SB19 believes Filipinos deserve to be on the global stage
“Kayo naman ang matutong mag-Tagalog” was the common cheeky comment of Filipino K-pop stans whenever their idols posted dance videos to SB19’s global smash Gento. After all, who would have thought, when we’ve gotten used to the other way around?
@_minzy_mz 🇵🇭Gento 100% version #gento #sb19 ♬ GENTO - SB19
Breaking barriers is nothing new to the group, sharing that going global has been their dream since the beginning. In 2021, SB19 was the first Filipino act nominated for the Billboard Music Awards. They also recently finished their successful Pagtatag! World Tour with stops in the US, Canada, UAE, and Japan. A documentary about the tour is coming out in theaters this August. Last year, they became a self-managed group under 1Z Entertainment, a company they built and now manage.
Much of their accomplishments have been firsts for Filipinos—they dream of a world where this is no longer the case.
Breaking barriers is nothing new to SB19—going global has been their dream since the beginning.
THE PHILIPPINE STAR: How does it feel to be recognized globally, to the point where you can tour worldwide more than once?
SB19: Very thankful kami sa mga opportunities na dumadating. With all the struggles na pinagdaanan namin, mas (naging) strong (kami), at mas dumadami pa ‘yung tao na sumusuporta sa’min. At syempre thankful din na hanggang ngayon magkakasama pa rin kami to achieve more para sa group.
Hindi rin namin maa-achieve ‘yung meron kami ngayon if not (for) the listeners who appreciate (our) music. Thankful kami sa lahat ng naniwala sa music namin.
How can we help other Filipino artists achieve the same thing?
We’ve been trying to help introduce and expand the reach of OPM outside of the Philippines. Ang mapapayo namin sa kanila is (to) focus on their goals and belief sa craft nila.
Filipinos are naturally talented, and we’ve been trying to break boundaries to showcase those talents. We think it’s the perfect time for Filipino artists to be recognized and to show what we’ve got. Deserve na marinig ang Filipino stories all over the world.
What are some things that changed as you continued going global? How did going international affect your work or creative processes?
We are still learning how the industry works, especially outside the Philippines. We are experimenting with how we can introduce our music and improve how we perform.
Sa ngayon kasi, nagiging part ng araw-araw namin ‘yung business, which is 1Z Entertainment. Before, we were focused on the visual output of the group, but now nagkakaroon na (kami) ng business mindset.
How do you balance maintaining your authentic sound while appealing to a diverse global audience?
‘Yung ginagawa lang namin is ‘yung art namin. We start with creating art first. Then we bridge that to strategies, considering the business aspect to make the efforts intentional, targeted, and efficient.
What makes Filipino music and artists deserving of a place on the global stage? What makes our art special?
Filipinos are naturally talented, and we’ve been trying to break boundaries to showcase those talents. We think it’s the perfect time for Filipino artists to be recognized and to show what we’ve got. Deserve na marinig ang Filipino stories all over the world.
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SB19’s latest single Moonlight is out now on all major streaming platforms via Sony Music Entertainment.