"Pantropiko" (lit.'Tropical') is a song recorded by Filipino girl group Bini from their first extended play (EP), Talaarawan (2024). Written by its producers Jumbo De Belen and Mat Olavides, along with Angelika Ortiz and Paula Patricia "Pow" Chavez during a songwriting camp, "Pantropiko" is a bubblegum pop track featuring tropical influences. The song features an upbeat melody and rhythm, reflecting its summer-inspired theme with catchy hooks and vibrant production. It was released by Star Music on November 17, 2023, as the second pre-release single from Talaarawan, following the earlier release of "Karera" (2023).
"Pantropiko" went viral on TikTok, contributing to its rise on Philippine music charts. The song received acclaim from critics for its lively sound, energetic vibe, and catchy appeal. This reception, along with its popularity on streaming platforms, helped Bini become Spotify's highest-streamed female OPM artist and the Filipino P-pop group with the most monthly listeners. "Pantropiko" debuted at number 17 on the BillboardPhilippines Songs chart on March 23, 2024, peaking at number one on April 23, making Bini the first P-pop group to top the chart. By July 2024, the song surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify and YouTube Music. It ranked third on Billboard Philippines' Philippines Hot 100 Year-End and Top Philippine Songs Year-End charts for 2024. The song received multiple accolades, winning Song of the Year at the P-pop Music Awards and the Myx Music Awards, along with additional wins and nominations from the Awit Awards and PMPC Star Awards for Music.
Background and release
In September 2022, Bini released their second album, Feel Good. Following the album's success, the group made a comeback on September 22, 2023, with the release of "Karera", which served as the first pre-release single for their then-upcoming debut EP, Talaarawan, offering a preview of the group's material.[1]
Following "Karera", Star Music released "Pantropiko" on November 17, 2023, as the second pre-release single for the EP.[2]
"Pantropiko" is three minutes and forty-five seconds long.[3] The track was produced by Jumbo De Belen and Mat Olavides, with Olavides contributing his expertise in tropical house. De Belen provided the initial instrumental, which laid the foundation for the song’s tropical influence. The lyrics were written by Angelika Ortiz, who initially used the past tense phrasing in her draft. After receiving feedback, she revised the lyrics to the present tense, explaining that it better allowed listeners to feel the meaning of the song in the moment.[4]
"Pantropiko" was created as part of a FlipMusic[a] songwriting camp, where multiple tracks for Bini's Talaarawan were developed. FlipMusic producer Paula Patricia "Pow" Chavez contributed to the vocal arrangements. Chavez also added the "Pantropiko, pantropiko, oh" line in the post-chorus.[4] Olavides enriched the collaboration by incorporating African, Latin, and Caribbean music influences into his arrangement of the song, which became the published rendition.[5]
Production
The choreography for "Pantropiko" was developed by Bini member Sheena, following a challenge from their dance coach Mickey Perz. She was assisted by fellow coaches Matthew Almodovar and Reden Blanquera to complete the dance. The choreography quickly became popular, contributing to the song's success.[6] The music video was filmed at Inflatable Island Beach Club, a beach resort in Zambales.[7]
Reception
"Pantropiko" received widespread acclaim for its vibrant sound and energetic vibe. Rafael Bautista of Nylon Manila noted the track's upbeat nature and ability to capture the essence of summer romance, contributing to its success, particularly on platforms like TikTok.[8] Despite being released in November 2023, the song slowly gained popularity as a sleeper hit "summer anthem" in the Philippines. The song's success was further reflected in its performance on streaming platforms such as Spotify.[2] In Mega, Gianna Sibal described "Pantropiko" as a song that evokes warm summer days and highlights the power of music to transcend temporal constraints, contributing to Bini's growing global appeal.[9]
Commercially, "Pantropiko" achieved significant success on both streaming platforms and music charts. A few months after its release, the song went viral on TikTok.[10] Following the release of Talaarawan on March 8 and the success of "Pantropiko", Bini became Spotify's highest-streamed female OPM artist and the Filipino P-pop group with the most monthly listeners.[11][12] The song also debuted at number 17 on Billboard'sPhilippines Songs chart on March 23, 2024,[13] before peaking at number five on April 20, 2024.[14] "Pantropiko" reached number one on April 23, making Bini the first P-pop group to top the chart.[15] Bini performed a remake of the song for a cheeseburger advertisement by Jollibee, coinciding with the group's formal endorsement of the brand on June 17, 2024.[16] By July 2024, "Pantropiko" had surpassed 100 million streams on both Spotify and YouTube Music, and ranked 65th on YouTube's Global Music Video chart.[17] In December 2024, the song ranked third on Billboard Philippines'Philippines Hot 100 Year-End and Top Philippine Songs Year-End charts,[18][19] and was also Google’s ninth most-searched song in the Philippines that same year.[20]
Accolades
Awards and nominations for "Pantropiko"Awards and nominations for Pantropiko
