Being a nation’s girl group is no flighty title, especially since it comes with the responsibility of worldwide representation. True to their name, BINI — derived from the Tagalog word for “woman,” — chooses to center the modern Filipina in all her multiplicity. If their discography is any indication, she can be lovestruck and affectionate like in “Lagi” and “I Feel Good,” but also empowered and fierce a la “Strings” and “Born to Win.”
Their latest comeback “Blink Twice” leans towards the latter, despite the track’s sweet sonic flavor layered with their soaring harmonies. BINI knows they’re calling the shots and will make the first move on a romantic connection to prove it. Pretty on-brand messaging, considering the big moves they’ve been making as of late. Last year saw them debuting on the KCON stage with their bubblegum pop anthem “Cherry on Top,” making them the first and only group from their country to do so. BINI also topped domestic charts, with “Salamin Salamin” and “Pantropiko” sitting pretty at no. 1 and no. 2 for months on end. In a few days’ time, they’ll be the first domestic act to perform in the world’s largest indoor arena.
If you told the BINI members about these achievements just a few years prior, they might have passed out from the shock. In pre-pandemic times, Philippine pop had no clear-cut identity or consistent demand, making BINI’s debut in 2021 a gamble. Only eight out of 15,000 auditioners made the final cut, each hailing from a different province of the archipelago. Jhoanna, Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Mikha, Stacey, and Sheena are all stars in their own right. But together, they possess the magnetism of the tightest-knit girl gang you know. No wonder their Blooms love them so much.
A few days before the long-awaited release of “Blink Twice,” Teen Vogue caught up with the girls to chat about everything from fan theories, societal standards, and what else they have in store for fans this 2025 — and we have the exclusive premiere of the “Blink Twice” music video, below.
Aiah (24, visual and main rapper from Cebu): I’ve seen multiple on social media but one that really stood out to me involves this newspaper that was featured in the “Cherry on Top” music video, with a headline that says that there’s a fever going on in Cherry Town. [Fans think] that the fever or virus has evolved since and in “Blink Twice,” we’re trying to come up with a cure for it and we need help doing that.
There’s another one I find really cool, where we were likened to the elements of the periodic table. Since there are eight members in BINI, this person said that we’re trying to follow the octet rule, which dictates that [main-group] elements should have eight electrons in its outer shell to make it stable. So they have this analogy that as members, we can stand alone but it’s better when we’re together because it makes us more stable. I don’t want to confirm or deny anything, so there’s space for people’s imagination to fly regarding what the concept really is, but I found those cool.
Sheena (20, main dancer and sub-vocalist from Isabela): When we were first starting out, we were unsure about a lot of things. Debuting alone was already a risk because back then, girl groups weren’t as welcomed and accepted in the Philippines, compared to now. Fast forward to today and we’re more loved and heard, especially in our own country and so much has changed because of that. Now, we’re trying to be more assertive by being more observant of what’s going on in our surroundings and careful of who we let into our inner circle. We’re scared of being taken advantage of, especially now that we know more about our worth as artists and as people, too.
Colet (23, main vocalist and lead dancer from Bohol): For me, I always believed that we would make it because we trusted in the Lord and were confident that we gave our best in everything. But maybe the only uncertainty we have right now is our longevity in the industry: how long are we going to be able to sustain this ourselves? But now I’m just really thankful that we endured it all and that we went through this journey learning more about ourselves and determined to reach new goals. Now, I think we’re all just focused on improving and giving more powerful performances for our Blooms.
Jhoanna (21, leader and lead vocalist from Laguna): Here in the Philippines, it’s really expected that women are more on the reserved side. But through Blink Twice, the message we want to send is that it’s okay to be assertive, to take action, to go after what you want for a change. This isn’t just for matters of the heart: this can also apply to life in general or the dreams you want to chase. We want to empower young women to own their choices and take the first step, as long as that’s what they believe will help them.
Maloi (22, main vocalist from Batangas): I feel like now is the time to break these stereotypes and boundaries imposed on us. I think we’ve gotten too used to the notion that women are only supposed to sit down, keep quiet, wait for things to happen to them. But hopefully, when fans listen to our music, our songs will give them a sign that it’s alright to make things happen for a change, to do what you want to do and feel what you really want to feel.
Gwen (21, lead vocalist and lead rapper from Albay): Personally, it was the time I was still deciding if I should be part of BINI. I was considering so many things in my life and I was just unprepared for the physical, mental, and emotional toll that training would have on me. As time passed, I wasn’t really confident that I had what it takes to make it. P-pop back then was also just an emerging field and I wasn’t sure if the group as a whole would be successful. Of course, right now, looking back, I would definitely say it was worth it.
Jhoanna: Yes! Gwen had to quit [bootcamp] before because of that. But now I guess [the way everything turned out] just means that she was meant to find her way back to us.
Stacey (21, main rapper and lead dancer from Nueva Vizcaya): We consider it both an honor and a responsibility that we’re now a group that others look up to. It’s flattering that a lot of people now recognize us in public or take inspiration from our outfits. International audiences are now exposed to our songs — even the K-pop artists that we’ve loved ever since have covered Pantropiko and Salamin Salamin.
I think we have to continue being authentic and passionate in our craft, because these qualities are what captured the hearts of our Blooms and what drew the masses to us. We don’t pretend to be someone we’re not, both on and off cam – we’re a very ‘what you see is what you get’ kind of group. No filter but in a good way.
Mikha (21, main rapper and visual from Metro Manila): We hope that you can hop on this journey with us and that we’re able to create more memories along the way. We’re very excited for you to experience these international stages that we’ve prepared for you, and we hope that this gives us the opportunity to connect with you guys. Even if we’re separated by cultural barriers, we want you to be able to relate to us as well. Maybe we can inspire you to visit the Philippines too!
Jhoanna: But for now, we’ll be the ones seeing you soon. Hope you can catch us on our world tour!
