Mikha Lim has always had multiple definitions of what home means to her, but her present one is in BINI, just as they’ve become that for others.
“I don’t talk about this a lot, but I actually grew up in different places,” shares Mikha Lim, main rapper and lead dancer of the Philippine-pop sensation, BINI.
The eight-member Filipino girl group hails from cities across the Philippines: leader Jhoanna is from Laguna, Aiah from Cebu, Colet from Bohol, Maloi from Cavite, Gwen from Albay, Stacey from Nueva Vizcaya, and youngest Sheena from Isabela. Known as the member from Metro Manila, many might not know that Mikha has had roots in different places, with her childhood spread across multiple cities.
Born in Cebu, she moved to Laguna at age six, then to Cavite, and finally to Metro Manila. Despite being with family, each move brought new challenges, making it easy for her to feel misplaced. “I really don’t like having to start over with friends. I remember when I moved to Manila, I cried every day or every week,” she recalls. “But it was okay, I think everything happens for a reason.”
And sure enough, fate seemed to have a purpose. A year after moving to Metro Manila, Mikha was one of thousands to audition for the Star Hunt Academy, the artist training ground of ABS-CBN Entertainment. “I was like, okay, you know what, let’s do it. Let’s just do something. If it gets me out of school, then I’ll do it.” Becoming an idol was never in her plans; in fact, her only singing experience was karaoke with her father. But soon, she found herself in yet another new home, this time, with seven other girls.
In 2024, BINI gained global recognition, becoming the most-streamed and most-followed P-Pop group of all time, a phenomenon fans and the media liked to call the “BINI Fever.” Amid this whirlwind of fame, industry icons like Gary Valenciano and Regine Velasquez offered the young girls advice, urging them to stay grounded and surround themselves with supportive people who will stick by them.
For Mikha, beyond her family, she found that support in BINI: “I think we all have found a place in each other.”
Like a home away from home, BINI’s sisterhood is just one of the things that resonate with a generation embracing the vulnerabilities of girlhood as a source of empowerment. Fans, both in the Philippines and abroad, have also discovered a sense of home in the group’s sound, reminiscent of the bubblegum pop Pinoy tracks of the early 2000s to 2010s, as well as in their candidness and relatability.
Last August, BINI staged their highly-anticipated “BINIverse” tour overseas, performing in select Canadian cities for the first time to their fanbase away from home. What was once just a dream had become reality, and the girls would often find themselves marveling at the scale of the venues: “Why is it so big? This is sold out, really?”
Mikha reflects on the experience: “It was nice to know that Filipinos in other countries find comfort in watching us, that they feel like they have a piece of home.”
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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.