There lies an immense honor in the title “The Nation’s Girl Group.” In South Korea, fans have bestowed the distinguished designation on K-pop juggernauts like Girls’ Generation and TWICE over the years. Yet only one group throughout the Philippines’ rich musical history has received the honorific: Star Music’s eight-member girl group BINI.

With a name inspired by the Filipino word binibini (which means “young lady”), the all-Filipino “Pinoy pop” (P-pop) group — comprising leader Jhoanna and members Aiah, Stacey, Colet, Sheena, Maloi, Gwen and Mikha — was brought together by ABS-CBN’s Star Hunt Academy program and has spent the past four years since its debut making a name for itself. In 2024, after releasing two full-length albums and performing at scores of mall shows and events, BINI finally broke through into the mainstream. The group now has four viral chart-topping singles (“Karera,” “Pantropiko,” “Salamin, Salamin” and “Cherry on Top”) and has received numerous prestigious awards both locally and internationally.

In conversation with Billboard Philippines, Aiah calls 2024 “really BINI’s year. We couldn’t believe that all of this happened in one year alone.” The members of BINI, who in Aiah’s words “started out as a bunch of girls from different parts of the Philippines,” feel substantial pride — and disbelief — about being the No. 1 act in the Philippines. Other top artists in the country, such as renowned folk-pop band Ben&Ben, alternative group Cup of Joe, beloved singer-songwriter TJ Monterde and the soulful Arthur Nery, established themselves as celebrated hit-makers in recent years — yet it was BINI’s dominance that reigned supreme over the past 12 months. And as the group’s popularity grows in and out of the Philippines, BINI’s members take their prominence seriously.

“We feel honored to be representing the Philippines on the global stage because this has always been our dream to begin with,” Jhoanna says. “Because we [Filipinos] can do it. All you need is the support of our fellow Filipinos. Because with Filipinos, their level of support is different. And I want this to show that we’re capable of this — especially as we bring ourselves onto the global stage.”

Such global visibility comes with pressure. “I think [the pressure] is what pushes us to become better,” Maloi says, “and I think it’s OK to be nervous every time that [others] say that we are The Nation’s Girl Group. Because maybe when we’re nervous, it shows that we’re still grounded.”

“[The title] didn’t come from us,” Sheena explains, “it came from the people themselves. It means that they see something in us –– they see potential. So it’s on us to give back and prove to them that we do deserve this title.” Maloi calls the honorific “a responsibility that we should live up to.”

But while “we’re grateful and extremely humbled that there are titles like that given to us,” Sheena says, “the most important thing for us is our connections with our BLOOMs [fans] and the Filipino people.”

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On social media today, BINI’s rapidly expanding and fervent fan base of BLOOMs is reminiscent of Taylor Swift’s Swifties, Beyoncé’s Beyhive and BTS’ ARMY.

But because BINI debuted amid the COVID-19 pandemic, its fan base has different — and perhaps more significant — origins. Connecting with audiences proved difficult for the group, so it made an effort to develop its own online community where the members could genuinely relate with fans despite their idol status. “We didn’t have ABS-CBN as a network anymore and we didn’t see many idols who felt authentic to their audiences, which is why we had to [really] find ways in which we could promote ourselves,” Gwen says.

“The pandemic was the time when we tried our very best to be seen online — especially since that was a great opportunity for us to introduce ourselves at that time,” Aiah says. “We did a lot of solo and group content, and we would have assignments so we could also get to tap different markets, age groups and all that. I think it helped us a lot.”

Colet puts it even more directly: “We would do livestreams, vlogs and other gimmicks online, and sometimes we’d just film ourselves doing random things inside the house we were cooped in together — because that was really the only way in which we could let people know that BINI existed at the time,” she says.

Today, BINI has nearly 18 million followers across Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Spotify. It has harnessed the power of those platforms to inspire several dance challenges (especially with 2024’s summer anthem “Pantropiko”) and other interactive content that encouraged their BLOOMs to participate and strengthened the artist-audience bond.

“People want people who are relatable,” Aiah says. “There are so many people who have told me that with all the attention we’ve made online, it turns out that we’re relatable. And that’s great!”

Those connections have gone from social media to concert venues. “Whenever we perform, I feel it’s important to not just focus on the cameras but also to look at them in their faces and eyes to make sure they feel as if they’re also with us in this performance,” Mikha says.

“Whenever we see the support of our BLOOMs, it’s what keeps us motivated,” Sheena adds. “They really want us to hit the global stage, which is why we really want to aim for it –– just to tell them that we’ve got you, you know? Like, you can trust us, we can do this, and all we need is your support to keep us pushing.”

But BIN’s rapid ascent hasn’t come without challenges. Its members have faced hateful comments, unfair criticism and privacy breaches that have threatened their mental health. The members of BINI, like Chappell Roan or girl group NewJeans, have been forced to adjust to fame within a very short period. “At first it was really hard,” Sheena says. “It’s true that we’ve waited for this big break –– but it’s so different when you have so many people looking at you. Even if you only mean good things or positivity, they can still take it as a bad thing by twisting your words.”

But the group realizes that, to an extent, this is a reality of the modern digital world. “You really can’t avoid these things,” Colet says. “Before, I was actually the most affected by what I’d read online. But eventually, you learn how to filter what is a genuine comment and what isn’t, or whether its intentions are pure or not.”

Gwen has become mindful of her time online. “You shouldn’t waste your time [on such comments],” she says. “I’ve been dealing with it since my [Pinoy Big Brother] days. It’s really just something you learn.”

But such hateful behavior is tougher to ignore when it makes its way into the physical world. Members of BINI have been followed to their homes — or even to the bathroom — by fans. “Some people, by choice, do not understand nor do they choose to respect our privacy,” Aiah says. “At first it was really overwhelming, and it gave me so much anxiety. Now, it’s become a test of boundaries for us and a test of patience. It’s a learning process to this day.”

On some of her rest days, Jhoanna recalls, fans would pass her home and call her name from outside the window. “It can get really scary because here they are — coming up to my personal space,” she says. “It’s really important to set boundaries because while I do understand why some people would react like that, we’re still people at the end of the day.”

As these cases increased and intensified over the past year, Aiah eventually spoke up on social media, asking fans to respect her privacy. While her comments received a mixed response from fans, Aiah and the rest of BINI were surprised when several other artists expressed gratitude for how she brought attention to the issue.

“Apparently, there are a lot of people who have been afraid about this,” Aiah says. “Ever since we spoke about it, I received a lot of thank-you messages because it was like I was also speaking on behalf of them. It made me realize that with our platform, we really get to represent the local music scene in a lot of different ways that we never expected.”

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BINI now represents Filipino music and P-pop on the international stage — and the members want to increase recognition of Filipino music as they expand globally.

“It’s such a great responsibility [to have],” Aiah says. “We’re not just doing this for ourselves, because there are also so many artists out there who believe in this for us, old ones and new ones alike. It’s so cool to see how much trust they’ve put into us, because what happens is not just our success, but it will also come up as everyone’s success.”

But Colet dispels the characterization of BINI’s members as trailblazers. “We’re just following the path of those who came before us in order to sustain what Filipino music is known for so that it can become recognized even more,” she says. “We have so much to offer the international scene, and what comes from the Philippines is truly beautiful.”

To Jhoanna, lifting up other Filipino artists is only fair, since major artists in the country have championed BINI since it debuted, whether posting covers of BINI hits (TJ Monterde’s viral version of “Salamin, Salamin”), inviting BINI’s members to collaborate (Cup of Joe featured Jhoanna in a music video) or celebrating BINI’s milestones.

Promoting their peers is, she says, “our means of giving back to the scene who have given us so much. The [Filipino] scene is so rich, and it deserves recognition of its own merit –– because we started out like so many others from there. We just need the push for them to get bigger and more recognized worldwide.”

“Our goal isn’t just to bring BINI into the international scene — our goal is to have all Filipino artists be appreciated and known internationally as well,” Mikha says. “Since we are representing the country, we want to bring the Philippines with us — incorporating our culture, language, humor, talent and everything else as we move forward in our career.”

In 2025, BINI will have a bigger platform than ever to do just that. After a busy 2024, the group is preparing for more of the same in the new year — at least, when it comes to its calendar. As for new music, Maloi teases something “very unexpected” from what BINI has done thus far. “It’s taking a step up from what we’ve done in the past,” she says. “It’s like a different chapter of BINI –– almost as if we’re evolving into BINI 2.0.”

In 2024, BINI brough its Biniverse tour to Filipino and Canadian markets, wrapping its touring for the year with three November concerts — dubbed Grand Biniverse — at Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, the Philippines, where it announced the forthcoming single “Blink Twice.” The act has also announced a colossal, mid-February show at Bocaue’s 55,000-capacity Philippine Arena. “We still don’t know how it’s going to go,” Colet says, “but whatever happens, we’re just so excited for the day to come because our dreams are finally happening.”

Sticking to what Maloi calls “BINI-core” has helped the group maintain the authenticity its fans have appreciated since its early days — and to gain new ones. “Our core remains the same, which is comprised of our love for our craft, the fans and what we do,” she says. “It’s all still there, and it will only change as we mature and the world we’re working in continues growing with our fandom.” Aiah adds: “With all the success and the music that we have, I want everyone to remember us as people and how we are the same BINI girls after all this time.”

And they’re in it for the long haul — even if, when words like “legacy” get thrown around, it makes Aiah “feel like I’m 50 years old.” Stacey predicts BINI singles like “Pantropiko” and “Da Coconut Nut” will “stick around with anyone, no matter who you ask.”

For now, though, something else transcends all the accolades and recognition BINI has received. “It’s obviously an honor to be recognized as The Nation’s Girl Group,” Maloi says, “but with all those people that we were able to reach, the most important thing is that we realized that we have the power to make people dance.”

Flavor Flav was down in Washington D.C. this week as he celebrated the festive season at the White House’s holiday party on Tuesday afternoon (Dec. 17). The rapper seemingly went back to the presidential home a day later when he got the honor to play piano at the historic residence.

“My mom was a classic concert pianist,,, if she was still here,,, I know she would be so proud that her son got invited to The White House,,, and then I got invited to play the piano at The White House,” the Public Enemy star wrote on Instagram alongside a clip of himself playing a gorgeous melody on a huge brown grand piano. “I hope I made my family proud,,, cuz I sure am proud of myself and so grateful for an opportunity like this.”

See the post here.

A day prior, he also shared a photo smiling alongside President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at the White House holiday event. “Such an incredible honor to be invited to The White House Christmas party from President Biden and Dr. Jill Biden. The hospitality from their staff is first class,,, and I can’t wait to move on up in there,” he wrote.

It’s no surprise Flav was invited to the White House, as he’s been committed to good deeds his whole career, and particularly in the last year. During the Paris Olympics over the summer, he was dedicated to the U.S. squad, pledging $1,000 and a cruise for all the members of the U.S. Women’s Water Polo team and helping to cover rent costs for 24-year-old discus thrower Veronica Fraley. He also boosted a GoFundMe page for Paralympic sprinter Nick Mayhugh to help pay for his parents to fly to Paris to see him compete.

Every month, Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors spotlight a group of rising artists whose music we love. Think “diamantes en bruto,” or “diamonds in the rough.” These are newcomers who have yet to impact the mainstream — but whose music excites us, and who we believe our readers should make a point to discover.

Our latest edition of On the Radar Latin includes a wave of emerging artists, who we discovered either by networking or coming across their music at a showcase, and beyond. See our recommendations this month below:

Artist: aLex vs. aLex

Country: Guatemala

Why They Should Be on Your Radar: aLex vs aLex, born Sofía Insua, has been capturing attention long before her solo venture. She once fronted Easy Easy, one of Guatemala’s popular alternative bands, succeeding former frontman Jesse Baez. Having lived in Berlin and New York, Insua’s global exposure has infused her music with a unique and eclectic perspective. Since adopting her new moniker earlier this year, she has been releasing tracks that will be part of her upcoming EP, slated for February 2025, a project that she is both producing and crafting final touches on with Gabriel Dinero, a London-based fellow Guatemalan. Her music, featuring bilingual songs, intertwines supple bass riffs with her radiant melodic voice. The track “Nadie lo Sabe” with Tita is a smooth R&B jam, while “see me 4 the first time” combines drum and bass with glitchy, experimental and soulful elements. Additionally, opening up for the Spanish singer Ralphie Choo in New York has further cemented her presence in the music scene. — ISABELA RAYGOZA

Song For Your Playlist: “tener t”

Artist: Andrez & Yudy

Country: Colombia, Cuba

Why They Should Be On Your Radar: Andrez & Yudy are a married couple — in life and in music — who I met in October during Billboard Latin Music Week in Miami. There, they spoke to me enthusiastically about the professional project that began more than 15 years ago in West Palm Beach, Florida, performing at small events and restaurants. In 2022 they decided to go one step further and create musical shows in which they pay tribute to past legends. Today, Andrés Zapata and Yudy Figueroa – originally from Colombia and Cuba, respectively – are promoting their first original song “Será El Amor,” a tender ballad fused with regional Mexican in which they show off their vocal prowess, with new singles already lined up for February and May 2025. – SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS

Song For Your Playlist: “Será el amor”

Artist: Brazil21

Country: Dominican Republic

Why They Should Be on Your Radar: One of the first things you notice about Brazil21 is his cool flashy style: berets, sheer tops and fur. Then when you hear his music, it’s swaggering, with a vibe that’s both captivating and innovative. He’s swiftly making waves on SoundCloud, where his tracks see a growing fanbase with their sandungueo and urban flair. Recently, he shared the mic with Jean & Alex and sP Polanco for a saucy bachata track on “Serenata,” paying homage to the sounds of his native island. Earlier this month, the Santo Domingo artist teamed up with July’s Latin Artist on the Rise, Lomiiel, for a tribute to “Selena” that features an insatiable dembow rhythm. The music video showcases them cruising around in luxury cars, with a girl donning the late singer’s iconic purple suit. The song celebrates Selena’s unmistakable dance moves with a modern twist, encapsulating both nostalgia and a fresh wave of Latin music vibrancy that’s impossible to ignore. — I.R.

Song For Your Playlist: “Selena” x Lomiiel

Artist: Sarah La Morena

Country: U.S.A.

Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Born in Sacramento, Calif. but raised in Zacatecas by a Mexican immigrant family, Sarah La Morena (real name: Sarah Palafox) is an emerging Música Mexicana artist creating all the buzz on social media. With nearly one million collective followers between TikTok and Instagram, the talented songstress — who is not Latina, but sings solely Latin music — has built a solid and admirable following thanks to her impressive, powerhouse vocals and on-point Spanish-speaking skills. Sarah has been in the music industry since 2019, showcasing her heartfelt rancheras, such as her version of Juan Gabriel’s “La Farsante” and Jenni Rivera’s “Que Me Vas A Dar.” Earlier this year, she gained more momentum after surprising and singing-along with Grupo Firme at a concert meet-and-greet during their Ultima Peda tour. — JESSICA ROIZ

Song For Your Playlist: “El Farsante”