‘A2K’ Final Lineup: Meet VCHA, the Newest Girl Group, in Their First Official Interview
On Thursday night, JYP’s K-pop audition show A2K introduced the world to VCHA, created from the A2K final lineup.
A year ago, America 2 Korea kicked off auditions in the U.S., inviting teenage girls from across North America to embark on a journey that would take them from Los Angeles to Seoul for the chance to debut in the next big global girl group. The joint venture from JYP Entertainment and Republic Records is the first of its kind: an American group trained under K-pop’s exacting system of discovering and developing talent.
Related: Jihyo of TWICE Talks ‘Killin Me Good,’ Solo Identity, and Being Mother
It’s just after one o’clock in the afternoon when the girls of VCHA join Teen Vogue for their first official interview as a group a few days before the two-part finale hits YouTube. Nestled in the iconic red-lined dance practice room inside JYP Entertainment’s Seoul headquarters, where they’ve spent the past five months training in secrecy, members Lexi (17, from Milwaukee), Camila (18, Montreal), Savanna (17, Fort Lauderdale), Kendall (17, Fort Worth), KG (16, Los Angeles), and Kaylee (13, Philadelphia) couldn’t be more excited to finally talk about their experience. “I can’t wait until we get the opportunity to be like, ‘Hi. guys!’ Or maybe go on [a livestream] and meet our fans,” Savanna says. “I’m so looking forward to that.”
The first livestream is a momentous occasion, a canon event in any group’s story. Aren’t they a tiny bit nervous? KG laughs. “Knowing our personalities, we’re going to be hyped for it,” she explains. According to their MBTIs, they’re all introverts, but when they’re together, they can get “a little crazy and really talkative,” says Savanna.
Sitting side by side in matching custom jerseys embossed with their favorite numbers on the front and their names on the back, their energy is palpable. They’re effervescent, like a fizzy drink ready to burst from its bottle, and their camaraderie is evident in the way they playfully tease one another. They joke that they’ve been listening to a lot of “slow, sad music” these days amidst their hectic training schedules. “Not because we’re sad!” KG quickly explains, adding, “Something about it is calming and relaxing.”
Camila, sporting the number 8 on her jersey for good luck (“It’s my grandma’s favorite number,” she smiles), still can’t believe how far they’ve come in just a year. “I can’t even imagine how much we’re going to grow in the next few years,” she says. Leader Lexi, a soothing anchor amid the whirlwind of excitement, can’t wait for people to listen to the music they’ve been working on. VCHA is dropping its first three-track bundle, SeVit (NEW LIGHT), in conjunction with the finale. There’s “Y.O.Universe,” a sparkling electro-pop reminder to be yourself; “Go Getter,” a pop-punk anthem; and “Know Me Like That,” a fun, rock-infused clap-back to anyone who doubts them.
Below, Teen Vogue spoke with VCHA over Zoom about their A2K experiences, bonding as a group, and the artists who inspire them.
