How BINI landed Coachella to make history as festival’s first P-pop act

NEW YORK — BINI, the powerhouse P-pop girl group, is set to break new ground as the first all-Filipino group ever to perform at Coachella, the world’s most iconic music and arts festival. 

The eight-member act joins the 2026 lineup, securing the coveted festival spot with the help of partner agency Wasserman, a milestone that positions Philippine pop on the global stage.

“Our ABS-CBN team is currently working with Wasserman,” BINI said in an email interview with USNewsRank. 

The career-defining opportunity came through their label ABS-CBN and partner leadership agency Wasserman, which also handled their BINIverse North America tour earlier this year.

“They knew how much we wanted to do Coachella and they helped us secure the opportunity! We’re so thankful.”

The announcement came in September, with BINI slated to perform on April 10 and April 17, 2026, the opening Fridays of the festival’s two weekends in Indio, California.

Photo from bini_ph/Instagram

BINI will share the stage with global superstars including headliners Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber and Karol G.

The 2026 lineup also features The Strokes, Iggy Pop and Katseye, the multinational girl group that includes Filipino member Sophia Laforteza.

Global recognition for OPM

For BINI, their Coachella debut marks not just personal success, but also signals wider global recognition for Original Pilipino Music (OPM) and Filipino pop.

You may like: BINI takes on e-trike karaoke challenge in Los Angeles

“We’re so grateful for all the opportunities given to us,” the group said. “This is definitely one of the most exciting things we’ll get to do as Filipino music artists, and we want to represent our fellow OPM artists on a platform as big as Coachella.”

When news of their inclusion broke, even the group was caught off guard.

“It was crazy! Our label and management kept this a secret from us and the announcement came to us by surprise,” BINI recalled.

“Everyone has expressed so much excitement. We’ve received messages ranging from how proud they are of us to messages wishing us luck and support.”

Preparations are already underway, with the octet focused on showcasing Filipino artistry to a global audience.

“The Coachella stage is still a couple of months away but we’ve already started our discussions. One thing we’re sure of is that we want to prepare a stage that will make the Philippines proud,” BINI said.

“We’re going to do our best to showcase what Filipino talent is, share our music and introduce ourselves as BINI.”

Balancing rehearsals, new releases and an upcoming Philippine Arena concert before Coachella, the group credited their management team for helping keep everything on track.

“We’re taking it one day at a time,” they said. “We hope that with all these efforts, we’re able to have new Blooms, new supporters!”

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, founded in 1999 by Paul Tollett and Rick Van Santen of Goldenvoice, is one of the largest and most recognizable music festivals in the world. 

After early challenges, including a cancellation in 2000, Coachella grew into a major event, expanding to three days in 2007 and adding a second consecutive weekend in 2012.

It has since become a global cultural phenomenon, propelled by social media, celebrity participation and influencer culture.

Drawing crowds of more than 125,000 attendees per day, the festival has played host to legendary acts across genres, making a Coachella appearance one of the most coveted opportunities in the music industry.

With BINI’s inclusion in the 2026 lineup, Filipino music takes center stage alongside global superstars, amplifying the reach of P-pop at one of the world’s most influential cultural festivals.

The post How BINI landed Coachella to make history as festival’s first P-pop act appeared first on USNewsRank.