Musical Group XG Shows Support For Non-Binary Member
The Japanese group is changing up the meaning behind their name after member Cocona came out as non-binary and transmasc.
Earlier this week, the Japanese hip-hop and R&B group shared that while their name will remain XG, what it stands for has changed. Formerly short for Xtraordinary Girls, the name will now mean Xtraordinary Genes, a shift that comes roughly one month after member Cocona came out on Instagram as transmasc and non-binary, as well as revealing that they had top surgery earlier in 2025.
Rather than framing the update as a dramatic rebrand, XG positioned it as a marker of growth. In a statement shared via Billboard, the group described the change as “a symbolic milestone for the group as all seven members have entered their 20s,” adding that it signals “a new phase of artistic and personal growth.”
“Xtraordinary Genes represents the innate creativity, individuality and forward-thinking energy embedded within each member of XG,” the group said. “More than a rebrand, the shift serves as a declaration of evolution—from their starting point to the source that drives their artistry—as the group continues shaping culture without boundaries.”
Cocona’s coming out last month gave the announcement deeper resonance. In a birthday post shared on Instagram in December, they opened up about their gender identity, writing candidly about the long process of self-acceptance that led them there.
“The hardest thing I’ve ever faced was accepting and embracing myself,” Cocona wrote. “But as I slowly began to do that, I was able to open a new door. That moment changed the way I see and understand the world, and it gave me the courage and strength to grow. Now, I can finally say, ‘There’s nothing wrong with who I am inside.’”
For those less familiar, XG debuted in 2022 and has steadily built a global following across Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Europe, and the United States. After early singles like “Mascara” charted on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, the group reached a new level of visibility last year with “Woke Up,” earning multiple Music Awards Japan nominations and an MTV Video Music Awards Japan win for Best Visual Effects. In 2025, they also performed at Coachella, further cementing their international presence.
The name change arrived alongside the announcement of XG’s debut studio album, The Core, set for release later this month. In a statement about the record, the group said, “At the heart of these transformations remained XG’s unwavering identity and distinctive energy,” describing the album as “the most candid reflection of who XG were at that moment” and “a powerful starting point for the infinite possibilities that lay ahead.”
