East London-born pop artist Bianca Buys, known internationally as BINX, is reaching millions through her music on Netflix, HBO, MTV, Disney+, ITV and Peacock, but her story began long before she hit the silver screen.
At 33, she has already released 87 songs, seven albums, and authored a book.
Her musical path began almost as soon as she could talk. She sang the Rolling Stones’ classic Ruby Tuesday when she was two.
“I haven’t stopped singing since and I still haven’t found the mute button!” Buys said.
The Clarendon Girls’ High alumni now based in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, is charting an international path defined by resilience, creativity and an unmistakable flair for storytelling.
From writing her first songs at seven to taking piano, vocal and guitar lessons from 10, music quickly became “as necessary as breathing”.
Buys said that watching her parents Lynne and Des perform in Round Table melodramas in Elliot and other small EC towns, and discovering Britney Spears on television cemented her dream of a life on stage.
“I’ve always known that music was my past, is my present, and will be my future. It was something ingrained in me from the very beginning.”
She credited her formative years at Clarendon as central to her artistic identity.
The school nurtured her creativity, encouraged leadership, and exposed her to countless performance and travel opportunities. “I will forever be grateful to Clarendon for believing in me,” she said.
“It had a tremendous impact on my life because the school exposed me to so many of the creative things I still do today.”
At just 12, she represented Clarendon as an exchange student in Australia, an experience she said changed her worldview.
“It made me brave and independent. I realised at a young age that I could go anywhere in the world on my own.”
She completed matric in 2010 during SA’s Soccer World Cup glow, a period she described as electric.
However the years following matric were tough.
“I had a clear vision but didn’t know how to execute it.
“Then 2013 arrived, and life was magical again.”
At 20, she moved to the US to pursue music full-time.
Since then, she has built a catalogue that blends pop, amapiano, rock, country, hip-hop, blues, and fantasy, guided by themes of self-belief, nostalgia, fashion, love, loss and SA heritage.
Her travels, especially a solo songwriting trip to Sweden, shaped her sonic evolution.
“Sweden is home to the secret pop source.
“If my music wasn’t sparkly before, it definitely is now,” Buys said.
Her SA roots remain central to her craft.
Buys said that songs such as Yoh, Tsotsi, Cape Town and Sondela pay homage to home, while tracks including Milk and Beekeeper of My Dreams chronicle her Hollywood and New York adventures.
Barbee, her seventh album embraces glamour with a sharpened edge.
It includes her first rap-hip hop track, I’m not British, co-written with her husband and frequent collaborator, producer and artist, Mada Atoms.
She said her music has appeared in more than 40 television shows and films including Love Island US, Love Island UK, Love Is Blind, Siesta Key, The Other Two, and Teen Mom: The Next Chapter.
“When my music started playing on radio and TV across the US, it felt like my ‘I’ve made it’ moment. To hear your songs alongside artists you admire is surreal.”
Television exposure helped her connect with new fans through Shazam.
Despite her growing success, Buys remains grounded in teamwork.
Producers, musicians, engineers, and her global collaborators have helped shape her sound.
She said her book, How To Build Your Music Empire, distils the lessons she learned navigating the business of music.
“Music is not just creative, it’s a business. You need persistence, patience, passion, and a strategy.”
Her mission is to empower aspiring musicians to build sustainable careers.
She maintains close ties with fans through social media (@binxofficial), email, and her immersive online community, Binxtopia.
Buys releases new music every four weeks, with her final release for this year, 23 Roads Away From Rodeo Drive, is dropping on December 11.
Live performances in Los Angeles are planned for 2026.
