The members of the popular Pinoy girl group BINI have strongly denied allegations that their hit song ‘Salamin, Salamin’ is associated with witchcraft, labeling these accusations as “fake news.”
During a recent press conference, BINI responded to claims made by the group Follow Jesus Ministry, which had accused the song of leading people away from their spiritual values.
“Ngayon lang po namin nalaman ‘yan pero hindi na po natin ma-control ‘yung utak ng ibang tao,” said Jhoanna Robles, the leader of BINI.
“Fake news po ‘yun. Hindi po witchcraft ang ‘Salamin, Salamin ‘ Maganda lang ‘yung song,” added Maloi Ricalde.
The controversy started when a Facebook post from Follow Jesus Ministry went viral. The post claimed the song was harmful to spiritual and moral values and included a screenshot from a book titled ‘Mirror Magic (Scrying, Spells, Curses, and Other Witch Crafts)’ by Viiivi James, highlighting lyrics from ‘Salamin, Salamin.’
The post cautioned, “Ang pakikinig sa mga makamundong musika ay kadalasang maglalayo sa atin mula sa ating spiritual at moral values. Maari nitong maimpluwensyahan ang ating mga pagiisip at paguugali, protektahan po nating ang ating mga puso at isipan mula sa mga walang kabuluhang salita dahil ang mga salita ay espiritu.”
It further criticized the song, stating, “Itong ‘Salamin Salamin’ yung sinayaw sa church pero no problem..KJ, Religious, OA, legalist pa yung nangrebuke at nagadvise. Di po yan KJ pagmamahal po yan. Salamin2 is a Witchcraft song.. Please wake up church!”
The post also advised, “Let’s choose our music wisely to nurture our souls and to bring us closer to God…Beware sa mga christian, preachers, pastors, ministers na walang nakikitang mali sa pakikinig ng mga worldly music.”
Despite the controversy, BINI’s popularity continues to soar, attracting numerous brand endorsements. The P-Pop girl group, known for viral hits like ‘Pantropiko’ and ‘Salamin, Salamin,’ was recently named the latest brand ambassadors for the e-commerce platform Shopee.
Shopee’s regional marketing lead, Huiyan Pan, introduced BINI as the newest faces of the company during an event on Tuesday, May 28. Pan even danced to ‘Pantropiko,’ impressing the attendees.
Shopee’s decision to collaborate with BINI follows a study conducted with Kantar, which revealed that one in four Gen Z Filipinos (aged 18 to 24) use e-commerce as their primary shopping platform. With the purchasing power of Gen Zs in Southeast Asia expected to reach $140 billion by 2030, brands are keen to tap into this lucrative market.
