When you mention P-pop, one of the first artists that might come to mind would be SB19. The five-member boy band has proven that they've got what it takes to represent the country and bring Pinoy music and artistry to new heights, so it's no surprise that they've got a continuously growing fanbase in the form of A'TINs.
Don't worry, it's not too late to join the fandom! There's no stopping SB19 on their way to dominating the music industry, so if you're interested in getting to know the boys and their stories, here are a few things to note about the wildly talented (and fun!) P-pop group:
SB19 is composed of five members.
Consisting of five talented members, namely, Pablo, Josh, Stell, Ken, and Justin, SB19 debuted under Korean management agency ShowBT in 2018 with the single “Tilaluha.” Pablo, who at that time went by the stage name Sejun, serves as the group’s leader. While all five members can sing, dance, and rap, each play a specific role in delivering the group’s intended concept.
SB19’s Pablo
Pablo’s real name is John Paulo Nase, but from their debut up until early 2021, he went by the stage name Sejun. Aside from being the group’s “pinuno,” Pablo is also the designated main rapper. He was born on September 14, 1994.
SB19’s Josh
Josh, whose real name is Josh Cullen Santos, is the eldest among the members. He was born on October 22, 1993. Josh serves as the group’s lead rapper and sub vocalist.
SB19’s Stell
Stell, aka Stellvester Ajero, was born on June 16, 1995. Stell is the group’s main vocalist, but he also doubles as a lead dancer.
SB19’s Ken
Felip Jhon Suson, who fans know better as Ken, was born on January 12, 1997. Ken stands as the group’s main dancer and lead vocalist.
SB19’s Justin
The youngest of the bunch, Justin De Dios, simply known as Justin, was born on July 7, 1998. Aside from being the group’s bunso, Justin is also a sub vocalist in the group.
Aside from the talent, the members' personalities are part of what A'TINs love the most about them. Just head to their YouTube channel for vlogs featuring the group's shenanigans offstage.
The meaning of SB19:
SB19’s group name came from ShowBT Philippines, the Korean management agency that formed and trained the P-pop group. But the members themselves have derived the term “Sound Break” from their group name to represent their intention to “break into the Philippine music industry and their aspiration to provide a higher standard for other Filipino idols to follow.”
The number 19 in SB19 comes from adding the country codes of South Korea and Philippines, which are 82 and 63, respectively, to represent the collaboration between the two countries in creating the P-pop group.
SB19 trained for three years.
The members of SB19 were trained by ShowBT using a similar training system your favorite K-pop idols underwent. All five members know how to sing, rap, and dance! Justin once shared in an interview that the members trained for nine hours each day in various aspects like dance and vocals, with only one day a week reserved for resting.
Don’t be mistaken, though, because even though they were trained by a Korean management company, leader Pablo himself said that the company trained and honed their skills specifically to promote their own music and colors.
SB19’s fandom is called A’TIN.
Consider yourself a fan? Welcome to the A’TIN club! SB19’s fandom name is called A’TIN (pronounced eighteen, like the number!). Why is it called A’TIN, you ask? A’TIN is derived from the number 18. And because you won't get to 19 without 18, the fandom name signifies that SB19 won’t be where they are if it weren’t for the fans that support and love them.
Another explanation behind the fandom is that, in Filipino, "atin" means ours, which implies that all the accomplishments SB19 has and will receive are the fans' accomplishments, too.
SB19 members also contribute to the song creation process.
Aside from performing their hits on stage, the members are also very much involved in the process of creating their performances. All the members have taken part in the songwriting process of many of their hits, particularly the group's leader Pablo.
Aside from songwriting, the group also creates their own choreography. ICYDK, the dance moves you'll see in "Go Up," aka the song that launched the group to local and international popularity, were choreographed by the members themselves. Stell, the group's main vocalist, is also among the choreographers for the song "What?"
SB19 members had totally different career paths before debut.
Before dedicating years of their lives to rigorous training, the members each had a career path that were totally different from their worlds now. Pablo used to be a data analyst in real estate before becoming a full-time artist. Josh, on the other hand, was a call center agent pre-debut. The other three members also took up a college course not entirely related to music: Stell was a Hotel and Restaurant Management student, Ken was an Architecture major, while Justin took up Multimedia Arts (FYI, he graduated with honors in the same year he debuted in SB19!).
SB19's awards and achievements:
Even though SB19 officially debuted in 2018, it wasn't until 2019 when the group's dance practice video for their second single "Go Up" blew Twitter away and sent them into the public's sphere of attention. Since then, more and more people started to notice the group's talent and hard work, which eventually led to monumental milestones and memorable firsts.
This includes being the first Filipino act to appear on Billboard’s Social 50 and Next Big Sound charts. The five-piece group was also the first Filipino and first Southeast Asian artist to receive a nomination at the Billboard Music Awards for the Top Social Artist category, where they went up against global greats like Ariana Grande, BTS, BLACKPINK, and Seventeen.
SB19 has collaborated with Ben&Ben.
Along with their potential to go global, the group is also focused on putting a spotlight on Pinoy music. To date, the group has collaborated with other promising homegrown acts. They've teamed up with Ben&Ben for the songs "Kapangyarihan" and "MAPA." They've also shared a stage with fellow talented performer AC Bonifacio at the recently concluded YouTube Fan Fest 2021.
From The Candy Bulletin Community
