DreamWorks has released BINI’s “A Parallel World” as a single as a promotion for their upcoming animated film Forgotten Island. They also released a music video for the song, which doubles as a trailer for the film.
Keep reading to learn more about the song and where you can get it.
What a time to be an animated film music fan. Nearly every new film has a fantastic lineup of artists waiting for us to hear their masterpieces in both sound and cinematography. So, it makes sense that we’d also get a few of those tracks as singles, both as promotions for those films and celebrations of the art.
The latest animated film soundtrack to receive such treatment is DreamWorks Animation’s upcoming Forgotten Island. That’s because the Filipino pop group BINI dropped their single for the song “A Parallel World” at this year’s San Diego Comic Con.
The eight-member girl band formally released the three-minute song on July 23, 2026. They also released a music video for the song, which features clips from the film scattered between their usual stuff. As such, the video also serves as a trailer for the film, which will premiere in U.S. theaters on September 25, 2026, two days after the Filipino release.
You can watch the music video below.
You can then listen to the song on your favorite digital music app, or you can go here for suggestions.
Now, since it’s a trailer for the film, we must talk about how much “A Parallel World” relates to Forgotten Island. And luckily, we know enough about the film to do that.
The song is, of course, a song about friendship through an electronic pop lens. Thus, it naturally carries that emotional lift great family-oriented animated movies need. In other words, it’s upbeat enough to live on its own as a single. But it’s also sentimental enough to serve as a key emotional theme for the story.
That balance matters for a great soundtrack. That’s because animated film music isn’t just background noise. It’s also how animated films convey character relationships, world-building, and emotional stakes to audiences.
Luckily for Forgotten Island, “A Parallel World” seems to do exactly that. It does so through its shimmering production, hopeful chorus, and mix of English and Filipino lyrics. As a result, it gives us a taste of the film’s magical adventure, as well as the bond between its two main characters.
Since the film adapts from Philippine folklore, it only makes sense that music should come from Filipino bands. And that makes BINI’s involvement with it so exciting.
The group, which consists of Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha, Jhoanna, and Sheena, is one of Philippine Pop’s (P-pop) more recognized voices. And now, “A Parallel World” gives them a Hollywood platform in the American market.
Luckily for them, Nathan Matthew David and Shawn Wasabi wrote the song to fit their bright, synth-pop, performance-driven style. Additionally, the song’s lyrics are in both English and Filipino. So, it lets them shine through their already crafted musical identity.
As a result, the track works equally well as a catchy single for a pop entertainment audience as it does as a character motif. Thus, through it, we can presume that the film isn’t treating its cultural inspiration as just background flavor. Instead, it’s likely the core of its story.
Now, let’s talk about that story, especially if this is your first time hearing about it.
DreamWorks’ Forgotten Island follows the misadventures of friends Jo and Raissa, who face a major dilemma after graduating from high school.
That’s because their lives take a dramatic turn when they enter a portal to the mythical island of Nakali, filled with creatures straight out of Filipino folklore. Now, the girls, voiced by H.E.R. and Liza Soberano, must find their way out before the island erases their memories of their friendship.
All in all, it’s a fantastic premise for an animated film. That’s because it has everything you would want:
Besides H.E.R. and Soberano, the film’s cast also includes Dave Franco, Lea Salonga, Dolly de Leon, Manny Jacinto, Jo Koy, Jenny Slate, and Ronny Chieng. Behind the “camera”, Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado wrote and directed the film, while Mark Swift produced it.
As for the song, “A Parallel World” is about staying connected even when life pulls you apart. And as I have noted above, that theme lines up beautifully with Jo and Raissa’s story.
Thus, it provides a way for us to relate to their predicament. We’ve all been in situations that either strained or killed our friendships, whether it was from moving away or simply growing distant.
Because of this, the song presents a compelling idea: a parallel world where we can be with our friends forever. In other words, it’s a place where our friendships remain untouched by distance, change, or growing up.
Additionally, the song maintains a bright, nostalgic texture. As a result, it sounds heartfelt but not heavy, allowing it to stick with you long after it stops playing.
In other words, it plays like an anthem for the film’s central relationship. And that’s important for a family animated film.
However, “A Parallel World” is not arriving in isolation. It’s, of course, part of the larger Forgotten Island soundtrack, which includes H.E.R., Salonga, SB19, Sophia Laforteza from KATSEYE, Ruby Ibarra, and Carl Angelo.
As you can see, it’s a wide-ranging mix of pop, theater, hip-hop, and contemporary Filipino talent. Thus, it looks tailor-made for soundtrack fans looking for something different.
That’s a good thing since animated movie soundtracks can often feel like a few unconnected original songs surrounded by score cues. However, Forgotten Island went for a more curated musical world instead. In doing so, it created a platform where the artists could reflect on the different emotional and cultural aspects of the story.
And if that’s our opening taste, I’m looking forward to what the full album and film will bring to the table come this September.
With that said, I love when movie songs give me reasons to care about their films, and “A Parallel World” does that in spades. Not only does it introduce me to a band I would never have considered before, but it also strengthened my interest in Forgotten Island.
But that’s just my take. What’s yours?
Post your thoughts in the forums or the comments below.
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