POINT ZERO WORLD

BINA. is undeniably a star in the making. The nigerio-british singer and artist is constantly redefining her sound and limits of creation. For more than 5 years, she has expanded her ways of making music for the pleasure of her fans all around the world. In this interview, right before her first headlining show in Paris, you will learn a little bit more about her, her motivations to sing and write, her inspirations, and her personality !

Pictures by Moment de Grace

PZW :

So, hello BINA!

BINA. :

Hey Charlyze !

PZW :

Thank you for accepting this interview. So I just wanted to introduce this interview and this meeting by asking you, are you Congolese ? What does BINA mean?

BINA. :

What does BINA mean?

PZW :

Yes !

BINA. :

My actual name is Sabrina.

PZW :

Okay !

BINA. :

So I just shortened it. And then BINA. was born. But people always are like, are you Congolese ? Because I know in lingala it means dance. So I know. I’m aware of. But also, it means so many beautiful things in different languages. I know that in some languages, it means to sing. In origin, wisdom, obviously. But I’m actually Nigerian !

PZW :

I see !

BINA. :

But a lot of people are like, it means after your father’s heart or something like this, like your father’s heart. But it doesn’t mean any of these things. It’s just a shortening of my actual, like, first name.

PZW :

Okay. I just have to ask. And is it your first show in Paris ever?

BINA. :

It’s my first headline show in Paris. I’ve been to Paris a couple of times. I played in Rock en Seine last year, and later, the same year, I came to Paris to open for BLK ODYSSY.

PZW :

Oh, yes. I love him !

BINA. :

And I actually played here a couple years ago with Yasmin Lacey. So I’ve done a couple, like, support slots in Paris. This is my first headline show, which is exciting, and it’s definitely a trip.

PZW:

Congratulations !

BINA. :

Thank you !

PZW:

How would you describe your music to somebody that doesn’t know you ?

BINA. :

I would say my music is alternative. That’s the sound. It’s alternative. It’s very focused on storytelling and on kind of expressing a mood first and foremost. So, yeah, that’s what I would say. You’re going to feel a lot of things listening to it and even reading or hearing the lyrics.

PZW :

In your first album so, « Chaos Is Her Name » (2024), you’re mostly talking about feelings, like you just said, introspective parts of yourself and sometimes melancholia and love. So why is it important to you to broadcast those emotions?

BINA. :

I just think they’re real things that I go through. And that a lot of people go through as well. I think « Chaos Is Her Name » is a lot more interesting and introspective than anything. Like, I think maybe some of my earlier works, like the EP « This Is Not a Film » is more focused on, like, my relationships with people, a little bit of introspection, but primarily my relationships with the outer world, or more like love and these type of things and. Or lack thereof, whatever, however you want to see it. And then Chaos is Her Name is more me. Embracing the fact that, like, look a lot of my growth as a person and a lot of the women I’ve become, I love it. But it has taken a lot of, like, twists and turns and a lot of, like, sometimes chaotic trajectories. And I think that growing up sometimes I used to hold myself to the responsibility of being perfect all the time. And I’m like, hey, I’m not perfect. Sometimes I’m a mess, and it’s a beautiful part of myself. So let me present it to the world and maybe some people will resonate. And thankfully they do. So I’m not the only one.

PZW :

And why have you chosen music to broadcast your creativity ?

PZW :

Okay !

BINA. :

So I just found it to be quite like a cathartic thing, you know. So that’s basically why I chose music as my medium. It’s the thing I’m best at expressing myself through.

PZW :

And are you using another medium ?

BINA. :

I do. I paint as well. So, like, I would say I’m quite a creative person.

PZW :

As you should !

BINA. :

Yeah. So I paint and sometimes I find that things I can’t express through music, I express through my paintings and vice versa. Painting, drawing, and stuff. Even like some of the merch on the standards, like drawings I’ve done and things. So, yeah, that’s my main medium, like visual art and music, sometimes acting, but primarily the first two.

PZW :

And so, by the way, what are your main creative inspirations and aspirations ?

BINA. :

I love this question !

PZW :

I love this question as well, because. We can see your outfit. You’re beautiful. I can maybe sense your inspirations.

BINA. :

Yeah !

PZW :

But I want you to tell them.

BINA. :

I think that this particular outfit is actually like, inspired by the world that we built for « Chaos Is Her Name. » I really wanted to keep a lot of those, like, motifs quite present. So, like the Reds, the kind of like grunginess. Like, I think I lean more into the alternative sound that’s always influenced me, but I’ve become more confident to explore. So kind of leaning into that more like alternative side of things. I love kind of like punk.

PZW :

Yeah, I love punk !

BINA. :

Like, I love Afro punk.

PZW :

Afro punk, exactly.

BINA. :

And I find like people who inspire me, like fashion wise, are like Solange, Doechii…

PZW :

I knew it !

BINA. :

These are the people that inspire me, like, I guess, style wise. In terms of my sound, I have my foundations of things that inspire me. But it changes from project to project. So lately, I’ve been really inspired by Tame Impala, BadBadNotGood. Who else can I think of off the top of my head again? Again, Solange, it’s just a free freeness. Like, I make what I want, I do what I want.

PZW :

And I love that !

BINA. :

Who else else would I say has been inspiring me lately? Those are the three.  And then there’s other albums that I just really like…Willow’s !

PZW :

Her last album is amazing !

BINA. :

It’s amazing! I listened to a lot of different stuff, like N.E.R.D, like making this last project, listening to a lot of N.E.R.D. I recently discovered this artist called…I forget her name, but she has an album called tell us how you really feel. And it’s like kind of like a punk folk album. And it’s great. And I listened to that before. I made it for me. And so you can see the sonic palette is quite expansive, but those are my main influences.

PZW :

Apparently, we have five minutes left. What can we wish you for ? For the future of your music, your career, and for yourself.

BINA. :

You can expect me to continue to be very creatively free. I think that I have a distinct sound, but you can see more branches coming off of it. You can expect me to keep bringing something new, something fresh to the scene. You know, you can expect me to continue to be always, like, honest, candid. Do my music as deep as I feel like, I try and try and reach the boundary where I’m like, how much can I share with myself before I’m like, whoa, this is too scary. And I always reach new frontiers each time. So it’s like, I feel like that’s going to keep happening and keep expecting me to be in that video.

PZW :

Thank you, I will pray for that ! Thank you very much for your time and good luck with your show, by the way.

BINA. :

I have to let you know, Paris came through, you guys. So, yeah, I’m really excited.

PZW :

Thank you again !

BINA. :

Thank you !