Members of BINI gather in front of the #BINI_Coachella billboard along the I-10 Freeway in North Palm Springs. BINI/Instagram
INDIO, California -- Aside from their career-defining Coachella debut performance, BINI members Stacey and Sheena have more reasons to celebrate after finally graduating from senior high school.
The two completed this scholastic achievement at the JPI Technologies, Trainings and Services Inc. in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, where all other BINI members also graduated from.
“Finally, graduate na kami ni Sheena. Kami na lang 'yung actually’ng natira na batchmates, kami 'yung huling nag-graduate pero thank you Lord graduate na kaming walo. College na ba tayo? College na kami!” said Stacey.
Sheena said it has always been their dream to go to college and get a degree.
But can they afford to get into college, given their hectic schedule with an upcoming world tour happening very soon?
“Hopefully ma-ano namin kasi, feeling ko naman 'yung college kaya siyang i-start at any age. Pero for now, what we can say is that focus muna kami talaga dito but of course, that’s our goal makapagtapos ng college,” said Sheena.
Stacey added, “Actually, yun talaga ang goal namin, 'yung iba sa amin sinasabi na talaga after BINI, itutuloy ko 'yung pag-aaral ko. Same sa amin ni Sheena, after ng BINI, siyempre minsan lang kumatok yung mga opportunities sa career namin. Magfo-focus muna kami sa passion muna namin, and then 'yung school later na.”
Stacey, Sheena and the rest of BINI had a blast during the first week of Coachella -- not just with their highly-applauded performance, but also with all the fangirling they did.
Stacey saw her K-pop idols Lisa and Rosé of Blackpink while waiting for the set of Korean mega-group BIGBANG.
“Dapat ang papanoorin ko lang ay 'yung Major Lazer, then after that uwi na ko kasi maglalaba pa ako. Pero sabi ko, shucks sayang naman kasi last day na ngayon so sulitin ko, Coachella na ‘to eh, tapos BIGBANG, siyempre fan din ako ng mga YG K-pop artists ganyan, ayun sumama ako kay Sheena tapos ayun nagulat ako.”
She continued, “Pero siyempre in-expect ko na manonood si Lisa (Blackpink) siyempre, kumbaga sibling group nila 'yun. Tapos nakita ko si Lisa, sabi ko, ‘I knew it, manonood siya!’ After that si Rosé naman. Oh my God, 'di ko alam kung kanino ako mag-fo-focus, kay Lisa ba o kay BIGBANG. Pero nag-enjoy ako, ang saya!”
Sheena, for lack of a better word, exploded with excitement when she saw BIGBANG.
“Ang story kasi niyan, meron na kaming spot ni Staku at sa ibang BINI team na, may spot na sobrang chill. Tapos nung mag-bi-BIGBANG na, merong BINI staff na nandoon, tapos sabi namin sige punta kami, kasi almost barricade na sila isang tao lang pagitan. Tapos pagpunta namin doon, sobrang lapit nga, worth it.”
And if that’s not enough, she was totally surprised when she found out the next day that BIGBANG member G-Dragon liked BINI’s ‘Pantropiko’ performance video uploaded by Coachella.
“Pagmulat ko ng mata ko, nakita ko nag-send sa GC namin ni-like daw ni GD (G-Dragon) 'yung video namin sa Coachella, 'yung ‘Pantropiko’, tapos nagsearch din ako sa ‘X’ kasi baka edited na naman, kasi mga Blooms lakas ng amats niyan eh, pero hindi siya edited. Sabi ko talaga, naging delulu ako paggising ko. Sabi na eh, iba yung tingin niya eh.”
All in all, the girls had an amazing time and now they’re back in Los Angeles for guestings and recordings before they resume rehearsals for their Week 2 Coachella performance on April 17 (US time).