The ladies of BINI have been dominating our playlists and social media feeds for the past few months. Since their debut in 2020 during the pandemic, the girl group has been hard at work. Their main rapper and visual Aiah Arceta attests to the nitty-grittiness of their journey.
Before they attained the stardom they revel in now, the Cebuana had to find her footing as an aspiring model and beauty queen. In an episode of Kuan on One, Melai Cantiveros' newest Bisaya talk show, she revealed that she actually auditioned for the coveted role of Darna in the 2022 TV series remake.
BINI's Aiah on Auditioning for the 2022 "Darna" TV Series
After being a shy girl throughout her childhood, Aiah ventured into modeling as a way to boost her confidence. "I said to myself, 'Wait a minute. I have to make an effort to change something about myself,'" she says. "I tried modeling and pageantry until I gained confidence to participate in other events."
One thing she mustered up the guts for was a season of Pinoy Big Brother. She narrates that she actually reached the third level of auditions but failed to get a callback. Aiah admits that her rejection from the reality show was "the most painful one" because "it was the first time I wanted something so bad. I really wanted it."
Aiah eventually accepted that perhaps becoming one of Kuya's housemates wasn't for her. But when a Star Hunt audition for the Darna remake was held in Cebu, her management jumped at the chance. "At that time, I was still under my former modeling management. They told me about the private casting for Darna. They wanted me to join," she shares.
"I hesitated [to join] because the other auditionees were 20 years old and above. Meanwhile, I still looked like a kid. I looked very young. My voice might even crack if they make me shout 'Darna!'"
Even if she was discouraged to go for it, her management urged her to still try. As it turns out, they had a plan for her beyond playing the superhero. "'No. We won't aim for Darna. I asked you to come here so the Star Hunt staff could see you,'" she recalls her manager telling her.
She didn't get the role, which eventually went to Jane de Leon. Instead, she bagged an opportunity that led her to the musical career she has now. "After a couple of months, when I was already enrolled in college, they suddenly called. 'Hi. Is this Aiah? Are you willing to go to Manila to be in a girl group?'" she reveals to Kuan-tie Melai.
"They called me because they noticed me. It was because of the Darna audition. They noticed me there. My efforts weren't in vain because they noticed me," Aiah states. "And the rest is history," Melai replied.
All things considered, the BINI member is grateful for the past rejections that redirected her to where she is now. We may have not seen her don red and gold, but Aiah is definitely making a name for herself as a superstar in the making.
This interview has been translated from Bisaya to English, and has been condensed for clarity.
Hey, Preview readers! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Tiktok, and Twitter to stay up to speed on all things trendy and creative. We’ll curate the most stylish feed for you!
