A full-circle pop culture moment unfolded at the 2026 Billboard Women in Music Awards when Queen of Telenovela Thalía crossed paths with P-Pop powerhouse BINI.
And yes, it carried a nostalgic nod that Filipinos instantly recognized.
Held on April 29 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California, USA, the event gathered some of the biggest names in music.
But for Filipino fans, one short, chaotic, joy-filled clip ended up stealing the spotlight.
In a reel she uploaded, Thalía teased the moment with: “Guys, I have a surprise for you. To all my Filipinos that I love…”
Photo/s: Screengrab from Facebook | Thalia
The camera then pans to the right side of the hall, and suddenly, BINI appears behind her.
What follows is a shared instinct to shout the classic, unmistakable hook: “Ma-ri-mar! Awww!”
In unison, the group paid homage to the iconic teleserye theme that defined a generation, before breaking into laughter and pure fan energy.
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Photo/s: Screengrab from Facebook | Thalia
Read: BINI wins Global Force Award at Billboard Women in Music 2026
Thalía’s impact to Filipinos
For context, Thalía’s Marimar (1994) was a teleserye import that became a full-blown phenomenon in the Philippines.
Over three decades ago, she portrayed Marimar, a poor but spirited seaside girl whose love story, resilience, and iconic theme song became deeply embedded in Filipino pop culture.
Photo/s: MariMar (Televisa)
The series’ success was so massive, it later inspired a local adaptation starring Marian Rivera in a role that launched her into superstardom.
Thalía herself went on to headline other beloved novelas like Maria Mercedes (1992), Maria la del Barrio (1995), and Rosalinda (1999), taking on the eponymous roles that further cemented her status as a household name across generations of Filipino viewers.
So, when she casually sings even a fragment of Marimar—with BINI, no less—it doesn’t need to be complete. The audience fills in the rest.
Read: Thalia, 50, recreates Marimar look with dress she wore 28 years ago
AN ICON AWARD HONOREE AT THE BILLBOARD WOMEN IN MUSIC 2026
The encounter with BINI happened on the same night Thalía was honored with the Icon Award at the Billboard Women in Music event.
In her speech, she reflected on what that title truly means—a long, evolving journey of survival.
Photo/s: Screengrab from Instagram | @billboard via @thalia
Here’s her full speech: “To all my fans, I love you too. Gracias a todos mis adorados fans alrededor del mundo.
“Thank you. Thank you for walking with me for more than four decades, and generations, and countries, and languages.
“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You are really everything to me. You are the wind beneath my wings. Thank you.
“And also, you know, they helped me find myself, too. You know, I’ve been thinking about this word, ‘icon.’ It’s short, right? But it’s a long process to arrive there, right?
“An icon is a symbol. It’s a representation of something greater than itself. A story, a culture, a moment in time that lives in people’s hearts.
“And if my journey has connected in that way, I really receive this with so much love and gratitude. It’s a lot. It’s a lot.
“Being an icon is not about standing here alone. It’s about opening doors, so others can walk through them. Yeah, you know that.
“It’s about holding on to your dreams even in uncertainty, and reinventing yourself over and over and over.
“An icon is a survivor—she falls, she stands up, and she keeps going because there’s no option. You have to stand up and keep going. Go get your dreams.”
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