MANILA, Philippines —Filipino pop took center stage at Japan’s Summer Sonic 2026 on Friday as P-pop groups SB19 and BINI made their festival debuts in Osaka, bringing two distinct sounds and performance styles to one of Japan’s biggest music events.
BINI performed on the Mountain Stage at Expo ’70 Commemorative Park in the afternoon, while SB19 followed on the Massive Stage later in the day. Both groups are among the Filipino actsrepresentingthe Philippines at this year’s festival, alongside singer-songwriter Ena Mori.
For BINI, the Osaka performance marked another milestone in the group’s rapidly expanding international run. The Nation’s Girl Group delivered a nine-song set that included “Cherry on Top,” “Zero Pressure,” “Out of My Head,” “Step Back,” “Blush,” “Sugar Rush,” “Salamin, Salamin” and “Pantropiko.”
The group also made the performance especially fitting for its Japanese audience by performing the Japanese version of “Born to Win,” its debut single, while incorporating Japanese lyrics into “Salamin, Salamin.”
BINI’s Summer Sonic appearance comes after its international activities in the United States, where the group has been holding shows as part of its Signals World Tour before making the trip to Japan. The group had earlier described the Summer Sonic appearance as another major milestone in its growing international career.
SB19, meanwhile, took the Massive Stagebuilding on the momentum of its recent international breakthrough.
The five-member group made history last month as the first Filipino act to perform at Chicago’s Lollapalooza, where it delivered an hourlong set featuring songs such as “Dam,” “Gento,” “Quit,” “Memories,” “Emoji,” “Visa,” “Dungka” and “Lawless.”
Ahead of Summer Sonic, SB19 also made its Japanese television debut on Nippon TV’s “DayDay.”The appearance gave the group an opportunity to introduce its music to Japanese viewers before taking the festival stage.
The Osaka performances capped a week of increased visibility for Filipino pop in Japan. SB19 and BINI had earlier reunited in California and collaborated on online content ahead of their Summer Sonic appearances, presenting a united front as two of the Philippines’ most prominent P-pop acts.
Their participation also places P-pop alongsideestablishedinternational acts on the Summer Sonic lineup, includingL’Arc-en-Ciel, LE SSERAFIM, Pentatonix, Jamiroquai, Carín León and BABYMETAL.
The Summer Sonic run is not yet over for either group.
SB19 will perform at the Pacific Stage at ZOZO Marine Stadium & Makuhari Messe in Tokyo on Aug. 15, while BINI returns to the Mountain Stage in Tokyo on Aug. 16.
