Why Filipino Pop Powerhouses SB19 & BINI Are Embracing the Grammys’ Asian Pop Category: ‘We See It as a Door Opening, Not a Box Closing’

As Recording Academy members fill out their first-round Grammy ballots this month, two of the Philippines‘ biggest pop acts are speaking out and making the case for the show’s most debated new category.

Speaking exclusively to Billboard, SB19 and BINI said they entered the inaugural best Asian pop music performance race and consider the category an opportunity for Filipino music. “We see it as a door opening, not a box closing,” BINI members Aiah and Maloi share. SB19 leader Pablo goes further, adding: “It would show the world that the Philippines isn’t just a market. It’s a source of original, world-class music.”

The support arrives after months of debate and discussion around the category. The Recording Academy announced best Asian pop music performance on June 16 as one of five additions for the 69th Grammy Awards, with its official description specifically mentioning “K-pop, J-pop and C-pop” as examples of the “contemporary popular music originating from or widely recognized within Asian markets,” where submissions “must feature meaningful use of one or more Asian languages.”

Some critics argued it risked walling Asian artists off from the general fields, instead of opening a path into them. On July 29, BTS said it would not submit its music for consideration at all this year, sharing a hope that music would be heard “rather than being categorized by region or language.” Stray Kids also did not submit this year, and ATEEZ leader Hongjoong later told Variety he agreed with BTS’ sentiment, saying a Grammy is a dream for the group but emphasizing that music has no boundaries.

The Recording Academy shared that it spent weeks reviewing the award, meeting with artists, labels and managers — including BTS’ label company HYBE — before announcing on Oct. 1 that it would proceed under its current rules. “By far the loudest voices were those who passionately supported keeping this category,” Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said, and the Academy noted the category had drawn a substantial number of entries, ultimately receiving 116 submissions.

While the Philippines’ music industry still has a long way to go to compete with Japan, South Korea and China in global market value, both SB19 and BINI have already laid years of groundwork to break into larger mainstream-pop conversations.

Debuting in 2018 with a ballad single, SB19 embraced a viral-ready, dance-pop sound and became the first Southeast Asian act nominated for top social artist at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards. In 2023, the quintet of Pablo, Josh, Ken, Stell and Justin left their original label home to launch their own company, 1Z Entertainment, and scored their first No. 1 on a U.S. sales-based Billboard chart when the rhythmic Tagalog-English single “DAM” topped World Digital Song Sales in 2025. Released this past February, “VISA” takes the group into more political territory, with the brassy dance-pop track discussing hurdles Filipinos face in securing visas to work abroad while shouting out Grammy winners of Filipino heritage like Bruno Mars and Olivia Rodrigo as inspirations. The quintet performed the song Stateside this summer, becoming the first homegrown Filipino act to play Lollapalooza. SB19 also entered best pop duo/group performance for their largely English summer single “LAWLESS.”

Formed through the Star Hunt Academy series from the Philippines’ massive media company ABS-CBN, BINI debuted in 2021, and members Aiah, Maloi, Jhoanna, Colet, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha and Sheena became a phenomenon at home thanks to bright, bubblegum-pop hits like “Pantropiko” (with over 127 million views on YouTube) and “Salamin, Salamin” (98 million views). In April, the girl group became the first act formed in the Philippines to play Coachella, days after releasing its Signals EP, which includes its surging synth-pop first single “Unang Kilig.” BINI is also entered for best new artist. Additionally, “A Parallel World,” an original song sung by BINI and written by Nathan Matthew David and Shawn Serrano for the DreamWorks-Universal Pictures animated film Forgotten Island, was submitted in best song written for visual media.

Despite multiple submissions, both acts say they want to keep the conversation on the Asian pop category and ensure the Recording Academy is listening to musicians from around the world as it moves forward. “The most important change moving forward is ensuring that the existence of this category does not become a ceiling,” SB19’s youngest member Justin says.

Nominations for the 69th Grammy Awards will be announced Nov. 16, ahead of the Feb. 7, 2027, ceremony in Los Angeles. Read more thoughts from SB19 and BINI in their email interviews with Billboard.

Why did you feel it was important to speak publicly about the new Grammy category for best Asian pop music performance?

Justin: We’ve spent years trying to show that music from the Philippines belongs in global conversations, so when a new category like this appears, we felt it was necessary to speak up. The creation of the best Asian pop music performance category directly impacts the future of Asian artists on the global stage, so it’s a moment that we’d like to be part of, especially with artists from Southeast Asia.

Mikha: For us, this category is about visibility within the global music sphere. Asian pop music has a huge, passionate global audience, and it’s meaningful to see the Recording Academy create a space that recognizes it. P-pop is growing so quickly, and we want people who may not have heard of us, to discover that the Philippines has a lot of talented artists.

Can you share what you submitted to the category and why you felt they were the right songs to submit as potential nominees?

Stell: We submitted “VISA” for best Asian pop music performance. We felt that it truly represents our vocal performance and culture, and makes a strong case for the struggles we experience as Asian artists. We also submitted in best pop duo/group performance category, but we’re keeping our focus on best Asian pop music performance category.

Jhoanna: We submitted “Unang Kilig” and chose that for the best Asian pop music performance category because it captures our sound and what BINI stands for in terms of the energy, the Filipino identity, and the way it connects with fans. BINI was also submitted for the best new artist category, and “A Parallel World” was also submitted for best song written for visual media! We’re thankful to be part of the Forgotten Island soundtrack since it’s a movie that shares stories from the Philippines. Ultimately, we want to focus our submission on the best Asian pop music performance since we are representing the Philippines on this stage. We wanted to put forward the music that best tells our story.

Before the creation of the new category, did you feel you had a chance of being recognized at the Grammys?

Stacey: Honestly, it felt like a huge long shot. As a Filipino group, we dreamed about it, but the path wasn’t clear. Having a category that celebrates Asian pop makes that dream feel real and reachable. It tells young artists back home that there’s a place for them and that’s powerful for us.

Josh: To be honest, the Grammys weren’t something we planned around. When we started, the goal was simply to prove that a Filipino group could build a career in pop on our own terms, and that was already a big fight. Prior to this, Asian artists largely had to compete in the best global music performance category or the broader general pop fields. Breaking into those general categories has historically been a massive hurdle for international groups.

While there has been controversy around the category, are there positives people are missing around best Asian pop music performance?

Pablo: There aren’t enough conversations about who gets to be in the room now and many artists in this region have worked for years with little industry visibility. A dedicated category puts their work in front of voters who may not have heard it before. Exposure like that can change careers, and it can inspire the next generation of Filipino and Asian artists to aim even higher.

Aiah & Maloi: We think the biggest positive is the opportunity that can come out of this. This category brings attention to artists and scenes that haven’t always had a spotlight, and it introduces new listeners to music they might never have found. We see it as a door opening, not a box closing. Music still speaks for itself and now more people have a reason to listen.

What kind of statement do you think that would make if you won the 2027 Grammy for best Asian pop music performance?

Pablo: Winning the very first award of the category would be a monumental honor. It would send a loud message that Filipino music and artists belong in global conversation. Years ago, a P-pop group on a global stage sounded unrealistic, so a win would validate everyone who built this scene alongside us with fellow artists, producers, creatives, and fans. It would show the world that the Philippines isn’t just a market. It’s a source of original, world-class music. And it would tell kids picking up a mic or a laptop in Manila, Cebu, or Davao that this path is possible.

Colet: It would be a message that talent from anywhere can reach the world stage. For the Philippines, it would be a proud, emotional moment for Filipinos everywhere, and for our fans — the Blooms, who have supported us every step of the way. For P-pop, it would show that the movement is real, and ready to be recognized alongside the best in the world.

Are there any other changes you would like to see the Recording Academy or Grammys make for the future?

Justin: We’d love to see more about how the category is shaped and having voices from Southeast Asia involved in the process would help the category reflect the music properly. The most important change moving forward is ensuring that the existence of this category does not become a ceiling. We need to see that participating in regional categories does not prevent Asian artists from being nominated in the major general fields.

Gwen: We’re hopeful about continued growth in how the Grammys celebrate music from around the world. We’d love to see more representation, more voices from different regions in the voting body, and continued openness to feedback from artists and communities. It’s encouraging to see steps being taken and we’d love to see that momentum continue.

What else do you want to share about this topic?

Ken: We’re so grateful to [SB19’s fandom] A’TIN who have been with us from the start and pushed us when things were uncertain. We also want to acknowledge every Filipino artist who came before us and everyone coming next. P-pop is bigger than any single group and whatever happens with our consideration for this category, we’re proud of where the movement is headed.

Sheena: Thank you to our Blooms, who inspire us every day, and to the Filipino community for always believing in us. Thank you to all the Filipino artists who remain passionate and tireless in pushing the boundaries of where Filipino music can be taken globally. We’re so proud of how far Filipino music has come, and this is only the beginning.