BINI’s Maloi is very much aware of what you’re saying about her.
Being chronically online whenever she can, the 22-year-old P-pop idol is very much familiar with how the internet works given the abundance of memes, inspirational posts, and Pinterest-like pegs that clearly idolize her style and persona.
But if anything, Maloi doesn’t mind the attention at all — neither does she internalize the praise and idolization treatment that many of her fans shower her with online. Because for her, what you’re seeing is exactly who Maloi is at her most authentic self.
“Hindi ko siya nilalagay sa isip ko na sikat na ako, ganyan. Sa katotohanan, I feel like I’m still a normal person,” Maloi tells me, in an almost confessional manner.
(“I’ve never planted the idea in my head that I’m famous. In reality, I feel like I’m still a normal person.”)
What entails being a ‘normal person’ for Maloi is something that comes as a fruitful result of her journey of figuring out her own identity during her early days as part of BINI. “It was really hard to introduce ourselves [to the public], especially with the high standards of the Filipinos,” she mentions. “So, we all had to work hard on our individual branding, kasi isa-isa kami diyan (because each of us had to).”
Photographed by Shaira Luna.
Having graduated from the Star Hunt Academy training program at age 18, her coming-of-age experience was still in the process, yet it’s one she’s likened to most films — together with a defining moment for its protagonist.
“Siguro, nag-start talaga ‘yung process of getting to know myself more nung nagpa-bangs ako. Sobrang babaw talaga niya,” she says with a laugh. Explaining herself further, she adds, “I was like, ‘Oh, I feel different! Parang may something new sa akin.’ Parang reborn ako nung time na ‘yun, and I felt like I could explore more. Mas playful ako sa sarili ko, and hindi lang siya simpleng haircut. Parang nabuhay ‘yung bagong Maloi — ganun talaga ‘yung impact niya sa akin.”
(“I think the process of getting to know myself more started when I got bangs. It’s really shallow. I was like, ‘Oh, I feel different, like there’s something new about me.’ I felt reborn then, and I felt like I could explore more. I became more playful, and it wasn’t just a simple haircut. It’s like a new Maloi came to life — that’s really how it impacted me.”)
Since then, it’s marked a new era for Maloi — resulting in new habits, hobbies, interests, and a new sense of humor that have become a signature to her identity. Whether it’s her love for thrift shopping, making artwork, discovering new music from her fellow OPM artists, attending gigs, or growing her physical media collection of music, her habits and quirks have birthed a new term that many online netizens have dubbed as ‘Maloi-core.’
“Ang dami talaga nag-help sa akin to find my image, kasi this is the real me,” she exclaims. “So I’m so happy na parang ‘yung impact ko sa mga tao, like hindi lang sa stage. It’s really what I love to do, and this is what I love the most about myself — just sticking to what I love.”
(“Many things helped me find my image because this is the real me. So I’m so happy that my impact on people goes beyond the stage. It’s really what I love to do, and this is what I love the most about myself — just sticking to what I love.”)
Photographed by Shaira Luna.
Maloi’s love for Filipino music extends beyond her life today, given her passion for OPM ever since she was a child growing up in Cavite. Yet these days, she finds herself a key component of the Filipino music scene itself, being a member of the Nation’s Girl Group that ranks as the No. 1 artist in the Philippines. “I’m aware na ang laki lang ng platform namin. Ang dami naming reach, kaya I want to give back [to the scene], especially to those underrated artists who have kept trying hard for years,” the idol states.
(“I’m aware that we have a wide and far-reaching platform, and that’s why I want to give back to the scene, especially to those underrated artists who have kept trying hard for years.”)
“I think it’s their time naman na marinig [sila], and makita ng mga tao. Kaya as much as possible, I try to share the songs and the artists na pinakikinggan ko, whether it’s nasa posts or mga interviews ko,” she continues.
(“I think it’s their time to be heard and seen. That’s why as much as possible, I try to share the songs and artists that I listen to, through my posts or my interviews.”)
Her love for UDD (previously known as Up Dharma Down) is no secret, given her solo showcase during the first set of BINIverse concerts at the New Frontier Theatre earlier this year. “I really said, ‘Oh my God, should I stick with ‘Oo’? Pero sabi ko (And then I said), ‘Fine, let’s do it for my love of Up Dharma Down.’ Tapos (And then) I get to show the audience my artwork sa LED screen, so ‘yun talaga (that was it) — it’s very me,” Maloi states.
With her adoration for the group, she gushes about her growing CD collection, which includes the original releases of the band’s albums Bipolar and Capacities. She also notes how often she listens to her physical records, especially her vinyl, while she does chores at home or as her means of rest and relaxation. “I only listen to vinyl. Usually it’s ‘yung signed Kitchie Nadal ko, but I also have Moonstar 88, and mga ibang Ghibli soundtracks, like Howl’s Moving Castle and My Neighbor Totoro.”
Photographed by Shaira Luna.
While she often loves spending time offline in her downtime, it doesn’t mean that Maloi gets to avoid the other negative comments being shared or circulated online about her. Alongside the rest of her BINI members, there are numerous rumors, narratives, and out-of-pocket statements that are often directed toward her, which still fall on her radar even if she tries to avoid it. “Sometimes, kahit na (even if) you try to act unbothered, it’s still hard — like, it still stings. It’s so hard to not read comments about you. Especially the bad ones,” she mentions.
“I’ve received a lot of bashing [online]. And minsan (sometimes), I can’t believe na they really said what they said. I always try to show kindness and to give love to other people, and ‘yun ‘yung nare-receive ko (and yet that’s what I receive) from them,” she adds. “’Yun ‘yung mga (Those are the) days wherein I’m not myself. And minsan I don’t have the will to do things. I just force myself to work, to put on a smile, and to interact with other people. Because even if you say that you’re a strong person, there is a side of you that will still get hurt. It’s hard, really.
Though she fully understands that criticism can occasionally come from a place of concern, Maloi notes how a multitude of people continue to send unsolicited negativity that confound her in several ways. “They [the fans and critics] always know what you’re doing, and they always watch you, and ask you to be like this. But I want to be unapologetic and true to who I really am. Kasi kahit na may ginagawa ka na hindi (Because even if I do something that isn’t) usual for them, they’ll suddenly make up their own distorted perceptions about you. Like, why is it like that?”
“Mahirap talaga siya (It’s really difficult), but at the same time, I’ve made the choice that I’m just gonna keep being me. And I just get to work to brush it off. Because that’s what I’m used to,” she notes.
Still, amidst everything she’s encountered in this whirlwind of a year, Maloi is still focused on maintaining a positive outlook on who she is, and all that she has accomplished as a member of the Philippines’ biggest girl group. Work itself isn’t necessarily a bad thing for her — considering how much she enjoys everything about being with BINI.
“Sa lahat lang (All in all), I feel blessed that we are now finally recognized after years of hard work. I’m so happy [that] I’m stable right now, but maybe it’s really helpful [that] I’m doing what I want to do. There’s a lot of things happening [in our lives], but I love my work and I just love being me. I’m not afraid of anything, I just want to be encouraged,” Maloi shares.
Photographed by Shaira Luna.
While Maloi has become a signature name across the nation, what just a few people know is that she answers to another name — “Lucky.” “My nickname at home is Lucky. So I feel like every time my family calls me Lucky, it keeps me reminded na that’s where I started. Parang (It’s like), this is you before you became Maloi. You are still Lucky after ‘yung lahat ng pinagdaanan mo (everything you’ve been through),” she reminds herself.
“It’s a very small detail, but it has a very big impact on me. [Because] every time my parents call me by my name, Lucky, it keeps me reminded of them. And reminds me na I’m still a normal person.”
Yet even amidst the highs and lows of their journey as BINI, Maloi wouldn’t trade anything for where she is now. “I’m living in what may be one of the biggest highlights of my life,” she ponders. “This is the version of myself that people will remember when they hear this story. I just can’t believe that I’m part of this and that I’ve made it all this way.”
No matter the scrutiny or even the overwhelming amount of praise, Maloi wants you to remember that she’s still unapologetically and authentically herself –– even if anyone else begs to differ. The journey of being a part of the nation’s biggest girl group right now is one that has given her so much experiences and life lessons, but ultimately the 22-year-old is just happy to go along for the ride.
“I’m just so glad that I’m part of BINI and that I got to know them [my fellow sisters],” she concludes.
Read BINI’s Global No. 1’s digital cover story here.