Bini on the Making of “A Parallel World”: “Our Core Is Our Sisterhood” 

In the heat of the California desert, a massive sea of people stretched out before the stage in a surge of cheers. Philippine flags and handmade banners waved from different pockets of the crowd. Before them stood Pinoy pop girl group Bini, the first homegrown Filipino act to take the Coachella stage. 

As their historic back-to-back weekend run drew to a close, the eight members, namely Jhoanna, Aiah, Gwen, Sheena, Mikha, Maloi, Stacey, and Colet, joined hands to take their final bow. The towering LED screen on the Mojave stage lit up with the Philippine flag, stirring a well of emotion on ground and across livestreams worldwide, among Filipinos in the diaspora and beyond. To have a full set of original Pinoy music, largely in Tagalog, performed on one of the world’s biggest music stages marked a pivotal feat for Filipino representation.

“We weren’t expecting anything, really,” Maloi admits. Even weeks later, the members, who all hail from humble beginnings in different provinces across the Philippines, still could not quite wrap their heads around the milestone. “We told ourselves then that even if no one watches, the fact that we’re there and we represented the Philippines, that alone is enough.” 

“That has always been our goal,” adds Sheena. “Not only to perform, but to be able to bring original Filipino music internationally.” 

The weeks that followed brought a whirlwind of historic firsts: a performance at the Grammy Museum, being the Global Force Awardee at the 2026 Billboard Women in Music event, and, soon after, a recording session for their first-ever song for a feature film. 

“A Parallel World” was the first original song created for the soundtrack of DreamWorks Animation’s inaugural Filipino-first film, Forgotten Island. The soundtrack features other Filipino artists, including Lea Salonga, SB19, and Katseye’s Sophia Laforteza, with additional original songs from Ruby Ibarra and the voices behind the film’s main characters, H.E.R. and Liza Soberano.

Over the course of two days, the members recorded in Los Angeles with Filipino composer Nathan Matthew David, who is scoring the film, and co-composer and record producer Shawn Wasabi. David recalls Bini arriving with their full team, filling the studio instantly with a feeling of home, as he puts it, “like recording with family.” The girls share that they had initially been nervous to work outside their usual team, but that feeling quickly gave way to comfort. 

Between takes, they made charm bracelets. When they placed the bracelets side by side, the members recall that it was easy to tell who had made each one based on their design. It was a small bonding activity that reflected one of the film’s key symbols of friendship between main characters Jo and Raissa. The musical theme for their friendship, or leitmotif, was the first piece David wrote for the film and would later become the foundation for “A Parallel World.” 

“We realized that we needed a song for their theme, and Bini was the perfect fit for that,” David explains, noting that it plays at a pivotal moment in the film. “Jo and Raissa’s theme is in the notes that they sing in the chorus, and the first notes you hear when the song begins. When we found out that Bini was going to be a part of it as well, we knew it had found its home.”

“Having them, it allowed us to also do Tagalog lyrics as well, which was incredible,” David continues. “I’ll always remember those two days we spent with them. I think that the song itself has a lot of dimension to it. It is fun and joyous, but as you hear the full song, there’s also a lot of heart and a lot of nostalgia and a touch of melancholy too in a good way.”

When Bini first heard the song over zoom before leaving for the United States, they were instantly elated. “[The song] is about friendship, that whatever happens you hold on to each other,” shares leader Jhoanna. “It was relatable to us from the start because I feel like our core as a group is our sisterhood.” 

Approaching their sixth year as a group, the members have spent much of their adolescence growing up side by side. It made the experience feel immediately personal. “When it comes to the topic of friendship, wala akong ibang iniisip but Bini. (I don’t think of anyone else but Bini.) Bini is my constant. And the bond that we have right now is something that I cannot compare with anything.” 

In Forgotten Island, friendship is shaped over years of growing up together, weathering difficulties, and celebrating each hard-earned milestone. “I think [their friendship] is similar to Bini,” Gwen shares. “We came from different provinces, so of course we grew up differently. We had different beliefs and different ways of seeing things. But we grew up together. After living together for years, you really have no choice but to adjust, learn, and get to know each other deeply. Like them, we just keep moving forward. We’re sisters now.”

A box of tissues made its way around the eight members as they watched an early version of the film at DreamWorks University. The screening took place in an intimate cinema-like room, with a large screen and rows of theater-style seats. They watched alongside members of the film’s cast and crew, and when the credits ended and the lights came back on, everyone’s faces across the room were awash with pride.

“From the intro alone, I already felt like crying because, wow, from Coachella, Filipinos are slowly being recognized more and more. And now, DreamWorks has a Filipino-inspired movie.” Stacey reflects. “I can’t help but feel so proud to be Pinoy. We [Filipinos] all deserve to be recognized not just locally, but internationally too.”

Bringing Filipino talent to a wider audience has long been at the heart of Bini’s work. From their first record-breaking hits to Coachella and every milestone that followed, the members say they do not take the weight of these moments lightly and have been intentional in walking in gratitude and sincerity.

“[I believe that] when you have a platform, you use it to help people and to inspire. And the fact that we’re able to inspire [Filipinos across the globe], it’s honestly so fulfilling,” Mikha reflects. “For me, I think Bini represents so much authenticity. And I feel like that’s what people need.” 

By BIANCA CUSTODIO. Photographs by KARL KING AGUÑA. Styling by NEIL DE GUZMAN. Deputy Editor: Pam Quiñones. Beauty Editor: Joyce Oreña. Fashion Editor: David Milan. Art Director: Jann Pascua. Makeup by Anthea Bueno, Janica Cleto, and Theresa Padin. Hair by Cristine Benoman, July Vito and Enrico Gabato. Producer: Bianca Zaragoza. Media Channels Editor: Anz Hizon. Digital Associate Editor: Chelsea Sarabia. Production Designer: Justine Arcega-Bumanlag. Production Design assistant: Louie Sandro. Media Channels team: Angelo Tantuico, Wainah Joson, Aylli Cortez. Multimedia Artists: Mcaine Carlos, Bea Lu. Stylist’s Assistant: Ticia Almazan. Associate Producers: Mavi Sulangi, Ada Manipon. Photo team: Jom Ablay, Rossman Hitosis, Might Mercado. Makeup Assistants: Luisa Jardinero, Jandrey Cleto. Nails: Extraordinail. Set men: John Amon, Cris Soco, Nick Narte. Shot on location at Baked Studios. Special thanks to Ono Poke, Salt and Butter, The Archives Booth, and The Moment Group.