“Mabuhay,” BINI greeted the audience with the warm Filipino welcome on Friday, marking their long-awaited Coachella debut during their historic set. The Filipino girl group, comprising Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha, Jhoanna, and Sheena, became the first band from the Philippines to perform at the music festival — and the Pinoy pride shone back at them, with a packed crowd whose exuberance rivaled the energy exuding from BINI onstage.
For many Pinoys who grew up in a culture where singing, music, and dancing is a part of our identity — as evidenced by the near-standard home karaoke machines lots of us grew up with — it’s a long time coming that p-pop has made it to global stage. BINI acknowledged the significance at the Mojave tent, expressing they were grateful to rep the Philippines at the festival. And from their choreography, which wove contemporary dance moves with traditional dance flourishes and songs that incorporate staccato rhythms informed by Filipino tribal roots, they delivered.
Backed by male dancers, BINI kicked off their set with the playful “Shagidi” — the Taglish-sung (a mix of Filipino or Tagalog and English that they blend into many of their pop songs, with members moving between singing and rapping) song ushered in a fiery set that commanded those in the audience to dance along with the girl-group’s well-crafted choreographed moves. It was one of many songs they extended for dance and musical breakdowns.
“Everything’s moving so fast sometimes,” Stacey said, adding that sometimes we need to slow things down and “get lost together” before they performed the standout Filipino-language sung “Karera.” While the lyrics emphasize that life is not a race, the song builds into an anthem. Equally compelling was their extended “Salamin, Salamin,” which became an audience-wide call-and-response.
Like the audience, who showcased their style — wearing Filipinianas, Filipino sun jewelry, waved Filipino flags, and chanted “BINI, BINI” a full half an hour before they arrived onstage — the girl group flashed their fashion while making quick costume changes onstage, going from shimmering gold dresses to sequined bikinis, which fit for their debut of “Bikini.”
BINI also debuted “Blush” live for the first time, another sparkling song from their new EP Signals, which the band released on Thursday. Along with the project, the girl group also dropped a music video for “Blush” to commemorate their Coachella performance. The show culminated with the explosive, summery love song “Pantropiko.”
The weight of the historical moment, and its representation for the Filipino community, was not lost on BINI ahead of their appearance. “We hope that this will be the start of more Filipino artists on the world stage,” Stacey said in an interview with Harpers Bazaar Singapore earlier in the week. “I hope more people will discover and love Filipino music,” she added.
BINI formed back in 2018 as part of Star Hunt Academy. After three years of training and practicing, the eight-piece debuted in 2021 with Born to Win. That album title became prophetic as BINI continued to gain more wins year after year. In 2025, they surpassed one billion streams on Spotify.
Through all of their accomplishment, BINI consistently manifested their Coachella debut for years now, often listing the milestone as a dream they hope to achieve one day. Now, they finally and triumphantly have.
