Binki

Last updated
binki
Birth nameBaraka Andrew Ongeri
Born (1997-09-14) September 14, 1997 (age 27)
Pennsylvania, United States
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
Labels Fader Label

Baraka Andrew Ongeri (born September 14, 1997), known professionally by the stage name Binki (stylized as binki), is an American singer and songwriter.

Contents

Early life

Ongeri was born to Kenyan parents. [1] From Pennsylvania, Ongeri grew up in Hershey and North Carolina. [2] [3] He studied to be an actor at UNC Greensboro. [4] While in college, he began making music. [2] Always identifying himself as actor, he thought of music as a secondary passion even after first venturing into it. [3]

Career

After college, Ongeri moved to New York City and was based in Brooklyn. [5]

In 2018, Ongeri released his debut single "Marco". A year later, he released "Wiggle". In August 2019, he was featured in Pigeons & Planes as one of their "best new artists" of that month. [3] He then released "Sea Sick" in September. [3] In October, he released "Heybb!" under Fader Label, as well as its accompanying music video. [5] [6] The song would later be used in an Apple Inc. advertisement for the iPad Air 4. [7] [8] "Heybb!" and "Sea Sick" also achieved virality on TikTok. [9] At the time, Ongeri was still training to be an actor. [9]

In May 2021, he released the single "Clay Pigeon", [10] and in July released "Revolve". [11] The two singles appeared on his debut EP Motor Function , which was released in August. [12] [13] The EP received positive reviews from music critics. [9] A third song, "Landline", was featured on the soundtrack of FIFA 22.

Ongeri released "Hotel Window" in March 2023, [13] [14] followed by "Rocket Ship" in April, [15] and "Doomsday" in May. [16] All three singles were featured on his second EP Antennae. [17] In August 2025, binki released Defibrillator , the lead single for his upcoming EP Half-Nelson , which is scheduled to release on October 24th , 2025.

Influences

Ongeri has noted Childish Gambino, Tyler, The Creator, Will Smith, and Jamie Foxx as his "idols". [3] A documentary on Jimi Hendrix inspired him to take guitar lessons. [3]

Discography

References

  1. ↑ Williams, Sophie (July 26, 2021). "Binki: "My goal is always to try and make something that's subversive"". NME . Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Anderson, Quillian (February 27, 2023). "Artists binki and Paper Lady 'shout out love' on Valentine's Day". The Huntington News . Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Moore, Jacob; Gardner, Alex; Rindner, Grant; Price, Joe (August 26, 2019). "Best New Artists of the Month (August)". Pigeons & Planes . Complex Networks . Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  4. ↑ Bedrosian, Alyssa (25 April 2018). "Class of 2018: Baraka Ongeri". UNCG News. UNC Greensboro. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  5. 1 2 Moore, Jacob (October 17, 2019). "PREMIERE: Watch binki's "Heybb!" Music Video". Pigeons & Planes . Complex Networks . Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Binki shares a new video for "Heybb!"". The Fader . May 6, 2020. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  7. ↑ Neely, Amber (8 January 2021). "New iPad Air 4 ad 'Boiiing' lands on YouTube". AppleInsider. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  8. ↑ Serra, Maria (February 3, 2021). "10 Black artists who deserve more recognition in the alternative genre". Alternative Press . Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 Williams, Sophie (August 12, 2021). "Binki – 'Motor Function' EP review: a compelling work of hope and fear". NME . Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  10. ↑ Golsen, Tyler (May 21, 2021). "Binki shares new single 'Clay Pigeon'". Far Out. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  11. ↑ Zwerner, Alexander (July 2, 2021). "Binki releases genre-defying single "Revolve"". Earmilk. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  12. ↑ Farrell, Margaret (August 16, 2021). "binki Walks Us Through His Energizing EP "Motor Function"". Flood. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  13. 1 2 Williams, Sophie (March 3, 2023). "Binki shares grungy new single 'Hotel Window', teases more new music". NME . Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  14. ↑ Forstneger, Steve (March 3, 2023). "binki's mind pounds the glass of his "Hotel Window"". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  15. ↑ Taylor, Sam (2023-04-17). "binki has dropped a new single, 'Rocket Ship'". Dork. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  16. ↑ Doomsday, 2023-05-12, retrieved 2023-05-15
  17. ↑ Antennae, 2023-06-23, retrieved 2023-07-14
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