SB19 hopes to show ‘human’ side of stardom, tenacity in ‘Pagtatag!’ docu

SB19 members (from left) Stell, Josh, Justin, Ken, and Pablo during the “Pagtatag!” documentary premiere night. Image: X/@SB19Official

Going beyond the glamor of stardom can be daunting for some artists. But for SB19, they believe in the beauty of allowing A’TIN (or their fans) to see the behind-the-scenes interactions, milestones, and pains through their “Pagtatag!” documentary, as a way of showing they’re human as well.

The Jed Regala-helmed documentary film is a trip down memory lane for SB19, covering the planning behind the “Pagtatag!” EP and world tour, media appearances, and other moments beyond the spotlight, to name a few.

These were shown through in-your-face moments, including a brief glimpse at Pablo’s bout with a panic attack, Ken asking the staff how he is supposed to pull off a certain performance onstage, Justin getting sick at a tour leg, Josh showing tenacity to keep going despite his exhaustion, and Stell’s constant need for a supplement to help in maintaining his condition.

“I realized it’s weird to say, ‘Can I have one lola?’ There was even one moment when I asked the road manager, ‘Ate, can you make me one hot lola?’” Stell recalled during the documentary’s talkback session in Quezon City, drawing laughs from the audience. “I want to have that hot drink [before a show].”

While SB19 is used to being followed by cameras for their vlogs, Justin admitted that it feels different being recorded in their most vulnerable moments. He then clarified that the group wanted it done that way to make it “more authentic.”

“Direk Jed’s team was there the whole time. It feels different to have them recording us in certain moments, although we requested it,” Justin said. “We don’t want them just taking the usual shots of us because it wouldn’t be authentic — we might get conscious. We’re happy to see moments where we were unaware that cameras were there.”

Looking back

Josh said many things happened since the majority of the scenes of the documentary were shown. But it allowed him to look back at the pains of being a “touring artist” while bringing their fans closer to them.

“We want to show the hardships of being an artist and a touring artist. More physical and mental struggles weren’t shown, but they saw most of our struggles,” he said. “I think the hardest is faking your confidence. When we are in a different country, we always want to make a good impression. With that, it’s hard to fake confidence even if we want to faint from anxiety and nerves before performing.”

SB19 on the red carpet of the “Pagtatag!” documentary premiere night. Image: Hannah Mallorca/INQUIRER.net

Touching on the topic of anxiety, Pablo recalled that there were certain moments he suffered panic attacks while on tour. “It wasn’t fully shown because my team gave me privacy when it came to that. But when I have moments of panic attacks, I feel my body shaking so much almost to the point where I wanted to throw up.”

“I couldn’t think straight. There were glimpses of that,” he continued. When you’re onstage, you can’t put a stop to it. You have to continue despite what you’re feeling inside.”

These moments, according to Ken, would serve as a reminder to fans that they’re not “perfect.”

“They see us as perfect creations but we’re also human. We go through hardships too. Perhaps the media is covering us in a way we want to be perceived and our fans. But this documentary is helpful to connect and to show who we are,” he said.

SB19’s determination

For Pablo, there are moments when one might lose their “soul” in the industry. But the documentary reminded him of those who truly stood by them, even in their most difficult times.

“In this industry, when it gets repetitive, it’s like you lose your soul. You get tired of it,” the “Edsa” singer said. “Watching this documentary made me realize our hardships and the people who stood by us. We saw how we started and kept going. It gave us the needed fire to continue. It reminded me why we’re in here in the first place.”

SB19 with “Pagtatag!” documentary director Jed Regala in a photo session. Image: Hannah Mallorca/INQUIRER.net

With this in mind, Josh hoped the documentary would not only reach fans but also those who are struggling with keeping themselves together during hardships.

“We want to show it’s possible to do the impossible… it is to get inspiration not only to the people in the same field as ours but also to those who are feeling lost, so they would have the drive to move forward,” he said.

One of the highlights in the documentary is the group’s declaration to enter their “new era,” while showing a sign they’re ready to write a new chapter in their careers. While Pablo believes that it’s “exciting and scary,” he reiterated that these thoughts are the core of SB19 as a group.

“From the beginning, this is how SB19 thrives. We’re already successful in the Philippines, but why do we have to strive in other countries?” Pablo said. “We do this because we love what we do. We won’t let the unknown stop us. We know what we want. Whatever we set our minds to, as long as we’re with our team and A’TIN, no one can stop us.”

Josh agreed with the group’s leader, as he followed up with a brief yet profound remark: “Would you have a boring life or an exciting, but scary life?”

The “Pagtatag!” documentary will be shown in theaters from August 28 to September 1.