In November of 2022, LiFTED was introduced to the Japanese girl group XG via their stellar cypher which featured them rapping over beats from tracks of J.I.D, Dreamville, Ty Dolla $ign, and ROSALIA. Through it, they proved that Pop stars can do so much more than sing and dance, and they’re riding that wave on to 2023.

On January 25, they dropped ‘SHOOTING STAR’, their first single of the year. It’s a space-themed track, as each member drops lines of their meteoric rise and their out-of-this-world allure. The track definitely takes on the formulaic approach that the Pop world is well acquainted with, but the difference comes in their aggressive approach and the brilliant blending of Hip Hop and R&B elements in it.

The release is also packaged together with another track, ‘LEFT RIGHT’, which is a slower take, but is still incredibly catchy and makes for an easy listen. Whether or not XG will continue on with Hip Hop-centered tracks is something LiFTED can’t say for sure, but it’s refreshing for Pop stars to take on a different flow and do great while they’re at it.

Check out XG’s music video for ‘SHOOTING STAR’ below.