Days after Gen Z Live Cebu, I listened to G22’s “Until When? (Kinakaya Ko Pa)” again.
The song had not changed, but the way I heard it had.
During the concert, the members talked about the self-doubt connected to the song. When I returned to the recording, I remembered what they had shared onstage. I felt the uncertainty and emotions more clearly than I had before.
That was what stayed with me most after attending my first live P-pop event. Seeing AJAA, VXON, and G22 in person not only allowed me to watch them more closely. It also helped me understand how much a live performance can change the way a listener connects with an artist and their music.
Gen Z Live Cebu was held on July 26, 2026, at Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino. The show started at around 7:30 p.m. and ended at approximately 10:30 p.m. P-pop girl group ARZA opened the program before the featured performances from AJAA, VXON, and G22.
All three groups brought something different to the event. They also stepped off the stage and moved through the audience during their respective sets, giving fans the chance to see and interact with them more closely.
Still, their performances left different impressions on me.
AJAA’s Youthful and Conversational Approach
AJAA’s set felt the most casual and conversational among the three.
The members were talkative and expressive between songs. Their personalities became part of the performance, especially when they responded to the crowd and kept the energy moving even when they were not singing or dancing.
They appeared comfortable talking to the audience, especially during the more playful and conversational parts of their set. Their energy felt familiar and approachable, like a group that genuinely enjoyed speaking with the people watching them.
AJAA also spoke about the projects they were preparing. They mentioned that they would soon hold their first concert and shared that their second EP, 4:ÜS, would be released on July 31, 2026.
Hearing the announcements directly from the members made the moment feel more exciting. It gave the audience a glimpse of what was coming next for them and showed that the group was looking forward to reaching another stage in their journey.
Their performance may not have felt as commanding as the more experienced groups that followed, but their strength came from a different place. They connected through openness, enthusiasm, and their willingness to show more of their personalities.
AJAA also moved into the audience during their set. Fans became louder as the members came closer, with many raising their phones and reaching out as they passed.
Their crowd interaction helped make their performance feel warmer and more personal.
AJAA
AJAA is a four-member Filipino P-pop boy group composed of Ash, JC, Axl, and Alex. Under Cornerstone Entertainment, the group is known for its youthful energy, catchy songs, and fun performances. AJAA debuted in 2023 with the EP 4 Ü and continues to grow with the support of their fandom, the Hanies.
View AJAA ProfileVXON Showed Their Experience on Stage
VXON’s set immediately felt more seasoned.
Their vocals, dancing, and stage presence showed the confidence they had built through experience. They looked more settled onstage and appeared comfortable controlling the pace of their performance.
Even between songs, they knew how to hold the crowd’s attention.
The members used Bisaya words and talked about missing Cebu. Hearing them use the local language made their interaction feel more personal to the Cebuano audience.
One of the loudest moments of their set happened during an energy check.
VXON divided the audience into competing sections and teased that some of the members might show their abs depending on which side could make the most noise. The crowd immediately responded, with both sides trying to become louder than the other.
The members later brought the attention back to the music and reminded the audience why everyone was there. The teasing remained playful, but it showed how well they could encourage a crowd and raise the energy inside the venue.
VXON also brought part of their performance into the audience. Seeing them leave the stage showed that they were comfortable performing even when the usual distance between artists and fans was removed.
The strongest part of their set for me was the final song, “The Beast.”
Before performing it, VXON explained that the song was important to them because it represented where everything began. Hearing that before the performance gave the song more meaning.
Ending with the track connected to their beginning gave their set a personal sense of closure. It also made me think about the confidence and experience they had developed since beginning their journey with that song.
VXON
VXON is a Filipino P-pop boy group under Cornerstone Entertainment composed of C13, Sam, Franz, Vince, and Patrick. The group debuted on January 7, 2022, with the single “The Beast” and is known as the Monsters of P-pop.
View VXON ProfileG22’s Performance Stayed With Me the Most
Out of the three groups, I felt most drawn to G22.
It was not only because I already liked their songs. Their vocals, dancing, and stage presence were impressive, but what stayed with me most was how openly they talked about the emotions behind their music.
Their set included songs such as “Pa-Pa-Pa-Palaban,” “Boomerang,” “Musika,” “Until When? (Kinakaya Ko Pa),” “Babalik,” “Filipina Queen,” “Groove On,” and “Super Saiyan.”
Their live vocals sounded strong, and their movements were sharp and powerful. Their confidence was easy to notice as soon as they performed.
However, the most meaningful parts happened when they spoke between songs.
The members connected “Until When? (Kinakaya Ko Pa)” with self-doubt. They also talked about the pain connected to “Super Saiyan.”
They did not present themselves as people who had never felt uncertain or hurt. Instead, they allowed the audience to see that those emotions were part of the stories behind their music.
I liked that they were willing to share their vulnerabilities and feelings openly.
That kind of honesty takes courage, especially when an artist is standing in front of an audience. It would have been easier to maintain a completely strong and confident image, but G22 allowed people to see another side of them.
Their openness made their confidence feel more real to me.
It also gave me the impression that they had been working on understanding themselves and the experiences they had gone through. That kind of self-awareness is something I value deeply.
The way they talked about their emotions made me feel that their songs were not only created to sound powerful. The music also came from their effort to understand their own doubts, pain, and growth.
After the emotional conversations, G22 knew how to change the mood again. They raised the energy and continued with livelier performances, keeping the set from remaining too serious.
They also joked about Cebu’s lechon and the food they had eaten backstage. These lighter conversations allowed the audience to see their playful side between the stronger and more emotional performances.
G22
Filipino girl group, vocalists, rappers, dancers, empowering performers
G22 is a Filipino P-pop girl group under Cornerstone Entertainment composed of AJ, Alfea, and Jaz. The group debuted on February 25, 2022, with the single “BANG!” and is known as the Female Alphas of P-pop.
View G22 ProfileHearing “Until When?” Differently
The impact of G22’s performance became even clearer after the concert.
When I listened to “Until When? (Kinakaya Ko Pa)” again, it hit differently.
I remembered the members talking about their self-doubt, and I felt those emotions more clearly in the song. I could hear the uncertainty and struggle behind the words in a way I had not fully understood before.
The song was already emotional, but knowing what they had shared onstage gave it more weight.
It made me realize that attending a concert can change the way a listener understands a song. The performance does not end when the artists leave the stage. Sometimes, it stays with you and changes what you hear when you return to the recording.
That was one of the reasons I became more attracted to G22 after the event.
Their openness made me want to understand their music more deeply. It also made me want to support them better, not only by listening to their songs but also by following their work and attending their future events.
“Musika” Brought G22 Closer to the Crowd
The most personal moment of the concert happened during “Musika.”
G22 stepped off the stage and moved through the audience while continuing the performance. Fans stood, raised their phones, and reached toward the members as they passed.
I was able to high-five AJ and record videos of the group while they were among the crowd.
It happened quickly, but it became one of the moments I remembered most clearly from the night.
I had already watched G22 through videos and online performances, but seeing them only a short distance away felt completely different. The high-five made the performance feel more personal and gave me a memory that could not have happened while watching through a screen.
“Musika” was already a song I enjoyed, but that moment gave it a new memory for me.
The Three Groups Came Together for “Dati”
After their individual sets, AJAA, VXON, and G22 returned to the stage together for the final performance.
They performed “Dati,” originally recorded by Sam Concepcion and Tippy Dos Santos featuring Quest.
After watching the groups perform separately throughout the night, hearing their different voices and personalities come together in a familiar OPM song gave the concert a warm and memorable ending.
After the finale, VIP ticket holders joined an official high-five session with the artists before leaving the venue.
My First Live P-Pop Event Will Not Be My Last
Gen Z Live Cebu was my first time attending an event of this kind.
Before that night, most of my experience with the groups came from listening to their songs and watching music videos, online clips, and recorded performances.
Seeing them live allowed me to notice things that recordings could not fully show. I saw how they talked when the music stopped, how they reacted to the audience, and how their personalities affected the way they performed.
The concert also showed me that enjoying a group’s music and connecting with the artists behind it can be two different experiences.
Among the three groups, I left feeling most connected to G22.
Their performance impressed me, but their openness affected me more. I admired their willingness to talk about self-doubt, pain, and the process of understanding themselves.
After the concert, I wanted to support them more. I now plan to attend G22’s next concert.
When I entered the venue, I was only curious about what attending a live P-pop event would feel like. When I left, I understood why fans continue returning.
The songs sounded different when the artists were standing in front of me and explaining where those emotions came from. Even after the lights were turned off, those stories remained.
Gen Z Live Cebu was my first live P-pop experience, but it will not be my last.
