Maloi wears a LOUIS VUITTON top and skirt. Photographed by Renzo Navarro for the November 2024 Issue of Vogue Philippines
In her childhood home in General Trias, Cavite, BINI’s Maloi Ricalde built a deep connection to music. Today, her artistic outlets serve as a means to connect with herself and others.
Over the past year, the Philippine-pop girl group BINI has turned many heads globally with hit tracks like “Pantropiko” and “Salamin, Salamin” from their latest EP, Talaarawan. From their pre-debut song “Da Coconut Nut” to their newest single “Cherry On Top,” the “nation’s girl group” has shown an evolution not only in their music but also in their fashion.
Among them, BINI main vocalist Maloi Ricalde has found particular joy in this process, pulling together numerous memorable looks that many now refer to as “Maloi-core.” Picture red Bayonetta glasses, ribbons in the hair, oversized jersey shirts paired with ankle-length skirts, and a bag covered in all kinds of charms, and you’d find it would be hard not to think of Maloi’s pale pink flushed cheeks.
“I like to dress unusual and weird. I like to break boundaries,” she shares. Maloi’s personal style draws inspiration from multiple sources, blending J-Fashion trends with the maximalism of Filipino “ukay-ukay-core” (thrift core). In previous interviews, BINI’s visual director and stylist Ica Villanueva has likened Maloi to a Gen Z Jolina Magdangal, the quintessential Filipino teen fashionista of the early 2000s, whose nostalgic, whimsical aesthetic has influenced the group’s overall branding.
“I find [art] therapeutic. And when I get to do it, it keeps me going.”
With Villanueva’s guidance, the 22-year-old says she has come to know herself better by exploring and experimenting with fashion, only one of her many artistic outlets. Ultimately, Maloi connects with herself through her art. Drawing, reading, creating digital art, and taking time to thrift are some ways she protects her peace and stays grounded amid the group’s busy schedule. “I find it therapeutic. And when I get to do it, it keeps me going.”
For Maloi, art serves as a medium for connection. Even in the studio, the vocalist is intentional about being hands-on and actively involved in the group’s songwriting process whenever possible. The girls view their participation as a way to connect with their audience: “We want to contribute to all our songs in some way. We want to show people who BINI is by writing lyrics or helping with melodies.”
She fondly recalls working on “Kinikilig” from their debut album, Born to Win, the very first song she ever penned lyrics for. Back then, the group was still in the process of discovering their unique sound. They had spent months self-producing content on a tight budget during the height of the pandemic, and Maloi was determined to have a hand in officially introducing who BINI was musically. In a burst of creativity, she crafted a full rap for herself and her member Mikha (despite having no prior experience), and to her surprise, it made it onto the final track.
Maloi credits this natural love for music and the arts to her family and her home in General Trias, Cavite. “My mom used to sing and play a lot of instruments. So, from a young age, I was surrounded by music. I started singing when I was three.” She emphasizes that there was never any pressure to be great at singing or performing; it was just something she simply enjoyed. Her older sister was also, at the time, a huge fan of SNSD and EXO, and naturally, Maloi found herself drawn to their music, too.
Now, as a member of the leading girl group in the Philippines, Maloi dreams of bringing original Filipino music to the global stage. “I think P-Pop OPM in general will go beyond our expectations,” she shares. Having just flown back from their US-Canada tour and their stint as the first Filipino act featured in KCON LA, she was still in awe that people of different backgrounds and languages resonate with their music.
“Music, it’s beyond language, it’s beyond the culture. We communicate through our songs,” Maloi remarks. “I think OPM and P-pop…it’s flourishing. And it will only bloom and bloom and bloom.”
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By BIANCA CUSTODIO. Cover Story by GABY GLORIA. Photographs by RENZO NAVARRO. Fashion Director PAM QUIÑONES. Beauty Editor JOYCE OREÑA. Fashion Editor DAVID MILAN. Makeup: Carell Garcia, Julius Cabanisas, Mark Qua, Theresa Padin. Hair: Bill Watson and Cherry Reyes of Toni &Guy. Art Director: Jann Pascua. Production Design: Justine Bumanlag. Executive Producer: Anz Hizon. Associate Producer: Bianca Zaragoza. Beauty Writer: Bianca Custodio. Nails: Extraordinail. Digital Associate Editor: Chelsea Sarabia. Digital Content Writer: Daphne Sagun. Multimedia Artist: Tinkerbell Poblete. Photographer’s Assistant: Alexis Wang, Dominic Pamatmat. Stylist’s Assistants: Neil de Guzman, Ticia Almazan. Hair Assistants: Glenda Eugenio, John Al-rey Valencia, Lindsay Agapito, Noel Muncada. Production Design Assistants: Gabrielle Mantala, Geber Cunanan, Jan Abal, Jonel Navarro, Olderico Bondoc. Shot on location at Balara Content Studio.
