PAGTATAG!

While the recent rise of P-pop seems synonymous with SB19’s growth, the group’s journey hasn’t always been easy.

“People might see na parang we’re always successful. ‘Yun ang akala ng tao (That’s what people have assumed), but we have a lot of trials and errors,” Josh said during the media launch of their new EP PAGTATAG! on Friday, June 9.

“We have a lot of frustrations, internally. At saka, ‘yung mga pinagdaanan namin before ang naging pinaka-motivation namin (And everything that we went through before has become our motivation,)” he continued.

It was from these shortcomings and failures that SB19 drew inspiration for their latest EP.

PAGTATAG!, considered the second release in the group’s album trilogy, serves as a follow-up to the group’s July 2021 EP PAGSIBOL. If PAGSIBOL talks about the group’s growth from virtual unknowns to P-pop pioneers, PAGTATAG! reflects on how such a journey has hardened them into the artists that they are today.

“Kung sa ‘PAGSIBOL,’ nag-eexperiment pa kami, sa ‘PAGTATAG,’ alam na po namin kung sino ang SB19,” Pablo said.

Justin explained that while PAGSIBOL talks about them finding their footing in the industry, the newest EP shows them in a more confident position as artists: “This time sa ‘PAGTATAG,’ ito kami, ito si SB19."

“Makikita niyo po sa mga kwento ng songs na parang, ‘Ah, ito ‘yung nangyari sa SB19. Ito sila ngayon,’” he continued. “Sa ‘PAGSIBOL,’ may icon po ‘yung album na question mark. Tinatanong natin kung sino at ano ang SB19. Dito po sa ‘PAGTATAG!,’ sinasagot na naman ‘yung tanong. Ito si SB19 at ito ang kwento ng SB19.”

“Pagdating sa music, ‘yung pag-evolve, we’re trying to experiment or figure out who we are,” Pablo reflected. “Palagi namin tinatanong, will people like this? Will people enjoy this song? Tama ba itong instrument ang nilagay ko?”

“But this time, sa PAGTATAG!, ito ‘yung gusto namin ilabas eh. Pakinggan niyo. Ganun ‘yung thinking namin. Ito ‘yung nararamdaman namin, ito ‘yung story ng SB19. Bakit namin kailangan ibahin or parang i-mold para mas magustuhan ng mga tao?” Pablo went on.

“Musically and sonically for this EP, parang ang masasabi ko lang, bukod sa may freedom kami, talagang sigurado kami sa nilabas namin,” he concluded.

It’s an assertion not all artists would be confident making, but SB19 has already proven to be of a different caliber. Almost five years into their career, the boys are now self-managed artists, having established their own label: 1Z Entertainment.