BINI members (from left) Sheena, Gwen, Jhoanna, Mikha, Maloi, Colet, Stacey, and Aiah. Image: Courtesy of Star Music
In a time where women are taking charge of their destiny, BINI has emerged at the forefront of young Filipinas looking for inspiration to keep going. Their smash hit “Pantropiko” catapulted the eight-member girl group into superstar status, and the throng of screaming fans, outpour of activities, and a solo concert on the way is a sign of their stars shining brighter.
The Filipino girl group — consisting of Jhoanna Robles, Aiah Arceta, Colet Vergara, Maloi Ricalde, Gwen Apuli, Stacey Sevilleja, Mikha Lim, and Sheena Catacutan — was launched to the public in June 2021. A string of songs including “Da Coconut Nut,” “Born To Win,” “Golden Arrow,” “Na Na Na,” “Lagi,” “I Feel Good,” and “Karera” were added to their discography, which is akin to BINI exploring genres before finding their sound.
“Ang dami naming in-explore na genre, to be honest. Nag-‘Born To Win’ kami, then biglang nag-cutesy,” Gwen recalled in an interview with INQUIRER.net. “But when we started with ‘Lagi,’ pumatok na siya sa tao. Nag-boom din ang ‘Na Na Na’ sa Tiktok.”
This, in turn, dawned on the group that it was the sign they found their niche. But the group’s leader Jhoanna said they’re open to exploring more genres that showcased their identity as empowered Filipinas.
BINI members (from left) Maloi, Colet, Gwen, Stacey, Aiah, Sheena, Mikha, and Jhoanna in a concept photo for “Salamin, Salamin.” Image: Courtesy of Star Music
Empowering women
Apart from their music, BINI’s on- and off-screen personalities — playful, witty, and energetic — made a mark on social media. This led to a stream of people (particularly K-pop fans) joining their fanbase or Blooms. Colet admitted there’s “pressure” in the attention, but they would rather focus on enjoying the journey.
“Never naming tinake [as a way] na kailangan naming maging ganito. Tame pa rin naman kami,” she said while laughing. Stacey also chimed in, saying, “Pero hindi naman kami conscious!”
Colet nodded in agreement with Stacey’s words. She said the group doesn’t want to be too conscious about what the public thinks of them. “Hindi namin iniisip na dapat kung ano sinasabi ng mga tao, dapat gan’un kami. Gusto naming mag-enjoy lang. Kahit ganito na ‘yung [reach] namin, gusto naming i-enjoy siya.”
BINI members (from left) Colet, Stacey, Maloi, Aiah, Mikha, Sheena, Jhoanna, and Gwen. Image: Instagram/@bini_ph
BINI’s growing influence also led them to be invited as guests to special events, including ones that focus on women’s empowerment and other issues that matter. Among their recent appearances was at the Billboard Philippines Women in Music Awards where they bagged the Rising Star award.
“As a young woman in the industry, I feel empowered that we’re considered to talk about important topics,” Colet said. “It hit me with a realization that we have a responsibility as public figures and our voice matters. No matter how small.”
One of the shining examples of BINI’s influence is their passion to push for women’s empowerment. Since their debut, they introduced themselves as Filipinas who “aspire to share their talent with the world.” This led to the group putting female power at the center of their performances, interviews, and other ventures — whether it’s showing the realities of what it means to be a woman or releasing an album that shows what they’re advocating for.
“Talaarawan,” which was released on International Women’s Day on March 8, is another example of the group’s message to uplift women. “We are very vocal about women empowerment,” Sheena said. “It feels amazing na na-deliver namin ‘yung message with them na babae sila at hindi babae lamang. We want them to realize their worth as a woman and how amazing and beautiful they are. We want to continue inspiring more people in the future.”
Despite their growing fame, Maloi and Aiah are also aware that “balancing out [their] well-being” while reaching their “full potential” was not a walk in the park. However, they make it a point to remind themselves that it’s okay not to be at their best all the time.
“What allows us to stay true to ourselves is acknowledging that we are not just artists, but are human beings who are imperfect,” they said. “By acknowledging these flaws, we become authentic to ourselves. This allows us to remain grounded, allowing us to become better persons and artists.”
Jhoanna, on the other hand, confessed that there were moments when they dealt with problems plaguing their mental health. But they find strength in the artists they’re inspired by to persevere and keep going.
“We read many posts saying we helped [fans] deal with their mental health issues. Even us, we reached that point, na sa mga idol naming artists kami kumukuha ng inspirasyon to keep going. When there are times we feel exhausted and we want to give up, we just think about the people who hold on to us. So why would we stop?” she said.
Empowering each other
For BINI, being the “Nation’s Girl Group” is more than just attracting new fans, releasing music, or welcoming people into their safe space with fellow Blooms. They also find strength in each other as they navigate the ups and downs of the P-pop industry.
“I feel empowered every time I look at the girls during training, hardships, breakdowns, and good times. It’s not easy being a woman in this industry. We have a lot of standards we have to fit in, emotions to hide, insecurities to mask,” Mikha said. Despite this, she finds strength in being in a group of women who fight for the same cause as hers.
“When I look at the girls, I feel amazed. I’m glad to be working with women who fight for a cause, and who have voices and will use these voices for good,” she continued.
BINI members (from left) Mikha, Sheena, Maloi, Colet, Aiah, Gwen, Stacey, and Jhoanna in a concept photo for “Pantropiko.” Image: Courtesy of Star Music
Stacey, meanwhile, said she’s thankful to be with people who have her back. “The people around me help me push myself. It’s really helpful to surround yourself with good people who will genuinely encourage you,” she said.
For her part, Aiah expressed her gratitude to those who remind her that she can do and accomplish more. “May times na hindi talaga mawawala ‘yung doubt sa sarili mo.”
“There are even times when you feel lost,” she further added. “For us, we’re grateful we have a whole team with us so even if we feel alone, we have the management, coaches, and the girls who can encourage us that we’re capable of doing more than we can do.”
BINI members (from top left) Sheena, Mikha, Stacey, and Aiah; (from bottom left) Colet, Jhoanna, Maloi, and Gwen in a concept photo for “Talaarawan.” Image: Courtesy of Star Music
When asked about being the leader of BINI, Jhoanna said she doesn’t consider it to be overwhelming. It might have been a daunting task to lead the group, knowing that she is the second youngest member. However, being together for five years has allowed her to learn and be inspired by her members.
“Hindi naman mahirap maging leader ng BINI. Sa five years na magkasama kami, mas marami pa akong natututunan sa kanila,” said Jhoanna. Her members and the writer then looked at her with teasing expressions which led her to say, “Huy, totoo ‘yun!” while holding back her laugh.
“Lahat kami may quality [na na-gain] from each other kaya thankful ako. Naga-adjust sila, sobrang babait, marunong naman silang sumunod. Wala namang problem. May mga away pero part ‘yun ng journey namin,” she continued.