BINI dubbed the ‘Nation’s Girl Group,’ recently renewed their contracts, extending their stay with network ABS-CBN and Star Music with a promise of new projects and more exciting activities for their fans, the BLOOMs. The contract signing was live-streamed from the Dolphy Theater in ABS-CBN, and millions of fans expressed their love through social media posts. I could not watch it live, but I watched the replay and was overwhelmed with emotions, just like the idols. I am so proud of them: Sheena, Jhoanna, Mikha, Stacey, Gwen, Maloi, Colet, and Aiah!
You can watch the livestream here.
Contents hide
1 The Journey So Far
2 Why the Renewal Matters
3 What’s Next for BINI?
4 The Impact on P-Pop
5 Takeaways

The Journey So Far

BINI was born out of the Star Hunt talent search of ABS-CBN, which was their arm for scouting talents for their various shows on the broadcaster[cm_simple_footnote id=1]. Starting in 2018 with Laurenti Dyogi, talents were featured in reality shows, including Pinoy Big Brother. The program launched P-Pop groups, and BINI was introduced in 2020 with their pre-debut song ‘Da Coconut Nut.’

In 2021, BINI debuted with the song ‘Born To Win‘ and properly started their journey to becoming a more known girl group in the Philippines. Since then, they featured various P-Pop events and kept producing music with their following and fanbase called BLOOM.

However, in 2024, BINI gained sudden renown as its hit song, ‘Pantropiko,’ went viral on social media, especially on TikTok[cm_simple_footnote id=2]. While the music was initially released in 2023, it exposed the broader audience to the girl group and gained more following in the coming months. Their inspirational song, ‘Karera,’ became the go-to graduation song for many graduates. Their singles ‘Salamin, Salamin‘ and ‘Cherry on Top‘ made waves and even reached international attention.

This sudden rise allowed BINI to become a household name and the members to be darlings of the Filipino people. This also made P-Pop reach new heights and has brought more casuals to the various fandoms, adding to the victories of the slogan ‘P-Pop Rise.’

Why the Renewal Matters

It would feel like the BINI contract renewal is like all the other contract signings by ABS-CBN, but it is a statement for the group and its impact on the Philippine music industry. The number of advertisers that have made BINI the face of their products can attest to how they can carry themselves and influence the purchasing public.

At the same time, it could not be denied that ABS-CBN, though considered a giant in the broadcasting industry, currently does not have the frequency to operate as a free-to-air channel, could still possess talents such as BINI makes a statement of their influence and how they are still a major brand in the country.

THe contract renewal also brought to mind the challenges and hardships that BINI members had to endure including the years fans say they were stuck in ‘nugudom,’ but now they are being taken care of a media giant. The increase in their fans shows the great promise of their careers outside the country and for many years to come.

Aside from the mentioned implications for BINI, this highly-publicized and hyped contract renewal puts P-Pop on the pedestal and allows for hope that many more groups would end up with the same fate: a strong media company backing them, a formidable fanbase supporting them, and a fruitful career that will meet them. It gives a chance to other up-and-coming groups, even those just starting, that media companies and the Filipino audience are ready for P-Pop to bloom fully.

During the event, ABS-CBN COO Cory Vidanes emotionally emphasized how BINI manifests the best Filipino talent that could be offered to the world. It also shows that the trust and continued investment in the company in these talented girls still bear great promise shortly.

Some netizens have even pledged with their contracts to celebrate this milestone:

It was also a chance for BINI members to thank their bosses, mentors, families, and even their bashers, as represented by BINI Aiah.

What’s Next for BINI?

2025 has a lot in store for BINI, including their concluded BINI Run Mun, an iteration of the BINI Run which started in 2024, now held in Muntinlupa City, and their upcoming song ‘Blink Twice’ which will be a part of their EP, which will also be released this year.

BINI will also start their ‘BINIverse World Tour 2025’ in the Phliippine Arena becoming the first P-Pop girl group to have a solo concert in the largest indoor arena in the world. This will be a post-Valentine’s event on February 15, followed by concerts in different places worldwide, including Europe and North America.

BINIverse World Tour 2025 is not their first concert tour abroad but will be the first one to feature performances in different continents. From BINI on Instagram (@BINI_ph). https://www.instagram.com/p/DFmLIpWxrk3/?hl=en
BINIverse World Tour 2025 is not their first concert tour abroad, but i will the first one to ure performers from different continents. From BINI on Instagram (@BINI_ph). https://www.instagram.com/p/DFmLIpWxrk3/?hl=en

The contract signing event also hiated on official and fanbase-led events like the BINI Day, anniversary events, and MINIVERSE. These upcoming events will ensure that BINI will continue to grow its artistry and be more engaging with its fans and hopefully allow them to have more admirers across the globe.

The Impact on P-Pop

I have repeatedly praised BINI as the group that opened my eyes to P-Pop and has influenced me to be more receptive to this music genre that, at one point, I tried to detest. They have been a significant force in bringing P-Pop to a broader audience despite the genre having its following even before the girls’ sudden boom.

As I have said above, this could be a great deal for other idols and the industry as more and more Filipinos become aware of P-pop and its promise in the Philippine music industry. The revitalization, though not entirely attributable to the girl group, has been given a significant push as more and more Filipinos listen to locally produced music.

At the same time, fans from other countries start to spring up, surprisingly, even in communities with no Filipino diaspora. As BINI’s influence is being celebrated, different groups could also be given the same level of attention, thus bringing the genre to the world map for the world to enjoy.

In this part of my post, we want to celebrate P-Pop to have the same level of support and vitality as K-pop and other pop music genres, but without support from the government and the masses, this will not be that fruitful. Here’s to hoping that this contract renewal also offers the government and other sectors a chance to invest more in our local pop scene and help Filipino musicians, P-Pop or not, produce high-quality music for everyone.

Takeaways

‘Karera‘ still rang in my mind while watching the replay and typing this post. The song was my gateway drug to BINI, and I have been hooked ever since. They said that their journey was a long and hard one, and I get that even though I encountered them while they were already widely known. I never thought I would sob as I watched the idols become emotional after signing their contracts. Still, the P-Pop movement has genuinely united the idols and fans to a shared experience, making this milestone even more special.

These are my takeaways from this event:

  1. BINI deserves all their successes because they overcame obstacles in their careers. This makes the fan experience even more worthwhile as their hard work reciprocates the support we give them. We might as reasonably expect more great things to come BIN’s way and support them all the way.
  2. The BINI girls will continue to grow in their careers, whether in music or other avenues they might choose. They are living models of strong Filipino women and will not just be BINI in the future. I expect them to be successful in all of their endeavors. With the kind of support their fanbase gives, it would be an exciting future for everyone.
  3. All P-Pop groups should be able to have this kind of experience, wherever they are right now or whoever they may be. P-Pop groups tend to survive their challenges because of grit and their dreams. While the spotlight is for BINI and some other groups today (which they rightfully deserve), I think that we should afford everyone the same kind of support, maybe not just because of their talents but also because of their courage to face the challenges of their dreams.

As fans, we must continue encouraging these dreamers to reach their potential. BINI is rising, but they are still reaching for their dreams. Others are also on their way. As fans, our small contributions, like streaming their music, attending their concerts, tweeting about them, purchasing their merchandise, or just being there, give great hope for the future of the OPM industry and for P-Pop to continually rise.

Congratulations, BINI!

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here