By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – It has been three days since Filipino boyband SB19 released their second EP (extended playlist) Pagtatag and the Pinoy pop (P-Pop) movement only seems to grow.
This is the second of the group’s three EPs: the first is called Pagsibol and the last is Simula at Wakas, according to their leader Pablo.
Breaking barriers, bolder themes
No doubt the second EP broke barriers to provide different genres that showcased SB19’s growth as artists and performers.
The songs (Gento, Crimzone, I Want You, Ilaw, Liham, and Freedom) were drawn largely from the group’s own experiences while under contract for seven years by a Korean entertainment agency.
Apparently alluding to their working environment, SB19 boldly moved to set themselves free, take control of their own craft, and veer away from all bashings of being K-Pop copycats. This explains the second EP’s title Pagtatag – establishing or strengthening their being flag bearers of P-Pop whether in the local or global music scene.
Read: Weighing in on SB19’s “What”
Read: #Kapangyarihan hits hard: Ben&Ben x SB19 round 2
Read: SB19’s ‘Nyebe’ is a reminder that ‘White Christmas’ isn’t wonderland
Read: SB19’s ‘Gento’ is an ode to ordinary folk
The next events proved remarkable. The release of Pagtatag cemented the uniqueness, diversity and versatility of SB19 such that fans called A’Tin from the Philippines and different countries made sure the tracks made it to the charts or went viral.
SB19’s music, especially their lyricism, has not failed to evoke and resonate with the experiences of a lot of people irrespective of class, race, gender, and generation. What probably sets SB19 apart from the rest of the world’s boybands is the birth of a movement that it is nurturing not on fanaticism but on strong values like perseverance, self-reliance, hard work, love of family, and Pinoy pride. SB19 also shows awareness of social causes like human rights, the environment, mental health, and animal welfare.
Fans and even non-fans are throwing in their support. Just recently the hashtag “Respect Local Artists” went viral on Twitter when Showtime hosts Anne Curtis and Vice Ganda made uncanny remarks (“naniningil na sila”), claiming that instead of welcoming this as “free promotion,” SB19 is now demanding payment for playing Gento in their program.
This opened a slew of criticisms against the maltreatment of local artists. It was also a realization that while foreign artists are being paid royalties for their songs, our local artists are not (puro libre). The pursuit of rightful compensation and intellectual property that started with SB19’s Gento has now become a boon to the struggle of all local artists for performance royalties. It is also worth noting that SB19 has been vocal about nurturing local talents and supporting theatre arts.
The symbiotic relationship between the artists and the fans, evolving into a positive movement, is perhaps the best legacy coming out of P-Pop, with SB19xA’Tin blazing the trail. SB19 delivers the message through its music and the receivers (fans) act on it depending on their situation. The music that resonates bears more fans, and the rewards may not just be for SB19, but also for others or for something even greater and beyond.
What about the songs?
Even people in the woke community do take notice. Delving into the songs in Pagtatag reveals the personal struggles and aspirations of SB19. However, as SB19 themselves have said, they will leave it to their audience to interpret the songs in their own ways.
Their first release Gento is almost like the plight of ordinary folk as they work hard to get by; or, even as the working miners produce the gold, they remain captives of “aliens” or foreign capitalist masters.
I Want You is a sultry song crying out for human contact, for close personal affection, after it follows a track of what seemed like dehumanizing and exploitative labor.
Crimzone with its hard-hitting beats spoke of blood, sweat, and tears on the way to success and breaking boundaries. Reaching your dreams, or objective, is never easy, and one should be prepared to overcome struggles and difficulties.
Ilaw (Light) goes acoustic, betraying sadness, loneliness, and disappointments behind the blinding lights of fame. It can be akin to lies or fake news that covers the truth or hides the facts. It can be people complaining to be heard or seeking redress for grievances,
Both Liham (ballad) and Freedom (pop) seemed to have a profound expression of SB19’s love and appreciation for their fans, especially A’Tin, for being the world to them, past, present, and future. While Liham is emotional, Freedom is a celebration of joy as SB19 has embarked on becoming independent, confident that they have the full support of their fans.
The last two songs serve as a reminder that for any movement to succeed, it certainly needs the support of the people it serves. Undeniably, the leaders and the masses are firmly united in one goal, one spirit.
Moreover, the end song Freedom also comes alive with this year’s commemoration of independence day on June 12. By telling A’Tin “you are my freedom”, SB19 prompts our consciousness to rely on the masses in the struggle for self-rule. And rightly so it was the Filipino people, led by the Katipunan, that defeated the Spanish colonizers. It was never granted from above. Hence the resolution of our territorial disputes with China and the continuing control of the US over the Philippines ultimately shall be decided by the people themselves.
As SB19 Josh himself said in a Rappler interview (referring to setting up their own company and managing their own career), “sigaw ng Pilipino — kalayaan!” (DAA) 
Great read! Thank you!
Thank you for this ??.
Thanks for this article about SB19. Hoping that Filipinos wil appreciates all their efforts to make ph artist get recognize internationally. Btw this is a very good article. Thanks.