For Black Gen Z’ers in the 2010s, many of our childhood playlists consisted of young Black heartthrobs like Mindless Behavior, Diggy Simmons, Jawan Harris, Jacob Latimore, and the OMG Girlz. Growing up a Zillennial who loved music, many of these names instantly rang a bell. Specifically for young girls, many of us remember seeing artists like Zonnique Pullins ( Star), Bahja Rodriguez ( Beauty), and Breaunna Womack (Baby Doll) inspired us to be bold with our hair as they popped out with bright colors and open a wave for young girls to express themselves through color. “Seeing so many young girls looking up to us inspired us,” Pullins tells GU.
You couldn’t talk about the rite of passage of Black girlhood without mentioning these artists. From the music they released to their looks, everyone wanted to be a part of the movement happening before us. Still, as we got older, so did many of these artists, who began to take their careers in a different direction. Like many of our beloved groups, from the OMG Girlz to Mindless Behavior, a hiatus seemed always to be a part of the cycle, and we hoped one day they would reunite with each other. After nine years, the group is back with music and on the Queens of R&B Tour, ready to show the world what this new chapter looks like now that they have entered adulthood.
As we attended their Chicago show, you could sense a new era was born as they came out in their signature pink, purple and blue hair. They performed songs from their classic “Gucci This (Gucci That)” to their new song “MOTION” (their favorite song to perform), bringing a new energy to the OMG Girlz. “[Tour] has been fun,” Rodriguez tells GU. “The coolest thing is us being adults and doing this and also being able to learn from all the women we’re on the road with.”
The conversation surrounding girl groups continues to be a central discourse topic online and in real life. Questions range from seeing the resurgence of groups to whether or not people even care about a group’s dynamic anymore. From their impact to what their journey meant to young Black girls, they continue to be grateful for what they could contribute to the Black girlhood experience. “It means the world to us and is very honoring that we had an impact on people’s lives,” Womack says. “To see where [fans] are now in life and see them embrace us the same way they did before, if not more, is a beautiful thing.”
Often, groups experience added anxiety when coming back with new music and whether or not the fans still cared. Still, the OMG Girlz embraced the organic transition period of seeing their impact and continued the journey with their fans. “Being able to set trends and show young Black girls who are now grown women that you can do whatever you want, we helped open the door for girls to express themselves how they want to,” Rodriguez says.
The group disbanded in 2015, allowing their personal lives to flourish and find their identity so that they could come back together in a new headspace for this new era. “Being in a group, there’s so much to learn from each other,” Pullins says. “We’re figuring out this new space we’re in and how we want to go about it, but we definitely [have plans] for new music, videos, more shows and take it full throttle as much as we can.”
As they gear up for a revamp of the new grown and sexy era of the OMG Girlz, they look forward to connecting with the fans and welcoming this new experience with open arms. “We’re excited for them to hear where we are in life now,” Womack says. “[The music] is more transparent, and [they] can relate because they grew up with us, so for them to turn on some music and they can be turnt up or going through a heartbreak, those same things [apply], but are in a new era from more mature women, but keeping the fun in the mix.”
About the Author: Kenyatta Victoria is the lead writer for Essence GU, working on all things pop culture, politics, entertainment and business. Throughout her time at GU, she’s garnered devoted readers and specializes in the Zillennial point of view.