2. SB19 is a five-member Filipino boy band that debuted in 2018,
consisting of Josh, Pablo, Stell, Ken, and Justin. They were trained for
three years by ShowBT Philippines, beginning in 2016. They are the
first Filipino and Southeast Asian act to be nominated in Billboard
Music Awards for the Top Social Artist category. They are also the
first Southeast Asian act to enter the top 10 of Billboard Social 50
weekly and year-end charts. SB19 promotes its music as part of Pinoy
pop (P-pop)—a popular sub-genre of Original Filipino Music.
3. The letters in the group
name were from the
initials of their Korean
management company,
ShowBT. The number 19
had derived from the
addition or subtraction of
the country codes of
South Korea (82) and the
Philippines (63). It
symbolized the
collaboration of the two
countries in the formation
of the group. The
members themselves,
however, used the phrase
"Sound Break"—for the
goal to "break into the
music scene" and improve
the quality of Philippine
boy groups.
“A’Tin” means ‘ours’ (atin in
Tagalog) because the group’s
success is shared with the fans as
well. There is no 18 without SB19.
But how “A’Tin” has undergone
linguistic transformation tells us a
lot about how power and culture
are mobilized in language use.
When A’Tin, the official fandom
name, was introduced by SB19
through their Facebook Live on
November 2, 2019, it immediately
became an identity-defining
moment. Language is a naming
practice, and if a group of people is
named in a particular way, the
people begin to think and act
according to the demand of the
name. But such naming only
becomes successful because there
is agreement (not always mutual,
unfortunately) between the
“namer” and the “named.”
5. 2016–2018: Formation and early years
SB19 was formed by ShowBT
Philippines, the Philippine subsidiary of
ShowBT Group in Korea. After the
members were selected from
hundreds of auditionees during a
talent search in 2016, they underwent
the same type of training provided to
K-pop idols. They were supposed to be
performers only on the company's
events and activities but CEO Geong
Seong Han decided to launch them as
a boy group. The group debuted with
Josh, Pablo, Stell, Ken, and Justin on
October 26, 2018, with the ballad
single "Tilaluha". However, their initial
efforts at promotions, mostly in
schools and malls, were met with a
"lukewarm" reception.
2019: "Go Up" and rising popularity
SB19's second single "Go Up" was
released on July 19, 2019. Pablo
described the song as their "last shot"
because this is the time they decided to
split apart if their career would not
progress after. Unexpectedly, they
gained public attention after the dance
practice video of the song was
uploaded to their YouTube channel and
shared by a fan on Twitter and
Facebook. Opportunities opened and
the group started to appear in multiple
radio and television outlets, and local
and international media. On December
22, they hold their first-ever nationwide
concert titled SB19: Get in the Zone,
covering ten cities in the Philippines as
a follow-up promotion for being viral.
6. On November 20, SB19 became the first Filipino act to appear on the Billboard Next Big Sound chart. They also
became the first Filipino act to enter the Billboard Social 50, debuting at number 28 on the week of December
28, 2019. Jeff Benjamin of Billboard noted that a growing international fanbase had aided their appearance in
the chart. He added that "more artists [will] continue to look East for inspiration and a larger audience". Forbes
remarked that the localization of ShowBT of the K-pop model is not unique, but SB19 is the first in the
Philippines to succeed due to their "strategic use" of social media—the main factor of SB19's Social 50 chart
appearance.
On December 25, Sony Music Philippines announced that SB19 had signed a recording contract with them, and
on the same day, the group released their third single, "Alab (Burning)", under the new record label.
7. 2020: Get in the Zone
On March 9, 2020, SB19 has been added to the roster of artists of Spotify's RADAR Program, which supports new artists
through marketing campaigns. The quintet released their debut album Get in the Zone, featuring nine tracks, including
three released singles and two unreleased tracks, on July 31, 2020. Two weeks after the release of the album, SB19
achieved its highest position on the Social 50 chart at number two behind BTS on the week of August 15. A week later,
the group peaked at number five on the Emerging Artist chart while simultaneously remaining number two on the
Social 50.
On the week of October 24, SB19 appeared on the LyricFind Global—their fourth Billboard chart appearance—with "Go
Up" at number 17.On November 28, the group achieved their first top one hit on Billboard, after "Alab (Burning)"
debuted at number one on LyricFind Global. "Tilaluha" also debuted at number one on the same chart on the
succeeding week.
SB19 performing "Hanggang sa Huli" at 6th Wish 107.5 Music Awards in Smart Araneta Coliseum on January 17, 2021
On December 3, SB19 appeared at number six on Billboard Year-End Social 50 chart, making them the first Southeast
Asian act to reach the top 10 of the magazine's annual chart. "Love Goes" reached number one on its third week on
LyricFind Global on December 19. The following week, their promotional single "Ikako" made its debut at number one,
marking the group's fourth top one hit on the same chart
8. 2021–present: Pagsibol
On January 6, "Hanggang sa Huli" reached number one on the LyricFind Global. On the week ending January 16,
"Wag Mong Ikunot ang Iyong Noo" debuted at number one on the same chart. On the week of January 30, the
group earned their seventh number one on the chart with "Go Up" peaking at number two.
On February 9, the group announced their comeback date through a teaser photo on their social media. The
group released "What?" on March 9, 2021, as the first single off their upcoming extended play, initially planned
to be released in June 2021.On April 24, their first-ever fashion collection, in collaboration with Chynna
Mamawal, was released that featured two limited premium sets, shirts, and dresses, all inspired by the single.
On April 29, SB19 became the first Filipino and Southeast Asian act to be nominated in Billboard Music Awards
for Top Social Artist along with BTS, Blackpink, Ariana Grande, and Seventeen—which BTS won the award. It
marked the first-ever appearance of a Filipino artist in the Billboard Music Awards.
Their second pre-release single titled "Mapa" was released on May 16, 2021, as a tribute for mothers and fathers
. A band version in collaboration with Ben&Ben was released on June 27, 2021.
On June 30, SB19 announced the title of their first extended play Pagsibol, which was released on July 22, 2021.
9. IMPACT
While Filipino boy and girl groups had been around before SB19,
the boy band is credited for "paving the way" for the launch of
other music groups displaying a similar level of training, skill, and
talent.
11. Birth name
Josh Cullen Santos
Birth date
October 22, 1993 (age 28)
Birth place
Pasig City, Philippines
Zodiac sign
Libra
Height
167 cm (5 ft 6 in)
Weight
155 kg (342 lb)
12. Birth name
John Paulo Nase
Birth date
September 14, 1994 (age 27)
Birth place
Imus, Cavite, Philippines
Zodiac sign
Virgo
Height
172 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Weight
58 kg (128 lb)
13. Birth name
Stellvester Ajero
Birth date
June 16, 1995 (age 26)
Birth place
Las Piñas City, Philippines
Zodiac sign
Gemini.png Gemini
Height
170 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Weight
60 kg (130 lb)
14. Birth name
Felip Jhon Suson
Birth date
January 12, 1997 (age 24)
Birth place
Cagayan de Oro, Philippines
Zodiac sign
Capricorn.png Capricorn
Height
168 cm (5 ft 6 in)
Weight
59 kg (130 lb)
15. Birth name
Justin De Dios
Birth date
July 7, 1998 (age 23)
Birth place
Malabon City, Philippines
Hometown
Malabon City, Philippines
Zodiac sign
Cancer.png Cancer
Height
173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Weight
59 kg (130 lb)
17. Filipino boy band SB19 has released one studio album, six singles, two promotional singles, and nine music
videos. In 2018, SB19 debuted with the ballad single "Tilaluha" which was met with lukewarm reception.[1]
They release "Go Up" in 2019, which became viral on social media gaining them a significant increase in
following.[2] They released their first promotional single "Wag Mong Ikunot ang Iyong Noo" afterwards. After
signing with Sony Music Philippines in the same year,[3] SB19 released their third single "Alab (Burning)" in
December. In 2020, they released "Ikako" as their second promotional single dedicated for the battle against
the COVID-19 pandemic. "Hanggang sa Huli" was sent to digital streaming platforms in July 2020 as the title
track from their debut studio album Get in the Zone. The single "What?" was released on March 9, 2021.
"Mapa" was released on May 16, 2021 as a tribute for mothers and fathers. A band version of "Mapa" was
released on June 27, 2021 featuring Ben&Ben. On July 22, they released their first extended play Pagsibol with
the single "Bazinga".
19. TILALUHA
SB19’s first single is an emotional, heartfelt, and soulful ballad.
Pablo wrote the lyrics for Tilaluha and has said that the song is
about heartbreak and unrequited love. He was inspired to
write the song based on something he saw in a book or movie.
The boys sing about a love that they will never get because the
person they are singing to is in love with another person.
Reportedly, the song was chosen for their debut because their
management wanted a song to show SB19’s vocal skills, and
they succeeded in that.
Tilaluha is a beautiful song with a deep meaning that hits
straight to the heart. Each member sounds great in the song
and their vocals are on point. With harmonies so smooth, no
member gets left behind, with each one getting their time to
shine. They really bring out the emotion of the song. It’s only a
matter of time before it gets used in a local drama OST. And
when SB19 sings the song live, it’s just as good, if not better
than the studio recording. It’s like they ate the CD for breakfast.
20. GO UP
‘Go Up’ is a motivational song. It gives us all these positive
messages like reaching for our goals even if it means failure
along the way.
SB19 is practically telling us to try and try until we go up, like
what they did.
21. ALAB
SB19 opened the show with “Alab,” their latest single, released
in December 2019. The song’s subject matter isn’t new – it’s
about the intensity of having a crush on someone. The song,
shares the group’s main songwriter Sejun, was written even
before their earlier release, “Go Up.”
22. HANGGANG SA HULI
The emotional love song and the meaningful story
incorporated in the music video is still giving us the continuous
chills and feels. Mixed emotions of unconditional love,
inevitable pain, unstoppable longing and heartbreaking
acceptance are blending exquisitely in the musical masterpiece
embodying pure talent and artistry of the powerful Filipino boy
quintet.
24. ‘WAG MONG IKUNOT ANG IYONG NOO
The sonically adventurous album also includes “Wag Mong
Ikunot Ang Iyong Noo,” a Filipino adaptation of the Korean ‘90s
smash “Sarangeun Ya YaYa,” as well as an EDM remix and two
bonus tracks.
26. BAZINGA
“Bazinga,” the only English track on the EP that sees the group
try a blend of reggaeton and hip-hop as they sing about the
criticisms that artists face at the start of their careers.
27. MANA
“Mana,” which features the group’s foray into R&B and EDM
territory as they sing about keeping their feet firmly on the
ground, even as they reach new heights. The title is short for
manananggal, a mythical creature that splits into two, with its
upper half flying into the sky as the bottom half stays on the
ground. It is perhaps their most timely release, considering
how the new EP is set to take their career even higher.
28. MAPA
“MAPA” is the tender pop lullaby dedicated to the
group’s parents (as in, Ma and Pa), with a “band
version” done in collaboration with Ben&Ben.
29. IKAKO
“Ikako” is another slow song, a ballad
dedicated to pandemic frontliners, with a
rap break and a pop arrangement that
makes the song feel like it’s meant to be
sung by many voices coming together as
one.
30. SLMT
“SLMT,” a chill, mid-tempo song with shades of tropical pop
that one might say is more classically SB19 – a timely
throwback to their earlier sound as a fitting tribute to the
group's loyal fan community, A’tin
31. the true meaning behind the lyrics of “What?”, and
how they all pitched in as a group to tell it through
the screen.
“Gusto po naming ipakita ’yung individuality ng
bawat tao na ’yan kahit sino ka pa man, maging
proud ka sa sarili mo,” said group leader Pablo.
[We want to show each and everyone’s individuality,
that you should be proud of yourself no matter who
you are.]
Pablo wrote the lyrics for “What,” and it inspired all
five of them to do the best they could to put the
song out there.
WHAT?
