Who Are BINI?

BINI is an eight-member Filipino girl group formed through Star Hunt Academy, Filipino broadcast network ABS-CBN’s televised idol training program. Their name derives from the Tagalog word binibini, meaning "young lady," and is intended to represent modern Filipino women, described as a mix of "sweet," "confident," "independent," and "informed."

The eight members are Aiah (Maraiah Queen Arceta), Colet (Ma. Nicolette Vergara), Maloi (Mary Loi Yves Ricalde), Gwen (Gweneth Llaguno Apuli), Stacey (Stacey Aubrey Sevilleja), Mikha (Mikhaela Janna Lim), Jhoanna (Jhoanna Christine Robles), and Sheena (Sheena Mae Catacutan). Together, they have achieved over one billion streams on Spotify, won the Billboard Philippines Women in Music Rising Star Award, and been included in Forbes Asia’s 30 Under 30.

How BINI Were Formed

The group’s origin story begins with Laurenti Dyogi, head of entertainment production at ABS-CBN, who proposed establishing a training camp for young performers, à la K-pop shows. In 2018, ABS-CBN launched Star Hunt Academy with 250 auditionees between the ages of 16 and 19 from all over the Philippines. From this pool, 12 female trainees were selected, eventually trimmed to eight.

The road to debut was not straightforward. The Star Hunt Academy project was affected by the shutdown of ABS-CBN’s free-to-air broadcasting in May 2020 and the denial of their franchise renewal. Despite these difficulties, management decided to continue, hoping the venture would eventually help rebuild ABS-CBN. The group pressed on through the uncertainty, training through a pandemic inside Camp Star Hunt, and officially debuted on June 11, 2021.

During the interview process, Jhoanna described the early days of the group: "All members come from different provinces and grew up with different backgrounds. At first, it was not an easy adjustment for everybody. We had a lot of fights and disagreements. But as we got to know each other and learned to appreciate each other’s individuality, we became closer and like true sisters."

What Is P-Pop — And What Makes BINI's Sound?

P-pop — Pinoy pop — is an amalgamation of original Filipino musical traditions with international influences, drawing from K-pop’s idol system while maintaining a distinctly Filipino identity. BINI's earlier songs leaned toward bubblegum and teen pop, but their sound has evolved to include electropop and hip-hop, evident in summer anthems like "Pantropiko" and "Bikini."

The group’s musical inspirations span Sarah Geronimo, BLACKPINK, TWICE, Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, and Dua Lipa. Their songs frequently blend Taglish (a mix of Filipino language Tagalog, and English) with members moving fluidly between singing and rapping. The choreography draws from both contemporary dance and traditional Filipino dance flourishes, with rhythms informed by Filipino tribal roots.

Why BINI Are So Big In The Philippines

BINI surpassed one billion streams on Spotify in 2025, and are known in the Philippines as the Nation’s Girl Group — a title that reflects both their commercial dominance and their cultural significance. Their BINIverse concert at the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City sold out three nights, with tickets going in under two hours each time. They then scaled up to the Araneta Coliseum for the Grand BINIverse, selling out three consecutive nights there as well — making them the first local act to stage a solo concert at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan.

Their cultural footprint extends beyond music. The group has expressed support for the LGBTQ+ community and has used concert proceeds to support typhoon relief efforts through the ABS-CBN Foundation. In 2026 they launched their own cosmetics brand, and are brand ambassadors for Samsung, Shopee, and Jollibee, among others.

BINI’s Coachella Debut

BINI made their Coachella debut on the Mojave stage on April 10, performing a 45-minute, 10-song set. They took the stage wearing salakots, traditional conical Filipino hats, and on weekend 2, ended their set with the Filipino flag displayed behind them.

The first weekend’s set opened with the Taglish-sung "Shagidi," with choreography that wove contemporary dance with traditional Filipino flourishes and staccato rhythms informed by Filipino tribal roots. They debuted "Blush" and "Bikini" live for the first time, and closed with certified hit "Pantropiko." The crowd chanted "BINI, BINI" a full half an hour before they arrived onstage, and fans wore Filipinianas, Filipino sun jewelry, and waved Philippine flags throughout the set.

When the Hollywood Reporter’s Nicole Fell asked them to describe the experience in one word, Colet offered: "Her-story." The other members agreed.

BINI’s Coachella Dream

Stacey, speaking to Harper’s Bazaar Singapore ahead of the performance, said: "Coachella is a manifested dream. We are very grateful to be given an opportunity to represent the Filipino artist on this stage. We hope that this will be the start of more Filipino artists on the world stage. I hope more people will discover and love Filipino music."

BINI has announced Singapore as one of the stops on their Bini Signals World Tour 2026, kicking off June 20 in Manila.

Note: This article has been updated to include corrected sources for original quotes.