Why P-Pop girl group BINI was 'Born To Win'
BINI was never short of competition, but it was always Born To Win.
The P-Pop act, of all possible times to debut, did so during the peak of the pandemic years. Aside from Pinoy pop, the girl group also dabbled in teen pop, electronic dance, and bubblegum music—all of which are genres already saturated by both Western and K-pop groups.
BINI entered a crowded market with no guarantee that it would stand a chance against established groups both locally and abroad. In theory, the P-Pop group was boxing with a higher weight class with fewer opportunities, fewer resources, fewer exposure. The girls had one chance and they took it.
Active since 2020 and debuting in 2021, BINI has already made a name for itself as a group of P-Pop representatives showing the best of what the Philippines has to offer.
"It has been a challenging but very exciting journey for us, that’s for sure," BINI told PhilSTAR L!fe in an exclusive interview.
"Knowing that there are so many talented artists in the local pop music scene, we always push ourselves to show up and give our best in our craft. We remind ourselves that we must always work hard and improve continuously. We also make it a point to pour ourselves into our craft and create music that takes root in ideas that really matter to us. We owe our growth within the P-Pop scene to being authentic and passionate about the songs we create," they added.
Collecting around 128,000 monthly listeners, BINI has produced hit after hit, with Na Na Na becoming their most-streamed track overall against other earworms like Lagi and Huwag Muna Tayong Umuwi.
How did the girls manage to achieve this feat in such a short span? The answer lies in their branding.
We want to be able to communicate the Filipino spirit and artistry through our releases and to make our listeners appreciate the Pinoy culture, wherever they may be from.
The group's vision is to "embody the idea of a modern Filipina—sweet, fierce, independent, and informed." While one might assume that having such a goal would translate to nationalistic lyrics, contrived flag-bearing, and other patriotic behavior, BINI decided to go the organic route by having the members be themselves: a hundred percent and then some more, unapologetically.
"Because of that, we always incorporate local themes and our roots into our songs. For us, it’s a matter of really speaking from the heart through our music. We want to be able to communicate the Filipino spirit and artistry through our releases and to make our listeners appreciate the Pinoy culture, wherever they may be from," the girls explained to L!fe.
Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha, Sheena, and Jhoanna are trained singers and performers who rose from ABS-CBN's Star Hunt Academy.
The unique selling point isn't only their music, it's them.
They didn't need to carve out a niche genre to box themselves in just to stand out. All eight of the girls ooze star power from head to toe, whether when it's setting a stage on fire or killing it a photoshoot.
"It may sound cliche, but for us, the secret to success is to always keep going. As a P-Pop group, there will be a lot of training and rehearsals that will happen routinely. The journey might be challenging, but it is the best route to grow. Make sure to capitalize on your training and your learnings from challenges to improve and achieve your goals as a group. And always remember to uplift and support each other within the team," BINI advises other aspiring acts.
Poised to lead by example as one of the country's leading P-Pop acts, BINI is now set on global stardom.
They were recently launched as part of the Philippine artist lineup of Spotify RADAR.
"We feel that the growing popularity of our music isn’t just a boost for us, but a boost for the genre itself. P-Pop is now one of the genres to watch out for, and more fans are now tuned in to local music. We’re so excited to be representing P-Pop in this year’s Spotify RADAR slate. We can’t wait to amplify the sound of P-Pop music to more Filipinos and to a global audience," BINI celebrates.
The digital music service's global artist development program uplifts emerging artists on the global and local stages, empowering them to connect with new audiences and fans. Specifically, Spotify RADAR enables borderless access for Filipino artists to be discovered by new audiences.
Through Spotify, the girls learned their streams have jumped to 7.5 million and reached 164 countries.
They expressed excitement in seeing the local music scene grow, hoping to share their blessings with other aspiring artists like them to also find similar success and exposure.
"Exposure is also key in reaching more listeners. We’re fortunate that the industry is so supportive of us emerging artists," they said. "We always encourage fellow Filipino artists to not be afraid to try, seek out opportunities and always be the most vocal advocate of their craft."
