Where Have the Girl Groups Gone?
The success of a girl group is a combination of many things, probably some luck and the right timing of course, but it can be boiled down to a certain dynamic. You need great choreography, at least one member with powerful vocals, distinct personality and individuality of each member, and lastly friendship! Or at least, the appearance of it…
The Spice Girls (Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown, Geri Halliwell, Melanie Chisholm), photographed by PA Photos, published on www.paphotos.com, via British Vogue.
The '90s were a decade of many things: AOL chat rooms, blockbusters everywhere, brown lipsticks, and no social media. It was also the decade that gave us arguably the most famous girl group of all time: The Spice Girls.
Debuting in 1994, the UK powerhouse took the world by storm until their breakup in 2001. While the group’s career was short-lived, they remain cultural icons, giving us not only memorable music but incredible fashion and pop culture moments. From Ginger’s iconic Union Jack dress to the infamous 1997 Spice World movie, breaking royal protocol with then-Prince Charles, and the more recent 2012 Olympic reunion closing show, there are countless moments that keep the Spice Girls’ legacy alive.
Created to fire back at the rising success of boybands such as *NSYNC, Boyz II Men, and the Backstreet Boys, The Spice Girls have undoubtedly paved the way for many other women in music. What may have started as a mere marketing scheme to capture the young female audience, turned into something very real and very impactful for women all across the world. They famously faced backlash in their careers for lacking talent, being “bimbos” and “manufactured”, yet continued to break records and sell out stadiums.
This is nothing new for female artists in the pop music industry. Pop has long been seen as a “lesser” genre of music, accused of swapping talent and lyrical depth for spectacle. Which of course, is not true at all. Just listen to Britney Spears’s “Lucky”, which delves into her struggles with fame, Charli XCX’s “Apple”, exploring generational trauma, or Chappel Roan’s “Good Luck Babe”, about the pains of denying queer love. Don’t judge a song by the genre, or something like that?
All of these artists, like The Spice Girls, embody a real sense of “Girl Power” and represent many facets of the female experience. Back then, it was revolutionary for young girls to see themselves in these ordinary women who became pop sensations. There was a Spice Girl for everyone - are you more of a Baby? A Scary? A Posh? The key was cohesion in their individuality. They were effervescent, cheeky, and carefree, and while many other groups have attempted to capture the world like they did, none have truly succeeded.
The 2000s brought us The Pussycat Dolls, who amped up the sex appeal and dance routines. However, their image unfortunately alienated the younger audience, and they struggled with the friendship dynamic of a group, or at least, like I said before, the appearance of it. There’s no doubt that all the members were talented, but the spotlight lacked room beyond Nicole Scherzinger and, occasionally, Melody Thornton when she squeezed her way in. Will we ever know what happened at the 2006 AMAs? While they never reached the heights of The Spice Girls, “Buttons”, “Don’t Cha” and “Stickwitchu” remain staples on our “going out” playlists.
The Pussycat Dolls strike a pose at the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2005. Photographed by John Roger’s via Getty Images.
In terms of star power, and vocal ability, Destiny’s Child, which debuted in 1996 but truly soared in the 2000s, has been the last group to leave a lasting impact. While Nicole Scherzinger did her best to anchor The Pussycat Dolls, no one commanded a girl group like Beyoncé. And that's nothing on Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, who both held their own, making the group a true powerhouse of talent. Destiny’s Child really had it all. They temporarily disbanded the same year Survivor came out, to focus on their solo careers. They reunited for their sophomore album Destiny Fulfilled, in 2004, but officially disbanded shortly after in 2005. They broke up on seemingly good terms and have reunited to perform several times since. Another insanely successful, but short run like The Spice Girls. Keeping a group together is always tricky, especially if each member is too talented, and that's a tough line to toe in the formation process.
Destiny’s Child’s Kelly Rowland, Beyoncé Knowles, and Michelle Williams looking fabulous in matching gold outfits performing on MTV’s TRL in 2001. Photographed by J. Shearer via POPSUGAR.
The 2010s saw the rise of hopefuls like the UK’s Little Mix and the US's Fifth Harmony, but neither group reached the same global success or iconic status as their predecessors. Audiences craved more star power, more solo artists, and got them. Girls groups weren’t sticking, so the US labels became more focused on individual talent. While the idea of a girl group sounds ideal, the reality is more complicated - your talent is maximized in a group, but the pressures are not always just on you. Not everyone wants to share the spotlight but who doesn’t want to rise to fame with their besties?
Blackpink’s Jisoo, Lisa, Rosè and Jenni before crushing their first headlining set at Coachella from @BlackpinkOfficial.df
This challenge, however, seemed to be unique to the US, as the K-Pop industry soared in Asia, producing groups like Girls’ Generation, 2NE1, Twice, and of course, Blackpink - some of the few among the hundreds of groups, to successfully break into the US market. While K-Pop continues to skyrocket, this particular type of girl group seems to have the best chance at global success. The key difference, as many agree, lies in the trainee process. Young girls spend years and years in rigorous vocal and dance training before making their debut, with some, sadly, never debuting at all. K-pop took the combination of singing and dancing to a whole new level. The songs are instantly catchy, often repetitive, but always punchy and powerful. The dance routines are nothing less than mesmerizing - each girl so perfectly in sync that you sometimes forget they’re human. It’s clear that K-pop has, in a way, perfected the girl group formula, and the expectations for the next global success are not what they were before. So who will rise to the challenge next?
It's inevitably time to mention a group that potentially could: KATSEYE. This group is a collaboration between South Korean record label HYBE and Geffen Records, making KATSEYE the first global girl group to enter the scene - a group trained in K-pop style, with members from all over, formed in the United States. The Netflix show, Pop Star Academy, documented the lengthy process to form this new group. Over almost two years, 20 girls were trained in hopes of being one of the six coveted members. In K-pop style, they trained for hours every day and were being carefully guided by both American and Korean execs. Watching this process unfold was eye-opening. Not all the girls could handle the pressure. When it was revealed that the show would turn into a public survival competition, where fans could vote off contestants, the stakes became unimaginable. The combination of intense training and public scrutiny created a high-pressure environment, making it clear that only the strongest would survive.
From left to right: Megan Skiendiel, Sophia Laforteza, Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Yoonchae Jeung, Manon Bannerman, styled by Humberto Leon, and Photographed by Andy Jackson for the LA Times.
What the show did enforce was the crucial connection between the girls and the fans. It wasn't enough to be the best singer or dancer - take Emily, a 19 year old from Texas who was easily the best dancer from day one but lacked fan support, and ultimately did not get chosen. Sometimes, being the best singer wasn't actually a plus, as the execs were looking for someone who could blend well with others rather than constantly outshine everyone else. What was most fascinating was watching the girls' development over time. Many started with limited skills in vocals and dancing, but stayed on throughout the show due to their potential, star quality, and visual appeal. Manon, for instance, made it into the final six. It was inspiring to see these girls turn their dreams into reality, and equally heartbreaking to see the girls who didn’t.
KATSEYE was created to ensure success with a combination of top-tier elements: impeccable choreography from BTS’s choreographer Son Sung-deuk, above-average vocals from members Lara, Sophia, and Yoonchae, and a built-in friendship forged by the show. The group boasts a remarkable level of individuality and diversity, featuring members from a variety of ethnicities and nationalities - including American, Filipino, Chinese, Hawaiian, Indian, Korean, Hispanic, and Ghanaian-Swiss backgrounds. With such a blend, KATSEYE has someone for everyone and is making history for representation in pop music.
KATSEYE during the making of their first music video for “Debut”. Photographed by Rahul Bhatt via Teen Vogue.
Their debut EP, SIS (Soft is Strong), came out August 16th. While they have received a lot of positive and also negative reviews, it's too early to tell what the future will hold for KATSEYE. They seem to have all the right ingredients for success and everything going for them, including viral choreography from their song “Touch”, which is currently being replicated on TikTok. But the big question remains: will they stand the test of time?
Out of all of this, what we can hope for is the resurgence of the girl group in western music because who doesn’t love a good girl group. Girl groups are significant because they celebrate the ups and downs of being a young woman, the importance of friendship, and the bonds we share, channeled in complex dance routines and catchy songs, obviously! If nothing else, girl groups are just plain fun. It's time to bring the fun back to pop music: the multi-part harmonies, the matching outfits, and the energetic performances. I have high hopes for the future of girl groups, particularly KATSEYE. It's about time for a new group to spice up your life, and the industry.
