SB19
SB19 is a Filipino boy band formed in 2018, consisting of Pablo, Josh, Stell, Ken, and Justin. They are noted for their contributions to the contemporary Pinoy pop scene and became the first Southeast Asian act to be nominated on the Billboard Music Awards, as well as the first Southeast Asian act to make an appearance in the top 10 of the Billboard Social 50.
Now a self-managed group under 1Z Entertainment, a company they established, SB19 members are actively involved in the creative process of their own music including songwriting, choreography, music video direction, and production. They have won numerous local and international awards throughout their career as Filipino musicians and performers. For their significant achievements in pioneering Philippine pop music to the global scene, SB19 has been dubbed the "Kings of P-pop" by the public and various media. The group promotes their music as part of Pinoy pop, a sub-genre of Original Pilipino Music.
In 2025, following the release of their anticipated Simula at Wakas EP, SB19 became the first Filipino act to hold and sell out two nights at the Philippine Arena with the kickoff to their Simula at Wakas World Tour. The succeeding international tour included stops all over North America, Asia, Middle East and Oceania. The EP garnered chart success both locally and internationally. As of January 2026, the group has amassed more than one billion streams on Spotify across all song credits.
Career
2018–2020: Formation and first album
In 2016, ShowBT Philippines, a subsidiary of the Korean company ShowBT Group, conducted a talent search for performers, with the aim of localizing K-pop in other Asian countries.The candidates went through a difficult South Korean-inspired training camp, including physical training and "personality development". Trainees who were judged inadequate were sent home, until the final seven members were chosen. The training continued, with over-nine-hour work days; of the seven members, Stell remained with ShowBT, three quit, and Pablo, Josh, and Justin left but changed their minds later. Ken, a previous candidate, also joined the group. These five became the current members of SB19. Pabloinitially using the stage name Sejunis the band's leader.
SB19 debuted on October 26, 2018, with the single "Tilaluha", a sentimental ballad. It was followed by their fast-paced second single "Go Up", which was released on July 19, 2019. The group received little attention following this regrouping, and its members began to grow disheartened. They were on the verge of deciding to disband but several months after the song was released, their dance practice video of the song went viral on Twitter and Facebook, and SB19 was able to secure spots on Philippine television and radio. The newfound opportunity led them to use social media as a strategy to gain recognition and start planning a tour.
On November 20, 2019, 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 fan-base had aided their appearance in the chart. He added that "more artists continue to look East for inspiration and a larger audience".
File:SB19 at WMA 04.jpg|thumb|SB19 performing "Alab " at 6th Wish 107.5 Music Awards in Smart Araneta Coliseum on January 17, 2021
When a free nationwide concert tour for 2019 and ticket sales were opened for their concert in Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay, tickets quickly sold out in three minutes. They were able to perform in three other cities - Silay, Cagayan de Oro and Legazpi. However, the planned concerts to be held in other major cities in the Philippines were indefinitely postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In December 2019, Sony Music Philippines signed a recording contract with the group, and on the same day, the group released their third single, "Alab ", under the new record label.
On March 9, 2020, SB19 was 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 on the week of August 15. A week later, the group peaked at number five on the Emerging Artists chart.
On November 21, they held their first-ever online concert streamed live via the platform Global Live. It was later re-broadcast on November 28 as a fundraiser event for the communities affected by recent typhoons.
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.
2021–2022: ''Pagsibol''
The group released "What?" on March 9, 2021, as the first single off their upcoming extended play, initially planned for in June 2021. On April 24, 2021, 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, 2021, SB19 became the first Filipino and Southeast Asian act to be nominated at the Billboard Music Awards for Top Social Artist alongside BTS, Blackpink, Ariana Grande, and Seventeen—which BTS won. It marked the first-ever appearance of a Filipino artist at the Billboard Music Awards. Their second pre-release single, "Mapa", was released on May 16, 2021, as a tribute to parents. A band version in collaboration with Ben&Ben was released on June 27, 2021. Their first EP Pagsibol was then released on July 22, 2021. On August 1, the group held their first concert in 2021, titled Back in the Zone and streamed online on KTX. It became the top-selling concert on the platform. SB19 performed at the Forte: A Pop Orchestra Concert on October 17 with the SSC Chamber Choir, Battig Chamber Orchestra, and 4th Impact for the benefit of Sr. Baptista Battig Music Foundation scholars.On October 21, SB19 was nominated as Best Southeast Asia Act at the 2021 MTV Europe Music Awards. On November 4, "Bazinga" entered the newly launched Billboard Hot Trending Songs chart at number 14 for the 24-hour and number 20 on the weekly. SB19 is the first Filipino artist to debut a track on the chart. On December 16, National Commission for Culture and the Arts appointed SB19 as new Youth and Sentro Rizal ambassador. As part of the celebration of their 3rd anniversary, SB19 released a 6-episode series featuring the each group member on WeTV and YouTube. They also held the SB19 2021: Our Zone Third Anniversary Concert on December 18 and 19. The concert was streamed live online and later released on WeTV. On the week of December 11, "Bazinga" reached number one on Hot Trending Songs. It later became the song with the most weeks at number one on the chart surpassing the six week run of "Butter" by BTS.
On January 9, 2022, the group performed at their first international music festival, representing the Philippines at the 2021 ASEAN-Korea Round Festival with the goal of celebrating and bridging cultures within the ASEAN region. On March 16, 2022, they attended Expo 2020 and performed at Dubai Exhibition Centre, marking SB19's first international live performance. On April 10, after two years of restrictions on live activities because of the COVID-19 pandemic, SB19 headlined the first-ever P-pop Convention at Araneta City. On April 23, SB19 held their first paid live solo concert at the Araneta Coliseum hosted by Dunkin' Philippines.
On June 28, SB19 landed spots on Twitter Philippines "#WorldMusicDay" 2022 lists. The group was able to snag the top spot in the Top Music-Related Handles in the Philippines and the Top Hashtags Around Music in the Philippines lists on Twitter from May 31 to June 1. It was revealed during the celebration of Fête de la Musique, which aims to laud artists and communities locally and in South East Asia. On July 5, Ken performed his newest solo single, "Bulan", at the Recording Academy Grammy's online series Global Spin, which celebrates global music, international artists, and the world's sounds. He is the first Filipino act to be featured in the online series. On July 31, SB19 opened the Binibining Pilipinas 2022 Coronation Night with the pageant's theme song, "Win Your Heart". The theme song was originally written by Dero "Nonong" Pedero in 1999. It was last given a new sound by Ballad King Martin Nievera in 2013 for Binibining Pilipinas' 50th Year. Being the first P-pop group to make the most significant changes to the song, they added rap lines in SB19's signature style and gave the traditionally sung parts their own interpretation, bringing the song firmly into the realm of P-Pop.
2022: "WYAT (Where You At)" and first world tour
On August 1, at the stroke of midnight, the social media page of SB19 shared an image of their logos with static interference and glitches. It was a signal that the group had been gearing up for something new.For the first week of August, SB19 had been teasing its comeback. On August 12, SB19 released the single "WYAT ", a disco-pop song that highlights the urgency of disconnection to reconnection of the times. The group announced a global concert tour, Where You At Tour, kicking off in Manila on September 17 in Araneta Coliseum. The group's social media, especially Twitter, erupted after the boy group released a series of cryptic riddles and videos that led fans to speculate about a world tour. As a result, the hashtag #WhereIsSB19 went trending on Twitter worldwide. SB19 released their final video of the series announcing that the single and tour will be launched in September. Four cities in the Philippines were included on the tour list: Quezon City Metro Manila, Clark City, Cebu City and Davao City. Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States were also included on the comeback concert tour list.
On August 31, SB19 was among the "Preview's 50 Most Influential for 2022". An annual selection by Summit Media's "Preview Magazine" honoring individuals and groups that have made the biggest impacts in different fields across the realms of fashion, beauty, and art, these faces have maximized their digital platforms to champion the innate diversity of the Filipino identity.
On September 23, the boy band SB19 was on the list of "The 100 Most Powerful People in the Philippines: Wielders of Soft Power" by the Esquire Magazine. The 100 people named were a selection of people from different industries of private and public organizations who embody power: authority, control, and influence.
On October 10, JCI Batangas awarded SB19 as the "2022 Outstanding Filipino Gamechanger" on the 3rd Gawad Balisong. The JCI Batangas Gawad Balisong recognizes the diverse lineup of individuals who made a notable influence on the members of the local organization and the community in the Philippines. It is a selection of Filipino game-changers who are motivated individuals who lead to a shift when they are thinking or doing things. They are authentic human beings who empower the community through their humble causes and stories of good.
On November 4, SB19 made their first live guesting on a US TV show, on Fox 5's morning show "Good Day New York". The group performed their single "WYAT ".
On November 17, SB19 returned to Billboard