Pinoy winners at the MTV EMAS

BINI was named Best Asia Act at the recent MTV European Music Awards. This was announced at the MTV Europe Music Awards held in London last Sunday, Nov. 10.

The girl group of Cherry on Top and Pangtropiko fame bested Illit of South Korea; Mahalini from Indonesia; Masdo from Malaysia; and Sakurazaka 46 from Japan.

Very nice. Congratulations are in order. It is good to know that a Filipino act won over the competition provided by the top pop artists in other countries in the region.

However, contrary to what was mentioned in the news, BINI was not the first Pinoy act to win the award. The first group, yes. The first all-female act, double yes.

James Reid became MTV’s Best Southeast Asia Act in 2017.

The first Filipino to capture the Best Southeast Asia Act trophy at the EMAs was Sarah Geronimo in 2014. She was first nominated in 2013 but lost out to My Tam from Vietnam. She finally got it a year later and most deservedly so.

Sarah 10 years ago was at her peak as a singer, from Forever’s Not Enough and Sa Iyo, she had found a new sound in Kilometro and Tayo and was on her way to Tala.  She was selling out concerts at home and abroad and was a major draw on television. She was a box-office star in movies like It Takes a Man and a Woman and Maybe This Time. So, Sarah G was the first Pinoy artist to win the Best Southeast Asia Act for MTV.

James Reid was no different when he became MTV’s Best Southeast Asia Act in 2017. James was first nominated in 2015 but lost out to another Vietnamese, Son Tung M-TP. Two years later though he was ripe for the honor, as a singer, with hits like Randomatic and Hanap-hanap, box-office blockbusters like Diary ng Pangit and Hopeless Romantic and as the other half of a very hot loveteam with Nadine Lustre.

Other Pinoy acts who were nominated as Best Southeast Asia Act were Sarah G again in 2016 but lost to Dong Hai, again from Vietnam; IV of Spades in 2018, which was won by Joe Flizzow of Malaysia; Moira dela Torre in 2019 lost to Jasmine Sokko of Singapore; Ben&Ben in 2020 but lost to Jack j97 who was again from Vietnam; and SB19 in 2021 which lost to JJ Lin of Singapore.

The first Filipino to capture the Best Southeast Asia Act trophy at the EMAs was Sarah Geronimo in 2014.

I do not know how it connects to the Best Southeast Asia Award but back the early 2000s MTV Asia had a Favorite Artist Award where fans of various countries get to vote for their favorites. The winners were then invited to receive their trophies during a big awards event held in Singapore.

The Favorite Artist Award Philippines was won by Regine Velasquez two years in a row in 2002 and 2003. She was followed by several bands.Parokya ni Edgar in 2004; Rivermaya in 2005 and 2006; and Chicosci in 2008. Sadly, though the award does not exist anymore.

Now I do not know if the change in the name of the award from Best Southeast Asia Act to Best Asia Act matters in this instance. If that is the case then BINI is indeed is the first Filipino to win the award.