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Woke Up

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"Woke Up"
Single by XG
ReleasedMay 21, 2024 (2024-05-21)
Genre
Length3:08
LabelXgalx
Songwriters
  • Shintaro Yasuda
  • Chancellor
  • Jaeyoung
  • Jakops
  • Lyricks
Producers
  • Jakops
  • Shintaro Yasuda
  • Chancellor
XG singles chronology
"Undefeated"
(2024)		 "Woke Up"
(2024)		 "Something Ain't Right"
(2024)

"Woke Up" is a song by Japanese vocal group XG. It was released through Xgalx on May 21, 2024[1] and is considered the group's first song to be entirely composed of rapping.[2] The song was a top-ten hit and certified gold in the group's home country.

A remix of "Woke Up" with various Japanese and South Korean rappers was released on September 20, 2024.[3] The remix was subsequently included on XG's second EP, Awe, which was released on November 8, 2024.[4]

Composition

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‘Woke Up’ really takes XG in this whole new direction. We want to take on a new challenge—that’s something that we always want to do and embrace as XG. With this all-rap track, it really kind of goes back to our hip-hop identity and taps into that culture. As XG, we aren’t going to stop; this is just the beginning of something even bigger. We’re going to constantly update and evolve ourselves.

— Cocona in an interview for Vogue Singapore[5]

"Woke Up" is anchored by 808 bass[6] and West Asian sounds.[7] Jurin stated that the song's lyrics are about "challenging the status quo and breaking those stereotypes and boundaries that are all around us."[5]

The song features entirely rap verses from the seven members of XG. According to Jurin, the song is "XG's first all-rap song featuring all seven members."[8] Similarly, Maya specifically noted that it would be the first time that XG's vocalists would be rapping. Chisa, a vocalist, noted that rapping was both fun and challenging.[9]

Music video

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The music video for "Woke Up" features XG's seven members with "different coloured eyes, bold haircuts, grills and Y2K inspired alternative fashion looks," as well as their transformation into "edgy, gothic wolves."[8] With regard to the choreography, "Woke Up" features less unified dancing and instead showcases "smaller groups" with "a lot of variation" in movement.[5] The music video's concept and design was spearheaded by South Korean photographer Cho Gi-seok.[10] In an interview with Vogue Taiwan, Jang Heejun, XG's stylist for the music video, called breaking rules and established stereotypes the most important concept of the video.[11]

Wolf elements are incorporated throughout the costumes, including a football helmet shaped like a wolf, leather jackets with wolf eyes, and headdresses with wolf ears. All of these are custom-made and were produced in collaboration with brands such as Bad Binch Tongtong, Dipesta, and Sapiensi, taking about three weeks to complete.[11]

The music video also features a scene where member Cocona shaves their head.[12] Cocona explained that it was one of the hairstyles that they had always wanted to try and said, "I decided to shave my head because I wanted to convey that I hope people all over the world will love themselves just as they are, regardless of feminine fashion, makeup, hair, or anything like that."[13]

Vogue Singapore called the music video "reminiscent of the days that K-pop used to carry with it that same defiant, rebellious energy; when each new-generation group laid bare their own version of theatrical beauty—the kind that would make a statement on its own," specifically mentioning 2NE1 and F(x) as examples.[10] Lifted wrote that "The storyline and graphics are Hollywood-esque as they transform into wolves ready to tear the party up."[14]

The music video for "Woke Up" won the "Best Visual Effects" award at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards Japan.[15]

Remix

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On September 20, 2024, XG released a remix of "Woke Up" featuring entirely new verses in English, Korean, and Japanese by Jay Park, OZworld, AKLO, Paloalto, Verbal, Awich, Tak, and Dok2.[16] The remix was later included as the seventh track on XG's second EP, Awe.[17]

Promotion

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On June 14, 2024, XG performed "Woke Up" and "X-Gene" from their debut EP New DNA on TV Asahi's Music Station. This was their first performance on Japanese television.[18]

In Tokyo, Japan, XG collaborated with fashion retail store GR8 on a "Woke Up" photo exhibition which was open on June 15–16, 2024 at the city's GR8 location. Clothing merchandise was designed by Japanese artist Kosuke Kawamura.[19]

Critical reception

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Lauding "Woke Up" as "a pretty good song," Stereogum observed the group's "different ratatat flows" and "levels of charisma and energy," comparing them to "early Brockhampton if they were all Japanese girls and if they had an absolutely unlimited music-video budget."[20] InStyle noted that the song had "a darker, more menacing mood than the group has offered before."[21]

"Woke Up" was nominated for the "Top Global Hit from Japan", "Best Japanese Hip Hop/Rap Song" and the "Best of Listeners' Choice: Japanese Song" awards at the 2025 Music Awards Japan.[22]

Charts

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Certifications

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Certifications for "Woke Up"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Streaming
Japan (RIAJ)[30] Gold 50,000,000†

† Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ↑ Yeo, Gladys (2024-05-21). "Girl group XG drop explosive 'WOKE UP' music video". NME. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
  2. ↑ Chin, Carmen (2024-03-27). "XG announce new single 'Woke Up', out in May". NME. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
  3. ↑ Japan, Billboard (2024-09-25). "Awich Brings Out XG for Surprise Performance of 'WOKE UP' Remix at Japanese Hip-Hop Festival THE HOPE". Billboard. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
  4. ↑ Yeo, Gladys (2024-11-08). "XG return with otherworldly music video for new single 'Howling'". NME. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
  5. 1 2 3 Tan, Azrin (2024-05-21). "XG on their latest single 'Woke Up' and what's next for the septet". Vogue Singapore. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
  6. ↑ Fell, Nicole (2024-05-21). "Rising Stars XG on New Single "Woke Up" and Rehearsing "Morning to Night" for First World Tour". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
  7. ↑ Israel, Gio. "Armenian Essentials Vol. 2". Splice. Retrieved 2026-03-03.
  8. 1 2 "Exclusive! XG Talks Career Highs, Taking Risks & Their New Rap Single 'WOKE UP'". L'Officiel Singapore. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
  9. ↑ Bautista, Rafael (2024-05-27). ""Boring" Is Nowhere Near XG's Vocabulary". nylonmanila.com. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
  10. 1 2 Tan, Azrin (2024-06-04). "Let's bring back the weird and wild era of K-pop beauty". Vogue Singapore. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
  11. 1 2 Lin, Kuan (2024-06-18). "獨家專訪XG〈WOKE UP〉MV造型師：狼人、邪教教主、外星人，解析全訂製造型背後的瘋狂世界觀". Vogue Taiwan (in Chinese). Retrieved 2026-04-24.
  12. ↑ Bui, Jessica (2024-06-21). "Global Girl Group XG Ushered In A New Era With Their Latest Single "Woke Up"". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
  13. ↑ "衝撃バリカンシーン話題のXG・COCONA、坊主姿に込めた切なる想い明かす - モデルプレス". モデルプレス - ライフスタイル・ファッションエンタメニュース (in Japanese). 2024-06-14. Retrieved 2026-04-24.
  14. ↑ "XG showcases their artistic transcendence in 'Woke Up'". liftedasia.com. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
  15. ↑ "ミセス・INI・ME:I「MTV VMAJ」出演決定 各部門の受賞作品も発表【一覧】 - モデルプレス". モデルプレス - ライフスタイル・ファッションエンタメニュース (in Japanese). 2025-02-05. Retrieved 2026-04-24.
  16. ↑ "XG's 'Woke Up Remix' showcases Japanese & Korean Hip Hop all-stars". liftedasia.com. September 24, 2024. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
  17. ↑ Benjamin, Jeff. "XG Release 'AWE' Mini Album After Wrapping First North American Tour". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
  18. ↑ "XG、日本のテレビ初歌唱 「大優勝すぎた」「まじかっけえ」と反響 「一目惚れ」の声も". オリコンニュース（ORICON NEWS）. 2024-06-17. Retrieved 2026-04-24.
  19. ↑ "GR8 x XG "WOKE UP" Photo Exhibition Merch | Release Date & Price | SNKRDUNK Magazine". SNKRDUNK Magazine | sneaker news and release information find your favorite Jordan, Nike adidas and more. 2024-06-14. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
  20. ↑ "Japanese Girl Group XG's New Single "Woke Up" Is Nuts: Listen". Stereogum. 2024-05-21. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
  21. ↑ "With "Woke Up," XG Is Gearing Up to Dominate the Global Music Industry". InStyle. Retrieved 2025-02-27.
  22. ↑ "「MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN」ノミネート発表 最優秀アーティスト賞はCreepy Nuts、ミセス 、Vaundy、YOASOBI、藤井風". 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-04-24.
  23. ↑ "Billboard Global Excl. US: Week of June 29, 2024". Billboard. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Billboard Japan Hot 100 – Week of May 29, 2024". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  25. ↑ "Song on Oricon News". Oricon News. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  26. ↑ "Oricon Top 50 Combined Singles: 2025-06-02" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  27. ↑ "RIAS Top Charts Week 24 (7 - Jun 13, 2024)". RIAS. Retrieved February 5, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  28. ↑ "Circle Album Chart – Week 21 of 2024". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  29. ↑ "Oricon Top 50 Singles: 2024-05" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on June 12, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  30. ↑ "Japanese single streaming certifications – XG – Woke Up" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved September 29, 2025. Select 2025年7月 on the drop-down menu
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