VXON On Taking Risks, Trusting Their Instincts, And Having Each Other’s Backs

There’s no such thing as an easy dream. There’s also no such thing as one single foolproof formula for success. But if there’s anything to be learned in the last few years as OPM and P-pop acts break new ground in music, it’s that authenticity, experimentation, and a willingness to bet on yourself matter just as much as talent or timing. It’s a mindset that VXON has grown to embrace.

The five-member boy group, dubbed “The Monsters of P-pop,” debuted in 2022 with their single “The Beast.” Since then, they’ve enjoyed a steady rise to recognition, having released their debut album 20:20 in 2024 and been inducted into Billboard Philippines’ P-pop’s Rising Class Of 2025. 

With 20:20 and its lead single, “SSP (Saksak Sa Puso),” VXON’s sound has shaped up to be something that resonates more with them as artists and prompted the reception that they, as a group, have found the sound that works for them. Their hip-hop and “kalye”-infused pop embodied by tracks like “SSP” and “Sandal” paved the way for newer, stronger singles like “sh*t sobrang init” and “Dapat Lang Ako Lang.”

This 2026, after two years of single releases, performances across the country — including one at Billboard Philippines: Mainstage in 2024 — and ventures into vertical series and reality competitions, members C13, Franz, Sam, Vince, and Patrick are more than ready to leap into action. Dropping their sophomore album Pasakalye in January was only the beginning of a new era for the group. They’ve got their sights set on bigger stages and bolder ambitions, giving their all to having their visions realized.

With a new album under their belt, and their first sold-out concert Kalawakan on the horizon, VXON chats with Billboard Philippines all about refining their sound, pursuing careers well worth the risk, and remaining grateful through it all.

Billboard Philippines: Congrats on the new album! Since 20:20 onwards, people have said that you’ve “found your sound.” Do you think that’s true? How would you describe your sound now that you’ve gotten a better sense of who you are as artists?

Franz: Recently, we’ve felt like our sound is more authentic to all of us. We’re more comfortable with the style and genre of music we’re doing now. We also think our new EP is where we’ve solidified our sound. Na-realize din namin na kung saan kami pinaka-comfortable na sound is “street” — hip-hop, R&B-infused pop music. Doon din namin nakikita na lumabas ang strengths ng isa’t isa. We’re very proud that we’ve finally found our place in music. 

[We also realized that the sound we’re most comfortable with is “street” — hip-hop, R&B-infused pop music. That’s where we see each other’s strengths shine.]

Do you guys have a shared artist or song that all of you love or get inspired by?

Franz: We have very diverse music styles. I love K-pop, I love pop. Recently, I’ve been listening to CORTIS. I love their music.

Sam: Ang common ground namin na artist actually is Skusta Clee. Trainees pa lang kami, [his songs]‘yung ginagamit namin pang-training, like “Lagi.” 

[An artist that’s all of our common ground is Skusta Clee. Even when we were trainees, we’d use his songs to train, like “Lagi.”]

Even with your previous album, you always seemed like you did things your own way. Like in 20:20, you already had solo songs. What are some of the riskier things you’ve done as a group that have made you better?

C13: Ever since our debut, we were switching between dark and light concepts. At the time, K-pop was the standard. We were heavily influenced by K-pop, but at one point, we went, “Why don’t we go back to our roots?” and actually use the music we liked, so it felt more authentic to us. May mga gusto rin na gumawa kami ng solo songs, sub-unit songs, so we also took that risk in order to show what we can do. Nung debut namin, meron din kaming mga set positions, pero naisip namin na kung may positions kami, baka ma-stuck lang kami doon, so why don’t we help each other where we lack?

[Some people wanted us to do solo and sub-unit songs, so we also took that risk to show what we can do. When we debuted, we already had set positions, but we thought that if we had these positions, we might just end up stuck in them, so why don’t we help each other where we lacked?]

Patrick: The group started during the pandemic and at a time when P-pop wasn’t as widely known and accepted as it is now. Nag-sacrifice kaming lima na mapalayo sa family. Malaking risk din ‘yung pagpasok sa industriya na walang kasiguraduhan. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that when you really want something, no matter the circumstances, you have to gamble on yourself and build your own path with confidence and determination.

[The five of us sacrificed being away from our families. It’s a big risk to enter an industry where there’s no sure chance of success.]

Franz: Our early songs were also heavily influenced by EDM and had heavy beats, so to switch to a more chill sound was scary at first, because what if hindi siya tanggapin? But thankfully, so many people appreciated [the album 20:20], and we’re very proud of that project. And for this new album, talagang dugo’t pawis ginamit namin para gawin ‘yung mga kanta.

[And for this new album, we really shed blood and sweat to make the songs.]

Your new album — how would you describe it?

Franz: I feel like it’s a more mature version of 20:20. It’s a more realized VXON. We were already vulnerable in 20:20, but I feel like we’re even more honest in [Pasakalye]. It’s the story of our lives.

Are you as a group typically more risk-takers?

C13: As a group, we would just go and do things, and if something doesn’t work, we know we have each other’s backs. 

Franz: Pinapaniwalaan din namin na, “ibigay na natin lahat.” Wala naman tayong pagsisisihan kung binigay natin lahat kasi even if things don’t work out, at least we know we gave it our all. 

[We also believe in giving everything our all. We wouldn’t regret anything if we did everything we could, because even if things don’t work out, at least we know we gave it our all.]

Vince: Yung maganda sa grupo namin is naalis namin yung mga doubts and fearsng isa’t isa when it comes to creating music. Instead of thinking, “Ano ‘yung magugustuhan ng mga tao?”, inisip namin “Saan ba tayo magaling? Saan ba tayo magkakatugma-tugma?” So ‘yung mga differences namin, like ako gusto ko ng R&B, ‘yung iba kalye, ‘yung iba K-pop, so inisip namin, paano natin mai-infuse lahat ‘yun into our music? Hindi naman sa nagawa na namin lahat ng genre, but I appreciate how diverse our music is and the direction it’s going.

[What I love about this group is that we’ve been able to alleviate each other’s doubts and fears when it comes to creating music. Instead of thinking “What will people like?”, we thought, “What are we good at? Where can we all meet in the middle?” So our differences, like I personally like R&B, the others like “street” music, others like K-pop, so we thought, “How can we infuse all [those influences] into our music? And not that we’ve been able to do every genre, but I appreciate how diverse our music is and the direction it’s going.]

In that sense, what are some personal failures or disappointments that you think were good for you? What did you learn from them?

Patrick: The first thing that comes to my mind here is tungkol sa mga mahilig mang-bash. Kasi ako, personally, the more na bina-bash ako, mas ginaganahan ako. Parang tina-take ko siya as a challenge na mas galingan ko pa sa kung ano mang ginagawa ko.

[The first thing that comes to my mind here is about the people who would bash us. Personally, the more I get hate, the more motivated I become. I take it as a challenge to be better at whatever I do.]

Pursuing this dream of being an “idol” requires you to branch out — to do a lot of things, from songwriting to performing to even acting. What’s the best opportunity that being in VXON gave you?

C13: This has been my dream since I was a kid. Wala rin akong kapatid na lalaki, so bonus na rin na nakilala ko sila. I’ve gone through a lot of times in my life where music saved me, so ang gusto ko rin is to pay it forward. To inspire other people. 

[I also don’t have any brothers, so it’s a bonus that I’ve gotten to know them. I’ve gone through a lot of times in my life where music saved me, so what I want to do also is to pay it forward.]

Franz: I’ve never really had the opportunity to show off my songwriting. Sometimes, I wondered if I ever got the chance to show how creative I am. I’m grateful to be given the opportunity to be hands-on, to be involved in the creative process, from the visuals to the concept to the music. I can express myself through all this. And that’s all I’ve ever wanted — to be heard, to be appreciated for what I can do. 

Patrick: Nagkaroon ako ng second family being in VXON. I’ve met so many kind people. And [I’m grateful] na nakakatulong ako sa family ko financially. Sobrang nakakataba ng puso na nakakatulong ka sa pamilya mo — ‘yung feeling na nasusuklian mo ‘yung hirap na ginawa nila para sa ’yo. 

[I got a second family being in VXON. I’ve met so many kind people. And I’m very grateful to be able to help my family financially. It’s really heartwarming to be able to help your family — that feeling of repaying all the hardships they’ve gone through for you.]

Sam: Noong trainees pa lang kami, nahiwalay ako from my family, and hindi nangyayari ‘yun. It was a huge adjustment that I had to go through. Unexpectedly, sa VXON ko lang din naramdaman ‘yung fulfillment sa ginagawa ko. Parang hindi ako nagwo-work. Parang may kapatid lang din ako na kailangang protektahan, kausapin, at sa ginagawa namin, nag-e-enjoy lang kami. And before, hindi rin ako marunong magsulat ng kanta. Gustong-gusto ko gumawa ng isang buong kanta na alam kong sa’min, and nung nagpapa-co-write si Franz ng kanta sa’min, doon ko na-realize na “Ah, ganito pala ‘yung feeling na nakakagawa ng kanta.” 

[When we were just trainees, I was separated from my family, and that usually doesn’t happen. It was a huge adjustment that I had to go through. Unexpectedly, it was in VXON where I felt fulfillment with what I was doing. It doesn’t feel like work. It’s just like having brothers I wanted to protect, to talk to, and with what we do, we just enjoy it all. And before, I didn’t know how to write a song. I always wanted to create a full song that I knew was ours, and when Franz asked us to co-write songs with him, that’s where I realized, “Ah, this is how it feels to be able to write a song.”]

Vince: Nung pumasok ako [sa VXON], sobrang mahiyain ako, sobrang tahimik talaga, so thankful ako na nagiging voice ko sila, kumbaga. Sometimes, when I speak to people, I get anxious, so they help me voice out my emotions or whatever I want to express. I’ve also grown so much in the sense that they’ve taught me to be out of the box. I take inspiration from every one of the members.

[When I became part of VXON, I was very shy, very quiet, so I’m thankful that they’ve become sort of a voice for me.]

Any message you have for your Vixies, your fans, as you kick off a new era?

C13: Being a fan requires a lot of time, effort, and sometimes even sacrifice, because they have a personal life, but they choose to support somebody. So even if they don’t have a guarantee na may balik sa kanila, they give it their all to support the artists they like. Gusto lang namin i-commend mga Vixies namin, kasi sa kahit sa anong circumstance, they make sure na nakikita namin ‘yung love and effort nila. It’s what keeps us going. Ang dami talagang time na we’re on the verge of giving up, but because of their voices and their support, sila talaga ang nagtutulak sa’min. We just want to remind them that we can’t do all of this without their support.

[So even if there’s nothing guaranteed in return for them, they give it their all to support the artists they like. We just want to commend our Vixies, because in any circumstance, they make sure we see their love and effort. It’s what keeps us going. There have been so many times where we’re on the verge of giving up, but because of their voices and their support, they really push us forward.]

VXON’s Kalawakan concert is happening at the Skydome at SM North EDSA on February 28. Listen to their latest album Pasakalye here:

_{Photographed by Excel Panlaque. Creative and art direction by Gelo Quijencio. Styled by Dave Arden. Denim by Rye Martin. Hair by Jhed de Leon. Production by Bianca Lao. Special thanks to Betina Medina, Jonald Helito, and Cornerstone Entertainment.}