is the year of the future. Five young men in a boy band are performing live on worldwide television. The sound is new, and they dance in sync. They all look dapper in their well-pressed suit. The audience goes berserk in excitement. That night, the group ignited something incredible—the P-pop revolution.
Much like a prophecy about to unfold in front of our very eyes, the future of the P-pop or Pinoy Pop has never been this promising. Despite the current pandemic's impact, a slew of new P-pop groups still managed to emerge unbothered and victorious. From ABS-CBN's homegrown BGYO and BINI, Viva's ALAMAT and LITZ, and of course the chart-topping SB19, the P-pop industry remains steadfast on becoming a phenomenon.
It is not an exaggeration to say that Philippine pop culture will grow in prominence and become a significant driver of global culture in the not-so-distant future. That said, while many new P-pop groups are emerging, only a few can make the cut. Luckily some of today's rookie groups have shown great potential, and leading the pack of newbies is a fresh, new boy group, VXON.
Who are they? Let me introduce you to the future of P-pop.
The VXON starts here
The name VXON (pronounced as "vision") is more than appropriate since this group is definitely poised to take the P-Pop industry by storm. Initially revealed to the public at the end of December 2021, VXON is composed of five members led by C13(22), the leader and main rapper of the group, Sam(22), the lead rapper and lead vocal of the group. Patrick(18), the main dancer. Vince(19), the lead vocal and visual, and Franz(21), the group's main vocalist.
Their sharp and synchronized dancing and solid vocal skills are products of hard work and training under one of the premier entertainment companies in the Philippines, Cornerstone Entertainment.
"CS Entertainment is proud to have artists who are unique, talented, and have the star quality. We're excited because we believe VXON has all of it. They have been trained in all aspects by the best people from both here and abroad. We have also invested a lot in music production to make sure their debut offering would be world-class, but at the same time we also involved them in the creative process of the song so that the final output will remain authentic to who they are as artists," Jeff Vadillo, Vice President of Cornerstone Entertainment Inc. shared in an interview.
Moreover, like any other boy group out there, the boys also have their solid fandom. VXON calls their supporters, Vixies, which, according to them, came from the fans themselves.
Unleashing the Beast
Starting the year off with a bang, VXON officially made their debut on January 7 with their first single, The Beast. As part of their debut as a group, they also premiered the music video for their first single that drew tens and thousands of fans. The track, sung in both English and Tagalog, is a hard-hitting pop-EDM anthem that 'speaks about the importance of hope, self-love, and realizing your potential.'
"Yung pinaka memorable po sakin or yung pinaka tumatak sakin is yung 'Just be who you wanna be,' kasi parang yung line na yun sinasumarize na niya yung buong song in the best way," C13 shared when asked about his favorite line from The Beast. "I certainly believe that when you believe in yourself magagwa mo lahat ng gusto mong gawin."
"There are a lot of hidden gems here in the Philippines in terms of Talents," Vince, the lead vocal and visual of the group shared. "We wrote 'The Beast' to inspire these people to bring out their talents and believe in themselves."
In addition to being good dancers and singers, the group's very own C13, Sam, and Franz, wrote and produced the song with the help of Korean music producer Knockloud. The music video was choreographed by Korean choreographers Kim Taehoon and Matt Padilla, whose behind some of the viral choreos came from 1MILLION Dance Studio.
The Bond that Binds
From the moment they debuted, the members all caught the attention of fans for their visuals, talent, and charisma. But more than that, the group also showcased their brotherhood that allowed fans to fall in love with their abilities and their personalities. Currently, the boys live together as they train as a boy group, enabling them to develop a bond that binds.
Before VXON, all of the boys lived different lives and weren't always the VXON we know today. It is easy to think they had it easy, but people don't know the hard work and difficult times they've had to go through to become a P-pop idol.
According to C13, the group leader and main rapper, he has always wanted to be a part of a group and be a K-pop idol. He used to be in the same group as SB19's Josh and even got to train in Korea. However, that did not work out for him, and the pandemic started, which is why he had to return home.
On the other hand, before he became the lead rapper and "sub-vocals" of VXON, Sam was a tourism student with a simple dream. Like many other aspiring P-pop idols, Sam worked hard and faced a lot of rejection before he achieved what was rightfully his. According to Sam, he previously belonged to another boy band that didn't work out. “Marami din po akong rejections, di daw ako pang-singer, pang-rapper or pang-dancing but I just used that as my fuel to keep going on and moving forward while I’m learning,” Sam said. "I have this belief that if you keep on trying and if you keep on doing it an hour a day, you will learn it and master it soon. It became my mindset — just practice and practice."
It was a different story for Vince, the lead vocalist and "visual" of the group, as he was the first artist to sign for VXON. He recalled starting with several other trainees but had to say goodbye to them after the evaluations. Eventually, he was joined by Patrick, who became the main dancer of VXON—followed by the group's main vocalist, Franz.
According to Franz, the boys also played a significant role in helping him overcome some of his mental health problems. "At the beginning, I was quite wondering how we would click as a group since we came from different backgrounds," Franz shared. "Luckily, we found our common ground, and that is our passion when it comes to performing."
The P-pop industry is full of talent in every category, from singing and dancing all the way to acting. It is easy to think that rivalry might occur, but for VXON, we only see supportive brothers who encourage each other to thrive.
"The thing about VXON is that we have different personalities," C13 shared. "But that's the beauty of it because when we come together, it's a different space for us."
The Prophecy Fulfilled
With their debut single out, VXON is now on their way to making a name for themselves and becoming a musical phenomenon in P-pop. With their charisma and musical prowess, the group will surely go a distance and the proof is on the warm support they are receiving.
Since its release, the music video for 'The Beast' has already garnered over 224K views on Youtube and 29k streams on Spotify. It even spawned a myriad of reaction videos from fans worldwide. One thing is for sure, 'The Beast' is just the beginning of what else VXON has in store.
"For VXON, expect us to explore more genres in the future," Franz shared when asked about what fans should expect from the group. "We will try new concepts at hindi lang kami naka kulong sa isang style I also hope and manifest that P-pop groups such as VXON also reach more charts worldwide."
Ultimately, as the group is looking to make their mark on the Philippine pop scene, their ultimate goal is to perform and dominate charts outside the country. "The Ultimate goal of the group is to move people through our music," C13 said. "To help P-pop reach the international audience, dahil gusto naming ipakita na, we Filipinos are capable and talented in all aspects."
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PRODUCER Philip Vargas
COVER STORY Mark Baccay
PHOTOGRAPHY & CREATIVE DIRECTION Rxandy Capinpin
VIDEO/ART DIRECTION & VIDEO EDITING Joe Andy
DIGITAL ART Ricardo Narciso Jr.
VIDEOGRAPHY Pogs Francisco
STYLING Myrrh Lao To
STYLING ASSOCIATE Joshua Galang
MAKEUP Mac Igarta
HAIRSTYLING Mycke Arcano
NAILS Lourdes of Katch Beauty Lounge
SPECIAL THANKS TO Cornerstone Entertainment Inc.
Erickson Raymundo (President/Managing Director), Jeffrey Vadillo (Vice President)
CS MUSIC LABEL HEAD Caress Caballero
HANDLER Cristine Calawod
Disclaimer: The second layout is a concept inspired by the Savage of Aespa and the MAVERICK of The Boyz. As a homage to the original idea, we have added our personal touch and made our own minor changes in terms of production and execution, but all contents are still credited to their team for their originality (For The Boyz: Photographer Cho Giseok and Creative Director hausofteam - @ROHSANGYOON @JEONGHAEONE; For Aespa: Visual & Art Director Junyoung, Jinsil Park, Bona Kim (MU:E), SM Entertainment). All images for this layout are strictly limited to digital and will not be included in any future print issues of our publication. Click HERE to see our official statement. The boys of VXON and its management are in no way responsible for any confusion or misunderstanding there may be.