The rise of south-east Asia’s girl bands: ‘The talent and popularity were always here’
Girl bands from the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand are going global with their fusion of traditional and modern sounds
“We all know that music is a universal language,” says Maloi Ricalde from Filipina girl band BINI, which mixes tropical pop with traditional songs, English with Tagalog, and silver knee highs with pastel colours.
“Incorporating Filipino language, Filipino culture, Filipino sound, into our music, it really gives identity and meaning to our music,” Ricalde tells the Guardian.
Months after becoming the first south-east Asian girl band to perform at Coachella, and now with a tour of Japan under its belt, the group is enjoying a surge in popularity.
“Our next goal,” says BINI member Jhoanna Robles, “Is that we want Filipino culture, Filipino music to be part of a conversation naturally on a global stage.”
BINI is not the only girl group from south-east Asia to recently gain wider traction, with other girl bands such as Indonesia’s no na, Thailand’s 4EVE, and Malaysia’s DOLLA taking to stages around the world, instigating viral dance challenges and racking up millions of views online.
Industry experts say musical talent has always existed in the region, but the infrastructure is now backing it up after the huge popularity of K-pop showed that investment could push Asian artists into the mainstream.
The music industry in the west largely ignored Asian music before the 2012 hit Gangnam Style, which went viral in part thanks to its popularity in the Philippines and among its diaspora, says Piyapong Muenprasertdee, co-founder of music platform Fungjai.
Many emerging artists and groups from the region are now gaining fans by blending modern and traditional elements, adds Piyapong.
In Thailand indie acts as well as girl bands such as BNK48 are putting their own spin on local folk music Molam and Thai country music known as Luk Thung. In Vietnam and the Philippines, unique electronic dance music styles are becoming increasingly prominent in local club scenes.
In Indonesia, girl band no na has mixed dangdut, a high-intensity genre with Indonesian, Malay, Arabic and Indian roots, with reggaeton and pop, including in their hit bilingual song Rollerblade, which has garnered 16m views.
The group produces catchy, sometimes expletive-laden pop songs that feature traditional ceng-ceng cymbals, and gamelan, an ensemble from Java and Bali, which they perform in striking costumes and with occasional back-bending moves.
“It’s been a consistent formula throughout our work process to find songs that have a global sound and add Indonesian elements as a cherry on top as our no na stamp,” the group tells the Guardian. “Because we’re a global girl group but still representing our country, we always try to find that balance without compromising too much of one or the other.”
Thai girl group 4EVE reflects local elements like Bangkok’s bustling street culture in their music videos, while Malaysia’s DOLLA has released songs such as Raya Raya Raya celebrating the end of Ramadan, which they perform in modest, but hot-pink kaftans.
One feature of Asian pop culture, says PR expert Bettina Miski, is the prominence of fandom and fanclubs, which have contributed to their popularity.
“The relationship between the artists and the fans is a lot deeper,” says Miski, who runs a YouTube series called “THAI T”, which connects Asian artists with global audiences. “That devotion leads to spreading the word, a type of promotion that often goes beyond traditional marketing as it feels a lot more personal or intimate.”
Girl bands in the region have special names for their fans, which provide support at concerts and online, including in posting dance challenges. BINI’s fans are called “Blooms”, for no na it’s “Orchids”, 4EVE’s “For Aye” (also meaning forever), and DOLLA’s “iDollas”.
The row over the Grammys’ new category for Asian pop suggests inclusivity in the industry still has a way to go. The move was criticised for potentially ringfencing Asian pop artists from contending in the top categories. It also explicitly mentioned only K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop despite the region’s diversity.
Still, says Piyapong, south-east Asia is well positioned to be “the next powerhouse” in the global music landscape.
“We just recently entered an era where borders or language matter less,” says Miski, “The talent and popularity were always here, the system just had to catch up.”
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