Updated: July 1, 2024

The Filipino boy band, SB19, is in a league of their own. From seven people who’d come to watch their “busking” performances in random places, now they draw thousands and even sell out concerts.

Introduced by Nickelodeon as “Pinoy trailblazers and global hitmakers who are breaking boundaries with their melodies”, SB19 has solidified their name as international breakout superstars, representing P-pop and raising their banner to the world.

SB19 became the first Filipino and Southeast Asian act to be nominated in US Billboard’s Social Artist Awards and hit the charts for weeks, the first Filipino act to perform a song in one take on the popular Japanese YouTube channel, “The First Take”, and the only Filipino act on the list of Favorite Boy Bands Of All Time by Teen Vogue. They were also listed among The 100 Most Powerful People in the Philippines by Esquire and mentioned as one of the 50 Most Influential by Preview.

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The Filipino boy band’s popularity continues to rise, winning people’s hearts of all ages from Indonesia, Japan, USA, Singapore, Mexico, South Korea, China, Canada, Australia, and many to mention. Immensely fascinated by their craft and creativity overall, local and international fans alike, named A’TIN, are unstoppable in raving about the band and making their music known more to the global scene using their social platforms.

Here are ten things you probably didn’t know about SB19 and the reasons why this iconic boy band from the Philippines attracts thousands of fans and receives immense love across the globe:

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1. They are vocal monsters.

Like everyone else, the first thing that’d always draw and drive one insane about SB19 is the band’s undeniable vocal power! After witnessing them perform live, one will definitely say that this group isn’t only talented but exceedingly multi-talented! SB19 is not dubbed as the “Kings of P-Pop” for nothing!

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Amazing voices! Notice how each one’s voice stands out remarkably yet complements one another so powerfully to create a beautiful harmony that sounds so pleasing and such leaves you in awe — PABLO with his extraordinary vocal range and raspy voice, STELL with his stable high notes, JOSH with his charming soft tone, JUSTIN with his soulful pitch, and FELIP or Ken with his jaw-dropping low voice and wide vocal range. Y’all, SB19 is a perfect blend of vocal monsters!

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2. They are versatile with their music.

SB19 can slay any genre and this is what sets them apart from other groups. If you like it groovy, funky, head bop, R&B, or hip hop, they nail those kinds of music. If you like ballad, acoustic, romantic, or harmony, no worries, they also offer such styles, and they can leave you speechless everytime.

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3. They write meaningful songs.

Most of SB19’s songs were composed by the band’s genius songwriter, PABLO. If you spend some time to delve into the wordings and lyrical content of their songs, you’ll be blown away by its meaningful message that connects with the audience on a personal level.

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4. Their stage presence is fire.

SB19 are a pure talent on stage! Like everyone else, it’s a common spell to find yourself vibing to their music, captured by their irresistible fire and charm overall. They can sing live while dancing, belt out without auto tune, and showcase their astounding skills of rap, adlibs, and choreography with a blast!

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5. They are well-mannered individuals.

SB19 is the boy band to stan! Despite becoming a center of mockery and harsh criticisms about their music style and visuals, they remain down-to-earth and continue to step up their game with a positive spirit, having no public issues of arrogance. They have always remained grounded and steadfast, keeping their eyes fixed to the group’s ultimate goal: to take Filipino music to a whole new level.

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PABLO was born in 1994 and grew up in a Christ-loving home that greatly influenced his outlook in life. His parents are also musically inclined, leading worship in a local church. He juggled call center work and college studies, and finished the degree of Bachelor of Arts in English. After graduation, he worked as a Data Analyst in Makati before fully venturing into the world of music and becoming the band leader of SB19.

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STELL was born in 1995 and is the eldest child of his parents. Determined to achieve his dreams while helping his family, he worked part-time jobs in order to save money while studying Hotel and Restaurant Management at STI College in Makati until he became one of the boys of SB19.

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JOSH was born in 1993 and is the oldest of the band but youngest in the family of two siblings. He’s never met his biological father and was raised alone by his single mother. At a young age, he took the road of becoming independent and seized the opportunity to earn money as a call center agent until SB19 was formed.

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JUSTIN was born in 1998 and is the youngest of the band. He was a college student while training with SB19, had moments of giving up his dreams due to his thesis papers but survived them all with resilience. He took a degree in Multimedia Arts at De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde and graduated with honors.

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FELIP was born in 1997 and the only member who came from the faraway island of Mindanao. He was raised by his grandparents who influenced him with Gospel music. He pursued Architecture in college and with Php1,500 only in his pocket, he took a leap of faith in flying to Manila to pursue his musical dreams, becoming one of the members of SB19.

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6. They have a good sense of humor.

There are no dull moments with SB19. Despite the differences in personality, they can make fun and bring amusement or lighthearted pleasure to fans through their social livestreams, Vlogs, or Showbreak episodes with their natural playfulness and silliness. Another thing that sets them apart is that they don’t need a translator to speak to the global audience. All of the boys are confidently fluent in English and they are able to express their Filipino sense of humor even in a different setting or culture.

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7. Their brotherhood is solid.

SB19 is the definition of hardwork and resilience in the P-pop scene whose brotherhood has been sharpened by tough times.

The boys spent a rigorous training for at least nine hours a day for six a days a week in a span of three years before they made their debut in 2018 and their big break n 2019. They spent non-stop vocal and dance practices with sessions for personality development, life meditation, group accountability, and body conditioning. It is also known that they practice a song or dance 1,000 times before they release or perform it in public. Cool beans!

Since most of them had to let go of their jobs to focus on training, they share simple meals together in order to survive. It’s also their routine to huddle as a team, hold hands together while crying their hearts out when faced with personal or group challenges.

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Just like the rest of us, these young men have flaws, insecurities, frustrations, and not everything that they do in life and career can be pleasing to everyone. But unlike others, they are open to share their struggles and use them as their sense of motivation to weather the storms together for growth and maturity. They have remained solid in their commitment as brothers amid the intense pressures, burnout, and hardships they have experienced throughout these years.

“We move forward because we have each other to lean on and we believe that if we work hard, we will achieve our goals,” the band’s leader PABLO said in an interview.

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8. They give back to society.

In return for the love they have received from fans, SB19 also extends generosity to people in need by engaging with humanitarian acts and social causes.

They launched a relief operation for the victims during the eruption of Taal volcano in 2020. In the same year, they raised funds through their virtual concert to help the communities affected by super typhoons and in another virtual concert to support the music scholars of Baptista Music Foundation in 2021. The proceeds from their new limited-edition merchandise collection were also donated to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The cash awards they attained from winning at the Wish 107.5 Music Awards and Family Feud Philippines were donated to their chosen charities such as Autism Society Philippines (ASP) and Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA). Wonderful givers!

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9. They are creative artists.

SB19 always has something new to offer with their music. They push boundaries and take the risks to blaze new trails and set new standards. Their works have always been a collaboration of their skills — songwriting, producing music, directing music videos, choreography, and more — and they continue to create and experiment. In fact, the expression “creative freedom” has always been their common language during interviews. This year, the band has started to explore going on solo projects and collaborating with other artists.

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10. They are visionaries.

When they named their band “SoundBreak” (SB19) and said that they are set to break barriers in the P-Pop industry, they aren’t kidding. In 2023, SB19 announced their departure from ShowBT Philippines to start their own label, 1Z Entertainment, with the goal of training Filipino talents and making Filipino music known across the globe.

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Isn’t SB19 amazing and worth the rave?

This year, SB19 is one of the strong candidates for the title, “Favourite Asian Act” at NICKELODEON Kids Choice Awards. Winners are determined by voter preferences and the online global poll ends on July 13th. To cast votes for SB19, follow this link: 2024 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards.

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Research and write-up by: KORB Blog Team | Photo credits: SB19 Official via Instagram | Follow SB19 for more updates: Twitter/X | Instagram | TikTok | Spotify | Facebook