Growing Up In The World Of P-pop: A Conversation With AJAA’s Alex And YGIG’s Maeg

While most grow up going to playgrounds and deal with schoolwork, Alex and Maeg spent their childhoods chasing their dream of being on stage. 

Figuring out what you want to do for the rest of your life is no easy task; it’s daunting and admittedly, a little scary. But for the likes of these young P-pop idols, they knew exactly what path they wanted to take.

“[May] dream po ko dati na ang daming tao nanood sakin at madaming lights, parang nagka-vision na po ko dati,” says 15-year-old Alex, with a laugh.

(“I had a dream where there were a lot of people watching me and there were a lot of lights, it was like I had a vision.”)

“Nung na-discover ko po ‘yung dancing, dun na ‘ko nagkaroon ng confidence. Tapos the more nai-experience ko ‘yung stage, parang bigla ako nagke-crave nun — that’s when it started talaga,” says 21-years-old Maeg, looking back on how she had terrible stage fright before discovering dance. 

(“When I discovered dancing, that’s when I had confidence. The more I experienced the stage, it was like I started craving it — that’s when it really started.”)

Alex emerged onto the music scene in 2023, as part of the rising P-pop boy group AJAA, known for their sweet bubblegum pop songs and charming performances. As for Maeg, she debuted in 2022 with YGIG, a five-piece girl group characterized for their cheerful energetic tracks that you can’t help but dance to. 

While their individual journeys into the world of P-pop are fairly different, they both were destined for the stage. Whether it’s wanting to connect with thousands of people through music or dreaming of representing the Philippines on the global stage, Alex and Maeg were always fated to be performers. 

“Dream ko po talaga siya [pero] ‘di po talaga alam na makakapunta dito. But now, parang ‘yung dream ko po unti-unti na nangyayari; parang nagco-connect na silang lahat,” says Alex.

(“It’s my really my dream but I don’t know how I got here. My dream is slowly coming true; it’s like everything’s connecting together.”)

“As a trainee, isa lang yung goal namin, magka-debut. Parang sobrang doors nabukas bigla, nakaka-overwhelm po siya sa una kasi before ‘yung nagpapanood po samin yung nag-e-evaluate, sometime ‘yung family namin pero now, bigla may mga tao na susuporta saamin. Sobrang dream come true po talaga siya,” says Maeg. 

(“As a trainee, we only had one goal: to debut. We had so many doors open suddenly, it was overwhelming at first because before the only one who watched us were the ones evaluating us and our families, but now there’s so many people supporting us. It’s really a dream come true.”)

But with pursuing anything at a young age, there’s a lot to take in. 

“Nag-join po ko [ng industry] mga 13 years old po ko, sobrang bata ko pa po at parang ang laki po ng industry na pinasok ko,” says Alex. 

(“I joined the industry at 13 years old, so I was really young and the industry I entered was really big.”)

From navigating your teenage years under the spotlight to constantly facing the public (especially considering the responsibility that comes with being a P-pop idol) to keeping up with both school and music, it’s been a balancing act for Alex and Maeg as they grow up in the industry. 

Fortunately, as the youngest members (or bunsos) of their respective groups, they have a set of ates and kuyas to lean on through hard times. 

“Bunso din po ako ng Cornerstone [music label], so na-s-spoil po ko na madaming love (I’m the youngest in my entire label, Cornerstone so I’m always spoiled with so much love”),” says Alex. 

“Madami po ka natutunan sa members ko, kasi ang dami na nilang na-experience sa life so as the bunso po, gusto kong nakikinig sa kanila (I have learned a lot from my members cause they also experienced so much in life, so as the youngest, I really want to listen to them”),” says Maeg.

While P-pop is built upon fostering a community of fans and showcasing incomparable talent, the genre also highlights a special kind of brotherhood and sisterhood among the artists we see on stage. Through the hardships of training, the anticipation of debuting, and the highs and lows of being in the industry, they’ve done it all together. 

When asked what they wanted to tell their older members, Alex and Maeg had nothing but gratitude for getting to go on this journey with their group.

“Kahit hindi po kami magka-humor — tumatawa po sila sa ibang jokes, pero yung sa akin hindi,  thank you for sa mga life lessons, sa pagpa-guide sa lahat ng ginagawa ko, tama naman o mali,” says Alex. “Gusto ko din pasalamatan sila kasi lagi sila nandyan sa journey ko na ‘to; alam ko there’s more na masasamahan natin.” 

(“Even though we don’t have the same sense of humor — they laugh at other people’s jokes but not mine, thank you for all the life lessons and for guiding me in everything I do, whether it’s right or wrong. I also want to thank them because they’re always with me on this journey; I know there’s so much more we’ll go through.”)

“I want to say thank you sa lahat na binagay nila sakin and gusto ko din sabihin sa kanila na you can also rely on me. Kahit bunso ako, you don’t always have to be the one guiding me, pwede din po ‘ko tumulong,” says Maeg. 

(“I want to say thank you for everything you gave to and I also want to tell them that you can also rely on me. Even if I’m the youngest, you don’t always have to be the one guiding me, I can also help.”)

Alongside their respective groups, Alex and Maeg are working harder than ever to live out their wildest dreams and represent P-pop on the global stage.

“We get to share our culture, ‘yung stories namin through our music and being on stage — ‘yun talaga ‘yung best part,” says Maeg. “Gusto namin ipakita ‘yung energy at saya on stage. Gusto namin ipagkita na ‘wag niyo po masyadong seryosohin ‘yung buhay; parang, take things easy.”

(“We get to share our culture and our stories through our music and being on stage — that’s really the best part. We want to show our energy and joy on stage. We want to show that you shouldn’t take life so seriously; take things easy.”)

“Kami po sana magiging music niyo pag nalulungkot kayo, or pwede niyo din po mag-rely sa amin pag sad po kayo. Our dream talaga is to ibigay ang smile sa mga tao,” says Alex. “Gusto ko po pasalamatan [‘yung fans namin] kasi nandito sila from the very first day; wala po kami ngayon kung wala sila.”

(“We want people to listen to our music when they’re sad or be the ones they rely on. Our dream is to give people a smile. We want to thank our fans because they’ve been with us since the very first day, we wouldn’t be here without them.”)

Having just entered the scene, there’s still a long journey ahead for Alex and Maeg — but one that they can’t wait to go on. 

Photographed by Excel Panlaque. Creative Direction by Nicole Almero.