Emerging Japanese girl group kiOra is introducing its own take on Japanese culture and pop music through its first single “Coco,” hoping to bring a fresh interpretation of what “Japanese Heritage” means to audiences around the world.
In an exclusive interview with PUSH ABS-CBN, the four-member group shared how they want to stay rooted in their identity as a Japanese girl group while exploring a sound and image that can connect with international audiences.
“The concept at the heart of kiOra, ‘Japanese Heritage’, is not limited to traditional culture alone. Of course, it includes things like traditional architecture and kimono, but we also view a wide range of cultural elements that shape modern Japan as part of that heritage — such as city pop, fashion, anime, gaming, Tokyo’s cityscape, convenience stores, and public bathhouses,” the group said.
For kiOra, they wanted to offer a new meaning about what Japan is to audiences outside the country. “Things that may feel completely ordinary to people in Japan can appear fresh and fascinating to audiences overseas. At the same time, reinterpreting the image of Japan as seen from abroad through our own perspective is also one of the things that makes kiOra unique and exciting.”
They added, “What matters most to us is not simply presenting these cultural elements as they are, but reimagining them through the kiOra lens and transforming them into something contemporary and new.”
Rather than simply presenting familiar Japanese imagery, the group wants to put its own spin on these cultural elements. “We want to start from the Japanese culture that we genuinely experience and connect with in our everyday lives as artists based in Tokyo. Through music, fashion, visual storytelling, and other forms of creative expression, we hope to share kiOra’s own interpretation of a new Japanese Heritage with the world.”
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Derived from the Japanese word “kiyoraka,” meaning pure or clear, kiOra is composed of four members - Oto, Kyla, Ruka, and Yu.
The group was first unveiled at HEAD IN THE CLOUDS TOKYO 2026 and is built around the idea that artistry is not simply about perfection, but also about having the courage to continue growing and evolving.
Along with their cultural identity, kiOra is also introducing a musical direction they call “TOKYO HYPER CITY POP.”
The term combines “Hyper Pop” and “City Pop,” but the members see it less as a strict genre and more as a representation of the sound and creative direction they want to pursue.
“The concept behind our music, ‘TOKYO HYPER CITY POP’, is a term created by combining ‘Hyper Pop’ and ‘City Pop’. However, rather than defining a specific music genre, we see it as a way of expressing the direction that kiOra aims to pursue,” they explained.
They went on: “Beyond music, it also embraces a free mix of cultural elements such as fashion, visual art, and other forms of creative expression. Bringing all of these influences together and sharing them from Tokyo to the world is what ‘TOKYO HYPER CITY POP’ means to us.”
As kiOra continues to establish its identity, the group is also looking at making their presence known even beyond Japan.
“Moving forward, we do not want to limit ourselves to activities within Japan. Instead, we plan to expand our presence actively by moving seamlessly between Japan, Asia, and the United States. In fact, several international performances and projects are already in development,” they revealed.
The group also plans to continue releasing new music while developing their identity through music and visual content: “Our ultimate goal is to be recognized by listeners around the world as a new pop group emerging from Japan.”
The group is also looking forward to visiting the Philippines and introducing their music to the Filipino crowd.
“We’ve heard that the Philippines has a very vibrant music and pop culture community, and we would love the opportunity to visit in person and share kiOra’s performances with Filipino audiences in the future,” they said.
kiOra is also keeping an eye on the growing presence of Filipino artists in Japan and expressed interest in collaborating with some of the country's popular P-pop acts.
“We feel that Filipino artists are receiving a lot of attention in Japan right now as well. If we ever have the opportunity, we would love to collaborate with BINI, SB19, and KAIA!” they expressed.