"Cherry on Top" is a song by the Filipino girl group Bini. Star Music released the song on July 11,2024,as the first pre-single for the second extended play Biniverse. "Cherry on Top" is a bubblegum pop and UK garage track. Lyrically,the song is about a woman embracing her attractive qualities and asserting herself to her suitors. It was written by Boy Matthews and Gaby Ramirez,along with producers Shintaro Yasuda and Skylar Mones. Bini members Colet and Maloi also contributed to the songwriting and vocal arrangement.[a]
Various music critics have praised the song for its bright,summery sound. Teen Vogue included the track in their "Best Songs of July 2024" listicle,among others. "Cherry on Top" entered Billboard Philippines' charts two weeks after its release,peaking at number six on the Philippines Hot 100 and number four on the Top Philippine Songs chart. The accompanying music video was directed by Kerbs Balagtas and shows the Bini members in Y2K-inspired outfits,walking and dancing in colorful sets. It has earned acclaim for its visuals,as well as its references to Filipino culture. It became the top trending music video on YouTube Philippines,reaching two million views within 24 hours of its release,and was reportedly the second highest-trending music video on the platform for the year 2024.
Background
Bini released their single "Pantropiko" (lit.'Tropical') on November 17,2023,to promote their then-upcoming EP Talaarawan (lit.'Diary').[2] Regarded as a sleeper hit,the track gained viral traction the next year as a "summer anthem".[2] The subsequent commercial success of Talaarawan and its third single,"Salamin,Salamin" (lit.'Mirror,Mirror'),both released on March 8,2024,contributed to the milestone of becoming the Filipino group with the most monthly listeners on Spotify.[3] "Pantropiko" and "Salamin,Salamin" both peaked at number one on Billboard'sPhilippines Songs chart on April 27 and June 8,2024,respectively.[4][5]
Following the successful promotion of Talaarawan,Bini announced the release of the single "Cherry on Top" on June 10,2024.[6][7]
"Cherry on Top" is two minutes and fifty-five seconds long.[8] It is a bubblegum pop and UK garage song with lyrics written in English.[9][10][11]Genius' Ken Partridge described the song's sound as "light and frothy".[12] It was produced by Shintaro Yasuda and Skylar Mones and composed by Boy Matthews, Gaby Ramirez, Shintaro Yasuda, and Mones at a writer's camp in 2023.[9][13] In an interview with Billboard Philippines' Gabriel Saulog, Yasuda shared that Bini's Colet and Maloi wrote the song with the team and helped them assign parts to the girl group's members.[1] Chris Lopez recorded the song, with mixing by Dan Naim and mastering by Leon Zervos.[8]
Lyrically, "Cherry on Top" is about a woman confidently embracing and asserting her attractiveness.[12] The narrator establishes herself as the titular "cherry on top"—a sweet addition to her admirers' lives.[14] Partridge described the lyrics as "playfully teasing" and "flirty" towards potential suitors. In the bridge, Aiah and Stacey spell out the word "cherry".[12]
Promotion and release
Bini first teased "Cherry on Top" in early June 2024 through their social media platforms.[7] The promotion also included a photo shoot clip with the caption, "All eyes on us! Our upcoming single 'Cherry on Top' is serving soon!"[6] Another teaser was released on Instagram.[15] On July 1, a 60-second sneak peek of the song was made available on the mobile rhythm game Superstar Philippines.[16]
"Cherry on Top" was released by Star Music on July 11, 2024, through digital download and streaming formats.[8][15] It was revealed to be part of a then-upcoming album.[17] Shortly after the release of their official lightstick, the group unveiled official "Cherry on Top" shirt merchandise on October 27. The collection comprised a variety of T-shirts adorned with a cherry design, Bini's logotype, and images of the members from the "Cherry on Top" promotional photo shoots. The group also offered a limited bundle that came with an exclusive "Cherry on Top" sticker pack.[18]
A few remixes of the song were released in late 2024. The "BiniMo" remix, featuring vocals from Indonesian singer Agnez Mo, was released on October 3. The collaboration emerged after the group met her at the Enterprise Studios in Los Angeles, as well as Billboard Korea's K Power 100 launch event in Seoul.[19] It replaces Mikha's original English rap with a Tagalog verse, which she co-wrote with the group's vocal coach, Anna Achacoso-Graham.[10][11] On November 16, a Christmas remix of "Cherry on Top" was released, featuring a brief interpolation of "Jingle Bells".[20] At the start of the Biniverse World Tour 2025 on February 15, 2025, it was revealed that "Cherry on Top" and the BiniMo remix were part of an upcoming extended play (EP) titled Biniverse. The EP was released on February 27.[21][22]
Reception
Critical reception
"Cherry on Top" has received mostly favorable reviews from music critics. Writing for Billboard Philippines, Gabriel Saulog hailed the track as a "sweet auditory sensation" that highlights Bini's "endless charm and flirtatious energy".[23]Genius' Ken Partridge wrote that the song is a "danceable delight" well-suited to the summer season.[12] In the Philippine Daily Inquirer's Pop! section, Geiron Jeff Ocampo provided a mixed opinion. He wrote that the song's musical direction diverged from Bini's typical style, alienating their fan base upon release. He further noted that "Cherry on Top" was potentially either a "mistake" or a "necessary change" for the group.[24]
The song has appeared in some listicles. American magazine Teen Vogue included "Cherry on Top" in their "Best Songs of July 2024" list, with writers Sara Delgado and Kaitlyn McNab calling the song a "pastel-imbued bop" that fulfills listeners' desire for a "summer banger".[25] In November, The Philippine Daily Inquirer's Jewyz Ann Bunyi also included it in an article titled "12 bubblegum pop songs to jive to this holiday season", describing the track as the "cherry on top" of the list itself. She noted that the "sticky-sweet" song tells the listener that "your presence is a present", embodying the essence of Christmas.[26] In July 2025, the British publication &Asian named it as an honorable mention in their "25 Best P-pop Songs of the 21st Century: So Far" article.[27]
Commercial performance
Less than 24 hours since its release, the song garnered one million streams on iTunes and Spotify.[28][29] The song made a top-ten debut on Billboard Philippines charts two weeks after its release, placing eighth on the Philippines Hot 100 and fifth on Top Philippine Songs.[30][31] It peaked, respectively, at number six and number four on the same charts.[32][33] In March 2025, the track re-entered the Top Philippine Songs chart at number 23.[34] The song was nominated for two categories at the 2025 Jupiter Music Awards: Song of the Year, as well as Collaboration of the Year for the BiniMo remix with Agnez Mo.[35]
Music video
Bini uploaded the official teaser for the "Cherry on Top" music video on July 1, 2024.[36] The official music video premiered on July 11, alongside the song's release.[17] Set in a fictional place called "Cherry Town",[37] it shows the Bini members wearing Y2K-inspired outfits in shades of pink and red as they walk down a busy "dollhouse-like" street.[37][38][39] Some of the video's dance scenes take place on top of a giant cake, while others are set against a graffiti wall displaying the song's title.[37][38]
The video was directed by Kerbs Balagtas and filmed at the PonteFino Residences in Batangas City, showcasing the private neighborhood's vintage, neo-Victorian architectural style.[38][40] Its sets have been described as a "candy-colored dream world that no visitor would ever leave",[12] as well as a "wonderland of pastels and bright hues".[37]Rolling Stone Philippines included the video in its "Filipino Music Videos That Stole the Spotlight in 2024" listicle.[37]
Publications such as the Philippine Daily Inquirer's American bureau and SunStar Cebu also praised the video for its depictions of Filipino culture.[41][42] These cultural references include pagmamano,[b]balikbayan boxes,[c] and Filipino snacks such as banana cue[d] and halo-halo.[e] The video also depicts a typical morning scene in the Philippines, featuring items such as walis tingting (hard broom) and pandesal[f] dipped in coffee.[41][42]SunStar's Jewil Anne M. Tabiolo wrote that these cultural references helped the video maintain a distinct "Filipino flair" despite the song's English lyrics,[42] a sentiment echoed by Hans Carbonilla of the Inquirer.[41]
Following its release on July 11, the video became the top trending music video on YouTube.[9] It amassed over two million views on the platform within fewer than 24 hours of its release.[28] In December, "Cherry on Top" was recognized as the second-highest trending music video of 2024 on YouTube Philippines.[43] It has been nominated for Music Video of the Year by several award-giving bodies: the PPOP Awards,[44] the New Hue Video Music Awards,[45] the Myx Music Awards,[46] the Platinum Stallion National Media Awards,[47] the Jupiter Music Awards,[35] and the Awit Awards.[48] The video won in its nominated category at the 10th Platinum Stallion Awards ceremony,[47] as well as the International Music Video title at the 2023 BreakTudo Awards in Brazil.[49]
Other uses
Live performances
Prior to the song's official release, Bini performed "Cherry on Top" at their first solo concert, Biniverse, which ran for three nights from June 28 to 30, 2024 at the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City.[50][51] On July 27, they performed the track at the KCON music festival in Los Angeles. They were the first P-pop act to appear on the KCON stage.[52] According to the Filipino news site Rappler, Bini's performance provided an opportunity for the overall P-pop industry to attain global recognition.[53] On August 27, they performed a medley of "Cherry on Top" and "Pantropiko" (lit.'Tropical') at the Hotel Shilla in Seoul for the Billboard K Power 100 ceremony, where they received the Voices of Asia award.[54] On October 15, Bini performed the song, along with "Pantropiko", at Billboard Philippines' Mainstage anniversary show, held at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. Due to a technical issue, the instrumentals suddenly stopped in the middle of "Cherry on Top". Following a moment of confusion, the Bini members decided to sing the track a capella.[55]
In popular culture
At KCON 2024, Los Angeles-based girl group Katseye danced to "Cherry on Top". Nylon Manila's Nica Glorioso deemed it as evidence of Bini's growing international success.[56] On August 7, 2024, the K-pop girl group Unis performed a dance cover of the song.[57] On November 10, the Los Angeles Clippers dance team, Clippers Spirit, performed "Cherry on Top" during the halftime show of the NBA game between the Toronto Raptors and LA Clippers.[58][59]
In September 2024, Bini published a dance practice video for the song. Mega's Gianna Sibal detailed each member's choice of sneakers in the clip and praised the group for "stay[ing] on top of their fashion game" even when rehearsing.[60] As a part of Globe Telecom's G Fest, which took place from September 22 to November 16, the group's dance coaches Mickey Perz, Reden Blanquera, and Matthew Almodovar taught the "Cherry on Top" choreography in workshops.[61]
Awards and nominations
Name of award ceremony, year, category, and result
↑ A Filipino snack consisting of deep-fried, caramelized bananas skewered on sticks, made using saba bananas.
↑ lit.'mix-mix' is a Filipino dessert made with mixed sweetened ingredients, crushed ice, milk, and toppings of ube, leche flan, and ice cream.
↑ lit.'salt bread' is a soft, Filipino bread roll.
References
1 2 3 4 Saulog, Gabriel (April 24, 2025). "Renowned Songwriter-Producer Shintaro Yasuda On Working With Bini, Lisa, and Ariana Grande". Billboard Philippines. Archived from the original on October 9, 2025. While making 'Cherry on Top' we had the pleasure of having Maloi and Colet in the room and writing with us! [...] It was really inspiring to see how involved Maloi and Colet were in the writing process. When listening back, I could hear them thinking about and imagining whose parts would be performed by whom.
↑ Ocampo, Geiron Jeff (October 15, 2024). "'End of an era?' Some social media users think 'Bini fever' is nearing its end". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on December 3, 2024. This opinion reflects a more considerable worry that Bini may have jeopardized the relationship that had brought them popularity by departing from the genre that had first won them their fan base. The debate around 'Cherry on Top' also brings attention to a frequent problem many K-pop and P-pop acts have when trying to gain international recognition. [...] Whether 'Cherry on Top' is a mistake or a necessary change in Bini's sound, how they react to their fans' changing preferences and the changes in the worldwide music scene will determine their success in P-pop going forward.
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