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.” Related Harvey Mason jr. on 2,300 New Grammy Voting Members, the Asian Pop Category Uproar & More: ‘We Want To Bring More People Into the Tent’ What Does the BTS Fallout Mean For the Grammys’ New Asian Pop Award? Without BTS, Who Could Get an Asian Pop Grammy Nomination? 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.