Honest relationship with fans keeps Bini in full bloom

Bini —Bini/FAcebook

There’s no doubt that the girls of Bini are some of the most talented and charismatic performers on the P-pop scene today. But more than their individual and combined abilities, one of the things that helps the group grow further as artists is their healthy relationship with their supporters.

As eager and devoted their fans (the Blooms) are, they’re far from being yes-men. And for that, Jhoanna, Sheena, Aiah, Stacey, Maloi, Gwen, Mikha and Colet couldn’t be more grateful.

“We’re transparent and open with our fans. We call each other out. If we see that they do something wrong, we tell them. In turn, if the Blooms see that we’re doing something wrong, they correct us. There’s a connection. We see them not only as supporters or fans, but as friends and family,” Maloi told the Inquirer at the Rakuten Viber Backstage Pass Live.

Formed in 2020 through ABS-CBN’s idol and artist training ground, Star Hunt Academy, Bini endeared themselves to the public with their bubbly personalities and, at times, hilarious antics. And these qualities shine through in their fun and impossibly catchy bops, like “Na Na Na” and “Lagi.”

Slowly but surely, Bini is starting to make some inroads overseas, especially after winning the International New Artist Song Award at the 2023 BreakTudo Awards in Brazil.

“At this point, our fans are like part of Bini already. We treasure them. They truly lifted Bini up,” Maloi said “Wala kami dito kung ’di dahil sa Blooms.”

What are some of your favorite encounters with the fans?

Colet: If we have out-of-town shows like in Cebu, the fans will really fly out. They even went to Bacolod and Sydney (Australia), last October.

Gwen: Even if our flight is at dawn, they will troop to the airport and wait for us—paalis man o pabalik.

Aiah: And they know even without announcement.

Maloi: Paano kaya nila nalalaman?

How does it feel having such a devoted following?

Sheena: That’s the goal—to attract Blooms who will support us. And we make sure that we reciprocate the effort they put into supporting us. Binabalik din namin ’yung pinaparamdam nila sa ’min. We’re grateful and happy. We don’t get tired of seeing and interacting with them during events.

But they also give you space.

Jhoanna: They respect our time. Sometimes, after working at ABS-CBN, they would just wait and wave at us from the other side of the street, because they know we’re tired from training.

Mikha: One time, I went to a cafe and saw a group of fans. But they told me not to mind them and just do my own thing.

Tell us about your latest singles, “Karera” and “Pantropiko.”

Mikha: “Karera” tells us that life isn’t a race. We shouldn’t always compare ourselves to others because we live life at our own pace. We all experience challenges at different times, at different ages. We want to tell everyone that no matter how old you are, you can still try and learn the things you want to do.

And is that something you can relate to? As we know, comparisons are inevitable in show biz.

Mikha: We were of different skill levels and experiences when we started training, so it was definitely something we can relate to. And if you watch the music video, you will see that each of us portrays her own insecurities.

And “Pantropiko”?

Maloi: A lot of people were puzzled why we came out with a summer single in December. Ito ‘yung trip namin! We believe that summer is not just a season, but a feeling. We want them to feel that summer vibe during the holiday season. It’s a feel-good song that anyone can listen to anytime, anywhere, any season.

You guys had a busy 2023.

Jhoanna: We didn’t have much breather; our schedule was so packed. We thought 2022 was already busy pero lumaban ang 2023. But of course, we’re hoping to be as busy this year. As long as there are project offers, we will take them, because we don’t really know how long all of this will last.

Gwen: It’s just us overthinking. We would wonder, “Next year, meron pa ba?”

Aiah: Especially since may kani-kanya din [kaming projects].

Maloi: Iniisip namin baka ‘di na kami maging close… Pero close pa rin kami!

Jhoanna is part of “Tabing Ilog: The Musical.” How was the experience?

Jhoanna: It was fun. It’s a new experience for me. But of course, the pressure was there, especially in the opening show. I was so scared because I wasn’t used to performing without Bini. It was rattling going up onstage. You start thinking, “What if I forget my lines? No one will back me up like Bini does.”

So how did you all find it?

Maloi: Ang galing mo! ‘Yun lang ang gusto niyang marinig!

Sheena: Sa ibang parts lang medyo need pa ng…

Everyone: (laughs)

Colet: But when we go see each other’s shows, we just cry and cry. When we all watched “Tabing Ilog,” we ended up crying whenever Jhoanna appeared.

Maloi: We were so proud. We’re like mothers. “Anak ko ‘yan”—that’s how we felt.

Do you think projects outside Bini can also be helpful, creatively?

Gwen: Lahat naman pwede, if ever.

Jhoanna: Of course, we will never neglect Bini. But I do hope that everyone gets an opportunity [to do her own projects].

How does it feel winning at the BreakTudo Awards 2023 in Brazil?

Jhoanna: That’s another unexpected thing that happened. We used to see our fans on Twitter urging everyone to support us. But we didn’t imagine we would win. And we didn’t realize that it’s quite a big award in Brazil.

Colet: We were so amazed. At least, someone knows us in Brazil. I hope we can visit and perform for them in the future.

Hopefully more awards soon?Jhoanna: Kung ano ang ibigay ni Lord.

Sheena: Kung ano po ang available!

Colet: Kapag may award para sa pinakamaaga…

Gwen: At on time…

Maloi: Bini na po ‘yan!

Any festival or event you want to be part of?Jhoanna: Coachella? Wow, ang taas! Pero mag-manifest tayo.

Colet: Sa Sinulog na lang!

Sheena: Sa Balamban (Cebu)!

Gwen: Sa Bicol!

Colet: Grammys! Malay mo… Pero baka “Granny” na lang!

The P-pop scene has been really thriving as of late. How do you feel about that?

Jhoanna: We’re so happy. When we debuted, not a lot of people had an idea what P-pop was. But now, we see it in mainstream music. You see events with P-pop representation… We hope more events collaborate with and feature P-pop acts.

Mikha: I hope Filipinos continue to support more P-pop groups. Many people are used to K-pop, but I hope they can also support our own. INQ