Why GIRLSET is the new girl group to watch right now

Seen a Katseye-esque group on your social media feed recently? No, you’re not seeing double. You’re probably looking at GIRLSET, the four-piece global girl group jointly managed by JYP Entertainment and Republic Records.

The group – comprising Camila, Lexi, Kendall and Savanna – dropped their second single, “Little Miss”, on 17 November, and the internet has quickly clocked them as the next big thing in pop music. 

If the name doesn’t ring a bell, you might know them by their former one: VCHA. Formed in 2023 through the survival show A2K (which literally stands for America2Korea and aired on YouTube), VCHA was a six-member group that debuted in January 2024.

Yes, you heard that right – before Katseye and Dream Academy, there was VCHA and A2K. 

The group leaned into a cutesy, teen-friendly concept fit for a girl group whose members were between the ages of 13 and 18 at the time. Even their name VCHA – inspired by the Korean words “비춰”, meaning “to shine the light” – positioned them as bright-eyed role models for younger audiences.

But the fairytale didn’t last. After just six months, VCHA essentially vanished from the public eye. Their re-emergence in December 2024 came not through a comeback but a shocking headline, with former member KG (Kiera Grace Madder) filing a lawsuit against JYP Entertainment for mistreatment and abuse. The case was settled quietly in August, shortly after VCHA’s youngest member Kaylee also exited the group via a mutual contract termination in July.

Now, the remaining four have returned as GIRLSET with a complete aesthetic overhaul. Gone are the clean, tween-friendly makeup looks and slightly awkward styling that defined their earlier days. In their place: a more mature, bold and sexy Y2K maximalism that seems more authentic and embraces their diverse identities – Vietnamese-American Kendall, Venezuelan-Trinbagonian Savanna, Hmong-American Lexi and Canadian-Cuban Camila.

So far, the girls have given us looks that could’ve been pulled straight from The Pussycat Dolls’ archives – leather bra tops, thigh-high boots and all. Plus, Savanna’s Tamagotchi necklace and Hot Wheels belt, along with Kendall’s leopard print bodysuit and fuzzy pink boots? Now that’s kitschy and camp in all the best ways. 

Music-wise, the shift is just as striking. Their first single, “Commas”, is bubbly and confident, making it clear the quartet can very much hold their own, while their latest release, “Little Miss”, amps up the attitude and sass with a hip-hop flair that could slot right into an early-2000s playlist. 

With only two singles under their belt, GIRLSET are still in the early days of their rebirth – but the timing is promising. Coming on the heels of Katseye’s double Grammy nominations in November for “Gabriela” and Best New Artist, the pathway for a girl group renaissance has never looked more open.

And if GIRLSET keeps up this momentum, it seems the only way to go is up. In our opinion, those looking for a new fifth-gen girl group to stan should get in now if you want to really be an OG.

This article was originally published in FZINE