BINI Take Us To Their BINIverse, Where No Bloom Has Gone Before – Review

Sometimes, the sudden realization that you’re witnessing history unfold in real time hits you completely out of the blue. 

With the rapid ascent of BINI into the mainstream, both their presence and music have been inescapable just about anywhere, which makes it no surprise that their first solo concert series, BINIverse, sold out in just a mere matter of minutes. 

Just as how fans and audience members alike remember the first few major concerts of K-pop phenomenons like TWICE, BLACKPINK, and IVE, the BINIverse experience offered both casual fans and devoted Blooms the perfect glimpse of what it means to witness P-pop history in the making with what took place over the last weekend. 

As I headed towards the New Frontier Theatre for the third day of their highly anticipated show, the Grab car driver realized that I was heading to BINI’s concert, and cheerfully shared that he too was a fan of the celebrated P-pop group. “Dahil sa anak ko, palagi ko tuloy pinapakinggan yung BINI. Bumili pa nga ako ng wand nila para sa kanya (I always listen to BINI because of my daughter. I even bought her a wand),” he tells me with a hint of pride in his voice. He then began to play his curated playlist of the group’s best songs, which surrounded the car’s surround system with infectious tunes and hooks that found their way into the hearts of the Filipino people.

Upon arriving at the venue, the first thing you could immediately notice was the large crowd forming outside the theatre. From several people holding up signs looking for last-minute tickets to fans queueing to get inside the lobby, it was easy to get overwhelmed by just how many people there were in attendance of the show, proving just how immense of a reach BINI has on their audience.

The inside lobby was no different, as you could easily spot fans dressed up in the group’s outfits from the “Salamin, Salamin” music video, the summer-themed fits from “Pantropiko,” or the recently-released t-shirts with a graphic print of the group’s logo. It was evident that everyone was more than ready for the show to begin, as inside the theatre, the fans were starting to hold up their wands in unison alongside the banners and signs they’d prepared for the group to see, while chanting “BI-NI, BI-NI, BI-NI!” several times.

Soon enough, the lights started to dim until the pulsating notes of the live band’s rendition of the opener “Na Na Na” soon welcomed the entrance of Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha, Jhoanna, and Sheena on stage. With a frenzied response from the audience, the members of the group gave their all — both in dance and vocals — in this stellar performance that appropriately welcomed us right into their BINIverse. They followed it up with a dainty rendition of the bubblegum-pop favorite “Lagi” and the empowering “I Feel Good,” which had the crowd breaking into song as they sang alongside the lyrics that flashed on the LED screens.

In what may have been some of my favorite performances of the night, the group’s live interpretations of “Ang Huling Cha-Cha” and “Karera” from their Talaarawan EP perfectly translated the warmth and energy of its studio recordings into the live setup. With such precision in the large-scale dance numbers of the latter in particular, there was a unique magnetism to what they accomplished with the full production of the show — solidifying its place as a well-deserved highlight in the group’s already noteworthy discography.

Taking a break from the nonstop rush of electric performances, the members of BINI made sure to greet the Blooms in attendance by introducing themselves. “[This show] is for you guys to get to know us better, mga Blooms. [So for] tonight, we’d like to let you into our hearts and our minds with music!” said Jhoanna. Maloi made sure to tease the fans in attendance for what else was to come, sharing, “Kami ‘yung nag-conceptualize ng mga solo performances natin (We conceptualized our own solo performances) for this show, so we hope that you guys will enjoy!”

Mikha began the first of many stellar solo showcases of the night — bringing out her fiery energy with a rocking rendition of Paramore’s “That’s What You Get” and Dua Lipa’s “Don’t Start Now.” Describing her choice of songs, she stated, “I chose these songs because these are what represent me the most. And with what you’ve seen, I hope that it will allow all of you to get to know me better.”

Stacey’s love of fuchsia and Barbie pink is no surprise to Blooms, which is why her performance to Ariana Grande’s “thank u, next” blew away the crowd with a burst of pink clouds everywhere. “I want this performance to allow you guys, our Blooms, to always embrace your femininity. We all love pink naman kasi, ‘di ba (after all, right)?” Stacey mentions. “This song has been such a big part of my journey, and nakatulong kasi siya sa mga pinagdaanan ko so sana nagustuhan niyo siya (it helped me get through everything I went through, so I hope you like it),” she added.

The group then came back for a series of jubilant performances to “Dyan Ka Lang,” “Na Na Nandito Lang,” and “8” before continuing their solo showcase series, with Aiah, Maloi, and Sheena then set to take the stage. 

Aiah performed a jaw-dropping performance of Doja Cat’s “Woman,” which incorporated her Cebuana heritage with a fantastic Bisaya rap segment that surprised the audience. Overwhelmed with gratitude at the positive reception from the fans, she released an exhilarated scream of “Thank you, Lord!” as she shed a few tears on stage. “I feel safe to reveal my divine feminine with you guys here. The reason why I chose this song is to increase awareness on a woman’s representation sa music,” she added, before dedicating her performance to her mother.

Maloi delivered an impassioned take on UDD’s “Oo,” with such sensitivity added to the vocal nuances as she belted her heart out to every word of the beloved Filipino track. In many ways, it highlighted her ability as a powerhouse vocalist, resulting in an overwhelming amount of cheers and whoops from the audience as she concluded. Unable to hold back tears, all she could muster to say was “I love you so much Blooms. Thank you so much for being here. Alam niyo naman na eto talaga (You know very well that), OPM is what I love to perform, and ‘yung feeling na pine-perform ko itong kanta na ‘to (the feeling of getting to perform this song) for you is something I’ve always been dreaming of. So thank you talaga,” she further explained.

Sheena’s performance stood out to me as a perfect demonstration of her incomparable dance skills, with every act perfectly synchronized together with the background dancers and the blasting music of Rihanna. Yet aside from the cool and confident persona you see from her rhythmic movements, her playful and personable nature immediately jumped out following the performance. “Nagustuhan niyo ba ‘yun, mga (Did you enjoy that,) Blooms? I’m truly so happy to be dancing in front of all of you tonight,” she said to the crowd — to which they responded by lifting their hands up, mimicking Sheena’s distinct ‘hang loose’ sign.

The full group then returned on stage to perform their earlier hits “Strings” and “Here With You” (with excellent harmonization from all eight members in the latter), while also dedicating a special performance of “Born To Win” to the crowd present. “Super grateful kami na nagtitiwala kayo sa amin (We’re super grateful for your trust),” mentions Stacey. “Kaya (That’s why) we hope that this song will inspire you to strive and do better.”

Maloi adds, “BINI will always be here for all of you Blooms. [So] cherish this moment in life na magkakasama tayong lahat (that we’re all together) and pinagdadaanan natin ‘to na magkasabay (are going through this together). The Blooms will always be a part of BINI, and BINI will always be with our Blooms.”

Continuing the final leg of the solo stage series, Colet channeled her inner Beyoncé for an electrifying performance of “Crazy In Love.” With Colet embodying the confidence and sashay needed to bring the track to life, she definitely did the song justice. “I’ve always wanted to be like Beyoncé. [And] feel na feel ko (I’m really feeling it) tonight, so bago ‘to para sa akin (this is a first for me). So gusto ko maiwan itong message sa inyong Blooms, na gusto ko i-challenge niyo sarili [ninyo] (I want to leave this message to you Blooms, that I want you to keep challenging yourselves). China-challenge ko rin sarili ko every day pero gusto ko may impact kayo sa future niyo (I also challenge myself every day, but I want you to have an impact on your future),” she addressed the crowd, hoping to inspire them with what she’s managed to achieve for herself.

Gwen’s rendition of Little Mix’s “Woman Like Me” was both powerful and provocative as the P-pop idol delivered a sizzling performance that heated up the entirety of the New Frontier Theatre. “I want this song to showcase my fierce side — to show people they can be a woman like me,” she proudly proclaimed.

Last but not least, leader Jhoanna (adorned in a beautiful blue gown) performed Sarah Geronimo’s “Isa Pang Araw” in true balladeer fashion. Backed by a string quartet, Jhoanna channeled her inner ‘biritera‘ as she captured both the spirit and talents of the P-pop royalty figure. “This song is very close to my heart,” she mentioned as she talked about how it related to her experience of auditioning for the group.

“Grabe talaga ‘yon, nakailang auditions ako nun and pinush ko talaga ‘yung sarili ko (I went to multiple auditions and really pushed myself) for this. My performance may not have been perfect, but at least i tried! ‘Yung mga maling ‘yan, its proof na nagtra-try kayo (Mistakes are proof that you tried). And proof siya na mayroon pang isa pang araw para mangarap at magmahal –– and kasama ko ‘yung aking mga seven sisters (They’re also proof that you have another day to dream and to love — together with my seven other sisters).”

As the rest of the members went back on stage, they made quips to one another –– including a lighthearted joke that Jhoanna looked like a debutante in her gown. Sheena also referred to Colet as the “Beyoncé ng Bohol,” garnering several laughs from the audience, while Stacey began harmonizing with some members of the crowd as they sang along. Despite their status as P-pop icons, it was easily noticed that the group displayed their warm banter with both themselves and their audience. 

They then surprised the audience with a sneak preview performance of their upcoming single, “Cherry On Top,” and also showcased a teaser of its music video as well. The sweet and delectable nature of the track had the entire theatre in high spirits, which were further amplified by the opening notes of the group’s chart-topping single “Salamin, Salamin.” 

Contagious in the best sense, BINI went all out in their performance of the hit song –– with its upbeat rhythms and energetic instrumentation creating a lively atmosphere out of the theatre, encouraging listeners to move to the music. With balloons crashing down from the ceiling, it marked a phenomenal presence as the penultimate track of the night. To slow things down, the P-pop group ended the main show with an emotionally stirring performance of “Huwag Muna Tayong Umuwi” –– which also served as a double entendre of sorts, that basically asked the audiences to remain seated for the show’s encore.

They soon returned on stage for a charming and amusing performance to “Da Coconut Nut,” their debut single, which soon transitioned into their breakthrough hit track “Pantropiko.” With the full live band set-up, hearing this special rendition of the tropical-themed summer anthem rejuvenated the song to new heights, making it the perfect explosive closer to BINI’s first solo concert series. In some ways, “Pantropiko” was almost like a mirror of how far the group has come since the initial release of “Da Coconut Nut,” which goes to show just how far and beyond the beloved P-pop group has managed to go in the short time between both releases.

With confetti and balloons spread out to every corner of the venue, everyone in the audience was standing up to clap and cheer for the nation’s very own girl group (a title that is further solidified following what I’ve just seen). Taking their final bow, Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha, Jhoanna, and Sheena embraced one another with tears in their eyes.

Their emotional farewell encapsulated not just the end of a performance, but a profound testament to their sisterhood and passion for their craft. Ultimately, the BINIverse concert series is more than just a celebration of their impeccable discography — it is also a collective display of the sheer talent and immeasurable hours of hard work that has righteously led BINI to this peak moment of their careers.

As BINI welcomes us with open arms into their orbit, it becomes even more evident that they truly represent the pride and joy of Filipino music for more years to come. For now, they are living out P-pop history in the making, while also paving the way for future Filipino acts to follow in their footsteps and champion Filipino music on the global stage. We’re just lucky to witness it unfold in front of our very own eyes.

Listen to BINI’s Talaarawan EP below:

Check out more exclusive photos from Day 3 of BINI’s BINIverse concert below: