Bini (group)
Bini officially debuted on June 11, 2021, with their single, "Born to Win", after two years of training under Star Hunt Academy. Before their debut, the group released a pre-debut single, "Da Coconut Nut", on November 20, 2020. The group has since then gained wide recognition and has been dubbed the "Nation's Girl Group" due to its significant impact on the public and Philippine pop music. They became the first Filipino pop group with the most monthly listeners on Spotify, the first to top the Billboard Philippine Songs chart. They are also the first to receive the Billboard Philippines Women in Music "Rising Star" Award.
On June 9, 2024, Bini entered the Top Artist Global Chart on Spotify at 193rd place, making them the first Filipino artists to achieve this record. They also became the first Filipino act to top the Spotify Philippines' Daily Top Artists chart on June 14, dethroning Taylor Swift.
Name
The group's name was taken from the Tagalog word binibini, which means "young lady", a nod to the group's vision to "embody the idea of a modern Filipina – sweet, fierce, independent, and informed".
Fandom
Fans of Bini are known as "Bloom(s)", commonly stylized as BL∞M(S) with the infinity symbol replacing the Os taking inspiration from the group's tagline "Walo hanggang dulo" (Eight until the end). The name is derived from Bini's experiences and has been described as standing for the "beginning of springtime that there is always beauty after every cold trial". It was chosen by the Bini members among the name suggestions of fans during a special announcement livestream on February 13, 2021.
History
2018–2020: Formation through Star Hunt Academy
As part of his belief that "the Filipino talent has a place on the global stage", Laurenti Dyogi, ABS-CBN's Head of Entertainment Production, thought of forming a training camp where youth aspiring to become superstars "can develop or further hone their talents." In 2018, ABS-CBN launched the Star Hunt Academy program, which had 250 auditionees between the ages of 16 and 19 years old from all over the Philippines. From this pool of auditionees, in addition to recommendations from talent scouts, the first set of female Star Hunt Academy trainees were selected, which was originally composed of 12 girls. While Dyogi initially planned to debut a nine-member idol girl group, the 12 girl trainees were eventually trimmed down to eight girls: Maraiah Queen "Aiah" Arceta, Nicolette "Colet" Vergara, Mary Loi "Maloi" Ricalde, Gweneth "Gwen" Apuli, Stacey Aubrey Sevilleja, Mikhaela "Mikha" Lim, Sheena Mae Catacutan, and Jhoanna Robles. Of the eight members, two—Sheena and Gwen—were originally housemates from Pinoy Big Brother: Otso.
The group was trained from 2018 to 2020 under local coaches, including the professional vocal coach and former chair of the Department of Voice, Music Theater and Dance at the University of the Philippines College of Music, Kitchy Molina, and Austrian-born dance coach Mickey Perz, as well as South Korean coaches from MU Doctor Academy.
On August 3, 2019, the group as SHA trainees was initially introduced in the online pre-show of the PBB Otso Big Night, in which they first performed and debuted as Star Hunt Academy trainees. They also performed at their first mall show in Taguig and at least two ABS-CBN events. They also appeared at a 2019 National Youth Commission event, where they were proclaimed as Youth Ambassadors, and at the 2019 Manila Southeast Asian Games thanksgiving celebration.
In May 2020, Dyogi released a performance practice video of the group singing and dancing to "Ngiti" (Smile) by Young JV and Gary Valenciano on Twitter to show their progress in training. In August 2020, the group participated in the Philippine K-pop Convention's Happy Hallyu Day 4 event, performing K-pop dance covers, including Red Velvet's "In & Out", Blackpink's "How You Like That" and Twice's "More & More".
2020: Pre-debut activities, "Da Coconut Nut"
For Bini's pre-debut single, MU Doctor Academy and South Korean music production group Vo3e collaborated to transform national artist Ryan Cayabyab's popular novelty song "Da Coconut Nut" into an electropop remake. In addition, MU Doctor Academy collaborated with choreographers Moon Yeon-joo and Kwak Seong-chan, who formerly worked with popular K-pop groups, to create the choreography.
On November 6, 2020, the official lyric video for their remake of "Da Coconut Nut", which also served as their pre-debut single, premiered on the group's official YouTube channel following the release of various teasers and the announcement of their group name, Bini. The official music video then premiered on November 20. On November 21, Bini performed their first live performance of "Da Coconut Nut" on the noontime variety show It's Showtime.
On December 4, Bini signed a contract with Star Magic and Star Music.
2021–2022: Debut with "Born to Win"
On May 4, 2021, Bini released their first official debut teaser through a QR code leading to an image that reads "Are you ready for the Biniverse?" This was then followed by multiple teasers leading to their debut. In the same month, their music label, Star Music, announced the group's official debut with a single entitled "Born to Win", which was released on June 4.
On the same day as the release of "Born to Win", the group had the first part of their debut launch Bini: The Runway, which was held via KTX.PH. The Runway brought together fashion and music as the group donned creations that were specially designed for each Bini member by renowned Filipino designer Francis Libiran. On the same day, Metro released an article about the group's debut, which included pictures of the girls showcasing their Libiran-made outfits in their Metro photoshoot.
The second part of Bini's debut launch, The Showcase was held on June 11, where Bini interacted with fans and treated them to a mini-concert experience, performing "Da Coconut Nut" and "Born to Win". They also conducted three unit performances: Gwen and Sheena performed KZ Tandingan’s "Tagu-Taguan", Colet, Jhoanna, and Maloi sang Janine Berdin’s "Biyaya", while Aiah, Stacey, and Mikha debuted their rap song "World War C", their original composition about having strength amid the pandemic. The Showcase also lets fans in on the personal journey of each Bini member and footage of the girls’ rigorous training sessions under ABS-CBN's Star Hunt Academy. That same day, the official music video for "Born to Win" premiered on The Showcase, as well as Bini's official YouTube channel. On June 13, Bini performed "Born to Win" as part of their first live performance as a debut group on ASAP.
In August, the group participated in the Philippine K-pop Convention's Happy Hallyu Day 5 event, performing dance covers of various K-pop songs in addition to "Born to Win".
Following the release of their debut single, Bini released their third official single entitled "Kapit Lang" (Hold On) on September 10. The official music video premiered on Bini's official YouTube channel at midnight. On September 30, at the Miss Universe Philippines 2021 pageant, Bini performed a modified version of "Born to Win". The song was also used as the official song for the pageant's preliminary swimsuit and evening gown competitions.
In February 2022, the group was featured on the cover of the Dubai-based magazine Xpedition as "The Burgeoning Grace" which made Bini one of the first Filipino celebrities, alongside brother group BGYO, to have an NFT magazine cover and the first in the Middle East region to be launched through the Metaverse.
On September 29, Bini released their sophomore studio album Feel Good, which consisted of five original songs and two bonus tracks.
2023–present: Domestic success, "Pantropiko" craze and Talaarawan
In late 2023, Bini released the singles "Karera" (Race) and "Pantropiko" (Tropical) as their pre-release singles to promote their first extended play (EP) Talaarawan (Diary). "Karera" subsequently became popular in school graduation ceremonies due to the resonance of its themes and lyrics among students, while "Pantropiko" gradually rose to land at first place in the Spotify Charts’ Daily Top Songs for the Philippines list in April 2024 and became regarded as a summer anthem in the Philippines.
On March 8, 2024, Bini released Talaarawan, consisting of six songs including "Karera" and "Pantropiko". The group's decision to release the record on International Women's Day was intended to be in alignment with their advocacy for women's empowerment. Bini's success started when "Pantropiko" went viral on TikTok, with millions of users joining what became known as the "Pantropiko Dance Challenge". By the end of March, Bini had more than two million monthly listeners on Spotify, making them the highest-streamed female OPM artist, as well as the most-streamed P-pop group in the country.
Bini and Star Music announced that the group will have their first major solo concert scheduled on June 28, 2024, at the New Frontier Theater. The solo concert, which is titled "Biniverse", also serves as a celebration as the group, which became dubbed the "Nation's Girl Group" celebrated their third anniversary in the industry. Tickets went on sale on April 2, 2024, and sold out in less than two hours. Fans then clamored for an additional date for the Biniverse concert. Some of the fans also advocated the transfer of the Biniverse concert to a bigger venue, specifically the neighboring Araneta Coliseum, with #WeWantBiniverseInAraneta becoming a trending topic on X. On April 4, due to public demand, the group announced that the Biniverse concert would have an additional date. Tickets for the additional date went on sale on April 9; minutes later, a third day was announced, which is widely considered to be an anniversary gift to their fans. The tickets for the additional dates were also sold out in less than two hours. On June 18, iWantTFC announced that the third day of the Biniverse concert would be streamed on their platform.
Alongside fellow P-pop girl group G22, Bini guested on the Chinese reality show Show It All hosted by Lay Zhang, showcasing performances of "Karera", "I Feel Good", and "Pantropiko" on the episodes aired on April 25 and May 2.
On May 30, Star Music announced that Bini will have their first North American tour. On June 1, Star Music announced dates for the tour in Vancouver on August 9, 2024, Edmonton on August 10, Winnipeg on August 16, and Toronto on August 17. A nationwide concert tour for the upcoming Biniverse concert was announced on June 2, which will be held in Baguio on July 6, Cebu on July 14, and General Santos on July 20.
In June, Bini entered the Top Artists Global chart on Spotify, reaching 193rd place. On June 10, Bini launched their website and announced plans to release a new single, titled "Cherry on Top", to be released on July 11, 2024. On June 11, the group held its first “National Happy Bini Day” at One Ayala in Makati to commemorate their third anniversary. On the 126th anniversary of Philippine independence on June 12, the group performed in festivities organized by the Philippine government at Quirino Grandstand, but had their performance cut short for safety reasons caused by unruly crowds that caused medical emergencies among some attendees. On June 14, Bini became the first Filipino artist to top Spotify's Daily Top Artists Philippines chart, surpassing Taylor Swift. A week later, they topped the Weekly Top Artists chart of Spotify Philippines. On June 23, the group held a five-kilometer fun run titled the “Bini Run” along Roxas Boulevard in Manila, during which more than 6,000 runners participated. On June 28 to 30, the Biniverse concert was held, during which the group performed their upcoming single, "Cherry on Top". Following the concert, Bini was given a Plaque of Recognition by the team of the New Frontier Theater for becoming the first Filipino girl group to hold three consecutive sold-out shows in the venue. In addition, Bini revealed that they would hold "The Grand Biniverse" concert on October 4 at the Araneta Coliseum.
Artistry
Bini is known for their music blending contemporary pop and traditional Filipino elements, creating a distinctive sound that appeals to a broad audience. They are known for their high-energy performances, intricate choreography, and vibrant visuals, which are influenced by K-pop aesthetics yet retain a distinct Filipino flavor. Their music often features catchy melodies and meaningful lyrics, as shown in their songs "Salamin, Salamin" (Mirror, Mirror) and "Pantropiko". Their EP, Talaarawan, was also praised for its luscious harmonies and adlibs, as well as for its witty and distinct tongue-and-cheek lyricism.
Bini's pre-debut single "Da Coconut Nut" (2020), was a genre-bending P-pop song that infuses the classic Filipino novelty song of the same name with electronic music influences. The iconic novelty song was given a new flavor, upbeat, fun, and light by Bini's version. The song was met with positive reception, with some praising the group's cohesive visual presentation and synchronized choreography, and unique approach to Filipino pop music. It has also been noted that the group's choice of songs and musical styles reflect a distinguishable Filipino identity.
Bini's 2022 song, "Huwag Muna Tayong Umuwi" (Let's Not Go Home Yet), became popular with listeners, particularly among the LGBT community for being a love song whose lyrics transcend gender boundaries, and was incorporated into the soundtrack of the 2022 romantic comedy film An Inconvenient Love.
Other ventures
Endorsements
Since their debut, Bini has been on several endorsement deals, reflecting their broad appeal and influence, especially among Gen Z consumers. In September 2022, they unveiled their collaboration with the cosmetic brand Maybelline by releasing their promotional single "Made for All". The song topped iTunes PH and was included in the New Music Friday editorial playlist of Spotify Philippines.
In February 2023, the feminine hygiene brand Modess unveiled Bini as their new ambassador. In July of the same year, the snack brand Super Crunch announced Bini as their new ambassador and released their official jingle "Super Crush". The group performed the song at their second-anniversary event at Ayala Malls in Nuvali, Santa Rosa, Laguna.
As of 2024, the group has signed multiple deals with well-known brands. In March 2024, Bini became one of the ambassadors of Samsung for their new Galaxy A series. On April 13 and 14, the group participated in Samsung's promotional event at SM North EDSA Annex in Quezon City. Later that month, the supermarket chain Puregold announced their collaboration with Bini. Puregold released a music video for their new promotional song "Nasa Atin ang Panalo" on May 25, a collaboration between OPM acts Bini, Flow G, SB19, and SunKissed Lola, with an exclusive music video of the group for the same song released on June 25. In addition, the supermarket chain also announced that they would hold a Thanksgiving concert on July 12 at the Araneta Coliseum. On May 28, as part of their effort to tap into the Filipino Gen Z market, the e-commerce company Shopee introduced Bini as its new brand ambassador. On June 17, the Filipino fast food chain Jollibee introduced Bini as its new ambassador. The announcement coincided with the launch of a new cheeseburger item, which was held at Trinoma in Quezon City.
Collaborations
In July 2022, Bini collaborated with Coca-Cola for the sixth season of Coke Studio Philippines. The group co-wrote the single "Love Yourself" with a fan, and it was released as part of the Coke Studio Fan Fusion EP. The season was the first to introduce collaborations between artists and fans.
In October 2023, Bini had another collaboration with Coca-Cola for Coke Studio Philippines' seventh season. The group worked with the hip-hop group PlayerTwo for the season, performing a reimagined rendition of Iñigo Pascual and Ron Henley’s "Bata, Kaya Mo!" (You Can Do It, Kid!), a song from Coke Studio Philippines' third season.
Philanthropy
On November 16, 2019, as the Youth Ambassadors of National Youth Commission, the group took part in the 2019 FitFil Youth Against Drugs (and Obesity) campaign to promote healthy living among the youth. The event was held at the SM Mall of Asia by the Bay.
On November 28, 2020, Bini participated on a virtual fundraising concert entitled #TikTokTogetherPH hosted by TikTok Philippines for the benefit of Generation Hope, World Vision, the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), and Balcony Entertainment along with other artists and vloggers in the Philippines.
On December 8, 2020, Bini along with the boy group BGYO held a joint auction charity event called #BinificiaryAucSHAn for the benefit of Typhoon Ulysses (Vamco) victims. The project ended up raising a total of ₱125,642, from the groups' auctioned trainee shirts, as well as several other belongings and from the fund raised via Kumu. All the proceeds were donated to the Cagayan and Isabela relief operations through ABS-CBN Foundation – Sagip Kapamilya. On December 20, the group, alongside other P-pop idol groups, performed on ABS-CBN's "Ikaw ang Liwanag at Ligaya: The ABS-CBN Christmas Special" pre-show entitled KTnX ang Babait Ninyo: ABS-CBN Christmas Special Fundraising Show, a benefit show for the survivors of Typhoons Rolly and Ulysses.
On March 28, 2021, the group was invited to perform on Positive Vibes for the Positive+, a benefit concert organized by the award-winning director Cathy Garcia Molina for NICKL Entertainment via Kumu, along with other artists from Pinoy Big Brother, Star Magic, Polaris, Star Hunt Academy and BGYO.
Bini has also expressed support for the LGBT community, citing their support for them at an event with Filipino drag queens in Quezon City in May 2024.
Webcast
On March 15, 2021, ABS-CBN announced that they were partnering with the Filipino social networking service Kumu to bring over 100 artists that will stream on the app, participate in Kumu campaigns, and get to interact with their fans more regularly on the platform, in what was described as the biggest celebrity streaming partnership in the country. Among those who joined in the campaign were Bini.
Members
- Aiah – visual, main rapper, sub vocalist
- Colet – main vocalist, lead rapper, lead dancer
- Maloi – main vocalist
- Gwen – lead vocalist, lead rapper
- Stacey – main rapper, lead dancer, sub vocalist
- Mikha – main rapper, lead dancer, visual
- Jhoanna – leader, lead vocalist, lead rapper
- Sheena – main dancer, sub vocalist
Discography
- Born to Win (2021)
- Feel Good (2022)
Filmography
Concerts
Headlining concerts
- Bini: The Launch - The Runway and The Showcase
- Biniverse: The First Solo Concert
- The Grand Biniverse Live at the Big Dome (upcoming)
Showcases
| Date | Title | Country | Venue | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 22 & 29, 2020 | Happy Hallyu Day 4 | Philippines | Virtual | |
| August 28–29, 2021 | Happy Hallyu Day 5 |
Joint tours and concerts
| Date | Title | City | Country | Venue | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 26, 2021 | ALL FOR ONE (Canadian Multiculturalism Day): Celebrating Unity in Diversity
with AC Bonifacio, BGYO, Darren Espanto, Glisha, Kayla Rivera, rIVerse, and Southeast Cartel |
Canada | Virtual | ||
| November 6–7, 2021 | ONE DREAM: The Bini and BGYO Concert
with Special performances from AC Bonifacio, KZ Tandingan and Kritiko |
Philippines | |||
| December 3, 2021 | 1MX Dubai 2021 (Filipino Music Festival)
with Ez Mil, Bamboo, Moira, BGYO and Gigi de Lana |
Dubai | United Arab Emirates | Dubai World Trade Centre | |
| February 12–13, 2022 | ONE DREAM: The Bini and BGYO Concert Version 2022 | Philippines | Aired via live streaming through KTX.ph | ||
| April 9–10, 2022 | 2022 P-pop Con: The Ultimate P-pop Fan Gathering
(Convention and Concert) |
Convention: New Frontier Theater, Concert: Araneta Coliseum and simulcast via live streaming through KTX.ph | |||
| May 25, 2022 | A Light of Hope Virtual Concert: for the Youth, their Moms and Educators
with BGYO, John Arcilla, Ebe Dancel, Kiana Valenciano, Ice Seguerra and Ballet Philippines |
Aired via live streaming through Zoom, Facebook and YouTube | |||
| July 15, 2022 | TUGATOG: The Filipino Music Festival 2022 | Pasay | Mall of Asia Arena and simulcast via live streaming | ||
| July 22, 2022 | BE YOU: The World will Adjust Benefit Concert
with Red Velvet, BGYO and Lady Pipay |
Mall of Asia Arena | |||
| August 27, 2022 | HIH All Access: The He's Into Her Grand Finale Concert | Quezon City | Smart Araneta Coliseum | ||
| September 2, 2022 | Kumu is 4 U: A Birthday Concert | Taguig | Samsung Hall – SM Aura Premier |
Concert participation
- "#TikTokTogetherPH": A Virtual Fundraising Concert (2020)
- KTnX ang Babait Ninyo: The KTX Fundraising Christmas Special — P-Pop Rise (2020)
- Positive Vibes for the Positive+: Benefit Concert for NICKL Entertainment (2021)
- Coke Studio Concert Dagupan (2024; Halted midway due to medical emergencies involving attendees)
- Music Matters Live 2024 Singapore
- Musikalayaan: 126th Philippine Independence Day Concert (2024; Halted midway due to crowd control issues)
- Ang Pinaka: The SK San Antonio Grand Music Festival 2024
- Pride PH Festival: LoveLaban2Everyone (2024; Partially staged, but cancelled the rest of the event due to inclement weather)
Accolades
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Recipient(s) | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acervo Awards | 2022 | International Highlight | Bini | Won | |
| Awit Awards | 2021 | Favorite Group Artist | Nominated | ||
| 2022 | Best Music Video | Born to Win | Nominated | ||
| Best Performance by a New Group Recording Artist | Nominated | ||||
| People's Voice Favorite Group Artist | Bini | Nominated | |||
| People's Voice Breakthrough Artist | Nominated | ||||
| People's Voice Favorite Song | Na Na Na | Nominated | |||
| 2023 | Record of the Year | "Lagi" | Nominated | ||
| Album of the Year | Feel Good | Nominated | |||
| Record of the Year | "Kabataan Pinoy" (with SB19) | Nominated | |||
| Song of the Year | "Lagi" | Nominated | |||
| Best Performance by a Group Recording Artist | Nominated | ||||
| Best Collaboration | "Up!" (with BGYO) | Nominated | |||
| Best Collaboration | "Kabataan Pinoy" (with SB19) | Nominated | |||
| Best Pop Recording | "Lagi" | Nominated | |||
| Billboard Philippines Women in Music | 2024 | Rising Star Award | Bini | Won | |
| BreakTudo Awards | 2023 | International New Artist Song Award | Won | ||
| Diamond Excellence Awards | 2022 | Outstanding Female Group of the Year | Won | ||
| Excellent Filipino Awards | 2024 | National Outstanding P-pop Female Group of the Year | Won | ||
| Preview Creative 25: 2022 | 2022 | Most Promising Talent in Musician's Category | Honoree | ||
| P-pop Awards | 2022 | P-pop Icon of the Year | Won | ||
| P-Pop Girl Group of the Year | Nominated | ||||
| 2023 | Top Female Dancer of the Year | Bini Sheena | Won | ||
| Top Female Visual of the Year | Bini Aiah | Won | |||
| Top Female Leader of the Year | Bini Jhoanna | Won | |||
| Top Favorite Group of the Year | Bini | Won | |||
| Push Awards | 2020 | Push Music Personality of the Year | Nominated | ||
| 2023 | Push P-pop Group of the Year | Won | |||
| Rawr Awards | 2021 | Song of the Year | Born to Win | Nominated | |
| Favorite Group | Bini | Nominated | |||
| Fan Club of the Year | Bloom | Nominated | |||
| Saludo Excellence Awards | 2021 | Best Female Group | Bini | Won | |
| Tag Awards Chicago | 2023 | Band of the Year | Nominated | ||
| TikTok Awards Philippines | 2022 | P-Pop Group of the Year | Won | ||
| 2023 | Song of the Year | "Na Na Na" | Nominated | ||
| Wish Music Awards | 2021 | Wish Pop Song of the Year | Born to Win | Nominated | |
| 2022 | Wish Pop Song of the Year | "Golden Arrow" | Nominated |
Listicles
| Publisher | Year | Listicle | Placement | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teen Vogue | 2024 | 12 Girl Groups to Watch in 2024 | Placed |