“Na Na Na”. “Lagi”. “Pantropiko”.

These are just three of the viral hits of fast-rising Pinoy Pop girl group BINI that never fail to get us on our feet and make us dance to their groovy beats and, perhaps even make us sing along to their relatable and catchy lyrics. And just in case you haven’t caught up yet in their meteoric rise, fret not as we got you covered through this interview of ABS-CBN News reporter Victoria Tulad with the “nation’s girl group” in this episode of “Tao Po.”

The interview commenced with how their name came to be, which, according to leader BINI Jhoanna, was taken by the management, led by Star Magic and ABS-CBN TV Production Head Laurenti M. Dyogi, from the Filipino word “binibini,” which translates to “young woman or unmarried woman.” Since it could be a mouthful for some, they shortened it to “BINI” so that everyone can easily pronounce it, even kids, as they aspire to inspire people, especially the youth.

It all started when all of them went through the Star Hunt grand auditions held by ABS-CBN nationwide and abroad, with the primary purpose of finding talents that could be slated in the reality competitions of the media company, including Pinoy Big Brother where members Gwen Apuli and Sheena Catacutan were both alumnae of the PBB Otso edition. But unbeknown to us, Direk Lauren and his team were already brewing a secret project then, which was to form a new girl group.

Out of the twelve girl trainees who were able to make it to the Star Hunt Academy, wherein they underwent rigorous trainings under the strict supervision of Filipino and Korean mentors, only eight continued the journey of forming the all-female group. Since it was amid the pandemic, they were compelled to live in one house because they had to train every day.

“To be honest, super depressing po talaga. Hindi namin alam kung kailan kami makakaalis doon, hindi rin po namin nakikita ‘yong parents namin,” BINI Stacey related.

BINI Maloi went to recount how they used to have the same routine everyday – wake up, eat, train, eat, sleep, and repeat. BINI Gwen added that it was through that experience that she learned how to be independent and be gumptious when it comes to satisfying her hunger since they had to adhere to a strict diet plan. The diet restrictions might have been one of their greatest challenges during their trainee days, but they now reminisce about those with laughter.

All their hardships and sacrifices paid off when they finally made their debut in June 2021 through the contract signing event that officially welcomed them to the premier talent arm of ABS-CBN, Star Magic. Ever since they were formed, the girls have regarded one another as family, with BINI Maloi stating that “BINI is not BINI without one member, living up to their tagline, “Walo Hanggang Dulo.”

But amidst their busy schedule, the management makes sure that they would continue their education. All of them are currently in Senior High School, except for BINI Aiah who’s already a second-year Multimedia Arts student. Since her classes are now face-to-face, their rehearsals were adjusted in line with her schedule.

As their popularity and fanbase continue to grow, BINI Gwen recalled how they used to only have 35 viewers whenever they posted live videos or did virtual meet-and-greets. Thus, they were surprised to see throngs of Blooms, as what their ardent supporters are called, during their fan event held last February 14 to mark the release of the teaser for their first-ever extended play “Talaarawan.” Besides, a lot of people also know the lyrics and steps to their current hottest track “Pantropiko,” which they appreciate so much.

And it’s not only here in the Philippines that the “Pantropiko” craze continues to swell, but also in South Korea as a couple of K-pop idols already took on the viral dance challenge, one of which is Irene of Red Velvet, through a video call event.

With the slew of achievements that they’ve been reaping, BINI wishes nothing but for Pinoy Pop to continue flourishing not just locally, but globally.

“For me, talagang magkaisa lang ang mga Pilipino to support us, Filipino artists. We have what it takes, we have the talent, we have the passion, and we really want [Pinoy Pop] na kumalat siya sa buong mundo,” BINI Sheena conveyed.

And just last March 8, their six-track first-ever EP named “Talaarawan” was finally dropped, which the Blooms fervently supported. It includes the songs “Salamin Salamin,” “Diyan Ka Lang,” “Ang Huling Cha Cha,” “Na Na Nandito,” and their recent hits “Karera” and “Pantropiko.”

“Sobrang grateful na namin sa Blooms pa lang. Tapos dumating pa ‘yong mga K-Pop fans na naging P-Pop fans, so sobrang grateful kami, sobrang saya. Sarap sa puso na everytime lumalabas kami, everytime na may performance kami, may lalabas kaming content, nandiyan sila to support us,” BINI Maloi expressed.

As they continue their journey in the local entertainment scene, the beautiful and talented girls are guided by the nuggets of wisdom ingrained in them by one of their coaches, Mickey Perz, which is encapsulated in the acronym SHBBTBATR – “stay humble but be the best among the rest.”

Aside from the abovementioned members, completing the “nation’s girl group” are Colet and Mikha.

*Photos credit to Victoria Tulad IG