KAIA

Quick Facts

Photo: KAIA – “hulog” Dance Performance Video

About KAIA

Forging their P-pop Identity

KAIA were built by ShowBT Philippines, the Korean-Filipino agency that also launched the superstar group SB19. The members were handpicked, then put through auditions and monthly evaluations before the lineup was locked, a K-pop-style training system that shaped them into a polished five-piece.

The name carries a double meaning that sums up the group’s spirit. It comes from the Cebuano word “kinaiya,” meaning one’s inner character and individuality, and it echoes the Filipino word “kaya,” which roughly translates to “you can do it.” Resilience and self-belief have been part of the group’s identity from day one.

KAIA introduced themselves with the pre-debut single “Kaya” in December 2021. They originally formed as a six-member group, but vocalist Joanna departed in January 2022, before the official launch, and the remaining five moved forward together. On April 8, 2022, KAIA made their official debut with “Blah Blah,” a punchy EDM-pop track that announced them as a confident new voice in the scene. Their fandom took the name ZAIA.

Finding Their Sound

The early KAIA catalog leaned into bright, danceable pop with plenty of attitude. They followed their debut with “Dalawa” and even shared a holiday moment with OPM icon Jose Mari Chan on a 2022 cover of “A Perfect Christmas,” an early sign of the group’s range.

In January 2023, KAIA released their first extended play, “TURN UP,” pulling together their early singles alongside the EP’s high-energy title track. The single “5678” kept the momentum going that same year.

That growth did not go unnoticed. At the 2023 P-pop Music Awards, KAIA were named P-pop Girl Group of the Year, an early stamp of approval from an industry watching the girl-group wave closely.

Breakthrough and Global Stages

KAIA leveled up in 2024. The comeback single “You Did It” showed off tighter vocals and sharper choreography, and later that year “Walang Biruan” brought a warmer, more romantic side to their sound. The P-pop Music Awards 2024 rewarded the run, handing KAIA wins for Rising Girl Group of the Year and Vocal Arrangement in a Song for “You Did It.”

The group also began carrying P-pop beyond the Philippines. KAIA became the first P-pop act to perform in India, representing the country at the ASEAN-India Music Festival in New Delhi in late 2024 and returning for the Vedanta Udaipur World Music Festival in early 2025.

Then came “Tanga.” Released in 2025 and crafted by hitmaker Zack Tabudlo, the bubblegum-pop kiss-off became KAIA’s signature hit, spawning a viral dance challenge and pulling in listeners well beyond the usual P-pop circles. They closed out the year with the Korean collaboration “Walkie Talkie” alongside artist-producer ZIV, and “Tara Sayaw,” a bouncy track recorded for the 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival entry “Rekonek.”

The “hulog” Era

By 2026, KAIA were operating at a new level. A viral cover of “Takedown,” the fierce anthem from Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters,” drew millions of views worldwide and put a fresh spotlight on the group. Around the same time they joined forces with HORI7ON and 1st.One on “Sulong,” a cross-label P-pop anthem that brought three groups together on one stage.

The wins kept coming. In March 2026, “Tanga” earned KAIA the Listeners’ Choice Award at Billboard Philippines’ Women in Music, a fan-voted honor that underlined how far the song had traveled. The group also co-headlined the P-pop stage at Fête de la Musique 2026 and guested at fellow OPM act Lola Amour‘s Love on Loop concert.

In June 2026, KAIA opened a new chapter with the tender single “hulog,” a song about the thrill of falling in love. They celebrated it in style at “KAZAIAHAN FEST” in July 2026, a sold-out fan festival at the SM North EDSA Skydome where they premiered the “hulog” music video live. For a group whose very name means “you can,” it was proof of just how much they could pull off.

Videos

EPs

• TURN UP (2023)

Singles

• Kaya (2021)
• Blah Blah (2022)
• Dalawa (2022)
• 5678 (2023)
• You Did It (2024)
• Walang Biruan (2024)
• Tanga (2025)
• Tara Sayaw (2025)
• hulog (2026)

Song Collaborations

• A Perfect Christmas (Jose Mari Chan – 2022)
• Walkie Talkie (Ziv – 2025)
• Sulong (HORI7ON & 1st.One – 2026)

TV

• All-Out Sundays (2022), performances on GMA’s Sunday musical variety show
• Unang Hirit (2022), guesting on GMA’s morning show
• Tropang LOL (2022)
• Rekonek (2025), Metro Manila Film Festival entry for which KAIA performed the soundtrack single “Tara Sayaw”

Awards

P-pop Music Awards

• P-pop Girl Group of the Year (2023)
• Rising Girl Group of the Year (2024)
• Vocal Arrangement in a Song (You Did It – 2024)

Billboard Philippines Women in Music

• Listeners’ Choice Award (Tanga – 2026)

Nominations

Awit Awards

• Favorite Group Artist (2022)

Nylon Manila

• Favorite New Song of December (Kaya – 2021)
• Favorite Rookie P-Pop Group (2023)

P-pop Music Awards

• P-pop Girl Group of the Year (2022)
• Choreography in a Live Performance (Walang Biruan – 2024)
• Music Video of the Year (Tanga – 2025)

Filipino Music Awards

• Pop Song of the Year (Tanga – 2025)

Rawr Awards

• Favorite Group (2022)

TikTok Awards Philippines

• P-pop Group of the Year (2022)

Village Pipol Choice Awards

• Group Performer of the Year (2023)

Perspective

KAIA make pop that wants you to stand a little taller. There is a real thread running from a name that means “you can” to breezy, self-assured songs about knowing your worth, dusting off a bad romance, or simply letting yourself fall. Watching five friends turn idol-style discipline into genuine warmth, and carry P-pop from Manila stages all the way to India, is a quietly inspiring kind of fun.

Praise for the Artist

…a P-pop girl group that can give you the extra boost when you need that sonic encouragement on the daily.

– Lai Frances
14 Pinoy Pop Acts You Should Know: G22, Maki, KAIA, ALAMAT, & More
Grammy.com

If there’s one thing you need to know about KAIA, it’s that they never do things halfheartedly.

– Mayks Go
Walang Biruan: KAIA On Evolving As Songwriters, Working With Kindred, And Releasing More Music Soon
Billboard Philippines

Contact

• facebook.com/OfficialKAIA
• x.com/KAIAOfficialPH
• instagram.com/kaia.officialph
• youtube.com/c/KAIAOfficialPH
• tiktok.com/@kaiaofficialph

Bookings

• KAIA – ShowBT Philippines (management)

Listen

• Spotify – KAIA
• Apple Music – KAIA

Apple Music

On Instagram

Trivia

• KAIA’s fandom is called “ZAIA,” and the group’s official colors are cyan and magenta.
• Before KAIA, Sophia danced in the background of SB19’s “What” music video and performed with the competitive dance crew VPeepz.
• Leader Angela’s legal first name is actually “Charlotte” (Charlotte Angela Hermoso), the same first name as her bandmate Charlotte Secretario, even though the two are not related.
• Angela and Charice are twins.
• KAIA’s members hail from across the capital region: the Hermoso twins from Cavite, Alexa from Las Piñas, Sophia from Manila, and Charlotte from Quezon City.
• Their most-awarded single “Tanga” was written and produced by chart-topping OPM singer-songwriter Zack Tabudlo.
• “Tanga” also sparked a viral TikTok dance challenge built around clown and red-flag emojis, echoing the song’s story of a lovestruck fool who ignores the warning signs.

Posted: July 19, 2026