Why BINI Taking the Stage at Coachella Is a Big Deal

Dubbed as “Nation’s Girl Group,” BINI is the first act from the Philippines to grace the stages of Coachella. They brought their signature hits and viral dance moves to the international scene. With performances that drew crowds and online views from team “Couchella,” BINI was undeniably Coachella’s wildcard this year.

Named from the Filipino word “binibini”, which means “young lady,” Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha, Jhoanna, and Sheena, collectively known as BINI, represents the modern Filipina -- sweet and sassy, informed and aware.” The P-Pop or Pinoy-Pop group is the product of Star Hunt Academy, the idol training ground managed by ABS-CBN Entertainment and Star Hunt in the Philippines. BINI trained for two years from 2018 to 2020 before their debut.

The girl group, wearing gold, warrior-inspired costumes with matching salakot (a traditional Filipino hat made of bamboo or rattan, usually cone or dome-shaped), opened their set with their song “Shagidi.” The track takes its cue from a popular childhood game where one kid dances while chanting “Shagidi, shagidi, sha, po po,” while everyone else copies the moves.

After their opening song, the girls tore off their gold clothes and revealed another costume underneath: turquoise and beaded two-piece ensembles, which they wore for the rest of their set. According to their stylist, Ica Villanueva, BINI’s look is inspired by the sea and the land. “Our goal sa (at) Coachella is to claim the title of ‘Tropical Queens,’” a nod to their breakout single “Pantropiko”, which made them household names. The track is, of course, included in their Coachella set list.

“We are so grateful to be here to represent the Philippines on a global stage and to share with you guys our music,” Aiah said.

Jhoanna added, “Coachella, are you having a great time? We are BINI, we are so hyped to be here, and we hope you’re all ready to party with us in the desert.”

The girls also performed “Blush,” the lead single to their third EP, Signals.

Unsurprisingly, Filipino fans flocked to the Mojave stage to watch BINI’s debut.

Some BLOOMs, BINI’s dedicated fandom, even went all out, splurging on a billboard along the I-10 freeway, perfectly positioned to catch the eyes of Coachella-bound crowds, and even the girls themselves.

Also spotted in the crowd is Filipino American social media personality Bretman Rock, vibing to BINI’s hits.

Coachella’s official YouTube page uploaded the group’s performance of “Pantropiko,” and based on the comments, BINI earned global fans who praised their performance and stable vocals, even with all the dancing and finishing their 10-song setlist with the same energy from start to finish.

Star Magic head Laurenti Dyogi revealed that the girl’s schedule for the month is full. “April is such an amazing month for BINI. From Coachella, to the Grammy Museum, to the announcement of Billboard (US) that we will be part of it on the 29th, and coming home to kick off the world tour. Ang daming mangyayari (A lot of things are happening).” The group is being recognized as this year’s Billboard Women In Music Global Force honorees.

Getting to perform in an international music festival is a big deal for BINI, even if it comes with intense pressure. In an interview with Billboard before Coachella, the girls acknowledge the responsibility they carry. Maloi said, “We’re very aware that we are the first homegrown Filipino girl group to perform on the Coachella stage. The pressure will always be there, but we’ll take it on in a positive light for us to push further and to boost ourselves. And we know that there are a lot of people behind us who have our backs.”

Jhoanna added, “There’s definitely a responsibility — a big responsibility — but we don’t let it get into our heads. We don’t let it turn into pressure, we just see it as our purpose.”

After their Coachella Week 1 set, it’s clear the global stage is warming up for more Filipino talent to take the spotlight. As Collete puts it, “Everything that we’ve been doing from preparations to the final outcome will start to open doors for more Filipino talent, because we have a lot!”

BINI is set to return for Coachella Week 2 on April 17.