Before becoming part of BINI, Aiah once aspired to become a housemate of Pinoy Big Brother.

In an interview with Melai Cantiveros on the Bisaya online show Kuan On One, Aiah shared that she auditioned for Pinoy Big Brother: Otso during the Cebu leg of its auditions. This is the same edition of PBB in which her fellow BINI members Gwen and Sheena became official housemates.

"Di ba palagi namang may PBB auditions pero 'yung time na 'yun mahiyain pa ako pero sumakto nung nagka-confidence na ako, nagsabi talaga ako sa family ko, 'Join ako ng PBB!' Na-shock talaga sila, [sabi nila] 'Hala! Sige samahan ka namin!' Sinamahan talaga nila ako [sa audition]," she said as per Filipino translation of the episode.

Aiaha recalled that the audition almost lasted until midnight. "As in whole day, inabot na kami ng 11 p.m. sa Cebu, kinalimutan [ng family ko] ang trabaho nila para lang samahan ako," she recalled.

The BINI member relayed that she was a big fan of PBB growing up.  "Lagi kasi akong nanonood ng PBB noon. Dati pinapanood din kita (referring to Melai) sa PBB. Kayo nila Kim (Chiu). As in mga five years or six years old pa siguro ako nun," she said.

Though she did reach the third level of the PBB audition, Aiah was not shortlisted after the callback.

The singer admitted that it was a painful rejection. "Actually parang sa lahat ng sinalihan ko na casting sa PBB ang shocks, ang sakit. Ang sakit talaga kasi full force ang family ko nandun at first time kong nagsabi na gusto ko talaga 'to," she confessed.

Despite the rejection, Aiah continued doing auditions, this time for the Cebu leg of Darna's private audition.

"Si Star Hunt nagpa-private audition sila sa Darna. Noong panahon na 'yun under ako sa dating modeling management ko. Sinabihan nila ako tungkol sa private casting ng Darna. Pinasali nila ko," she recalled.

She went on: 'Doon sa private casting as in mga beauty queens [ang nandun], na-discourage ako pero sabi ng manager ko, 'Huwag na tayo mag-aim sa Darna, ang ating i-aim ay para makita ka ng taga Star Hunt."

Her efforts did not go to waste as after a few months, she got contacted by Star Hunt all of the sudden.

"Napansin daw nila ako kaya after a couple of months, [kahit] naka -enroll na ako sa college at lahat, ready na, may uniform na, bayad na, tumawag sila: 'Hi ikaw po ba si Aiah? Willing ka po ba kayo pumunta ng Manila to be in a girl group?' Tinawagan ako kasi napansin daw nila ako. Dahil daw dun sa Darna, napansin daw nila ako dun," she said.

Aiah then relocated to Manila to start training as part of BINI.

READ: BINI reaches more than 7 million Spotify monthly listeners

Fast forward to today, BINI has solidified their name as one of the biggest groups in the country.

Reflecting on the success of their group, Aiah said: "Na-amaze talaga kami. Napapasabi na lang talaga kami hala girls dati lagi lang tayong nagjo-joke kung kailan tayo mag-boom."

BINI recently reached more than 7 million monthly listeners on Spotify, the second Filipino act to do so. In June, the group became the most-searched musical act in the Philippines on YouTube for the month.

The nation's girl group also recently capped off their three-day sold-out concert at the New Frontier Theater which ran from June 28 to June 31.