For SB19, strengthening foundation in solo careers was foremost priority in 2024

SB19 members (from left) Pablo, Josh, Stell, Ken, and Justin. Images: Courtesy of 1Z Entertainment, Blackstar Entertainment, Warner Music Philippines, and Sony Music Philippines

SB19 may have released the tracks “Kalakal,” “Ready” and “Moonlight” and made several group appearances in 2024, but the past year marked Pablo, Josh, Stell, Ken and Justin’s solidification of their careers as solo artists.

Strengthening the foundation of their solo careers has been discussed among SB19 for quite some time. And it has worked wonders for the members in every group appearance. The hype surrounding their upcoming comeback “Simula at Wakas” grew stronger, and members showed drastic growth in their vocal, dance and performance abilities.

“Napag-usapan namin na gusto naming ma-experience ang acting, theater, kahit hosting. Gusto naming ma-experience what we can learn, and gamitin ang natutunan namin to improve our company (We talked about wanting to experience acting, theater, and even hosting. We want to experience what we can learn and use our experiences to improve our company),” Justin shared during their “Pagtatag!” media launch in June 2023. Despite this, the group reiterated that they won’t let go of their activities as a quintet as it remains their priority.

Take a look at how each SB19 member established their presence as a solo act in the past year:

Pablo

The year 2024 was an opportunity for Pablo to expand his catalog where he displayed his songwriting abilities in full glory. Two years after his solo debut, he released the singles “Determinado,” “Akala” and “edsa” before following up with a back-to-back release of the albums “Alon” and “Laon.”

There’s an underlying grit in his upbeat tracks — which goes beyond the angst — as shown in his tracks “Butata,” “Tambol (Ibang Planeta), “Micha!” and “Determinado,” the lattermost being a collaboration with his brother Josue. On the other hand, his slower tracks such as “Drowning in the Water,” “Wala” and “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” explore his vulnerability.

His other pursuits include mall tours for his albums, the short film “Una” which is inspired by his solo track “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” and a coaching stint in “The Voice Kids” where he led the 11-year-old Nevin Adam Garceniego to victory.

Josh

Probably the busiest year for Josh to date, he found himself in the middle of creating new music, embarking on a solo tour, and appearing in several gigs — all while in the middle of fulfilling his duties as a member of SB19. This, among other things, is perhaps one of the factors that led to his Solo Artist of the Year win at the ninth edition of the P-pop Music Awards.

Taking a different cue from his earlier releases, Josh allowed himself to recall his painful past with his first album “Lost & Found,” in hopes of helping his listeners heal from their own struggles. “This album gave me a template of sorts. I laid all the memories out one by one. And now, I can revisit them any time I want. Each song pertains to specific experiences and triggers certain flashbacks,” he told the  Philippine Daily Inquirer in an interview.

“Some are happy, some are sad. But the important thing is that I was able to create something out of my experiences. Nothing will beat songs like that. Authenticity is everything,” he said of the album.

Aside from his album, Josh also collaborated with hip-hop artist Al James and K-pop girl group H1-Key for “Yoko Na” and “Thinkin’ About You,” respectively.

Stell

For Stell, 2024 was the year to make his long-awaited solo debut with “Room” and its accompanying EP of the same name. Proving he can go beyond ballads, he displayed his Bruno Mars-esque charm by belting his debut single’s high notes and moving through the music.

“I would remind myself that I wouldn’t receive compliments and opportunities if I can’t do it. It was given to me for a reason,” he said during his solo debut showcase. “When people tell me I have a nice voice, I used to get so shy. But when I receive compliments now, I believe that it’s given to remind you that you’re worth receiving them.”

Stell was to establish himself as a formidable vocalist as well through his appearances at the “Gen C” and “The Hitman: David Foster and Friends” shows, as well as a promo for the musical film “Wicked,” among other solo gigs. Aside from performing, he reprised his coaching duties in “The Voice Kids” and guested at the “Street Boys Reunion Dance” concert with bandmate Justin.

Ken

Through the mononym Felip, Ken solidified his persona as a solo act through his album “7sins.” The majority of its titles explore the seven deadly sins, although it doesn’t revolve around Biblical connotations. Instead, it touches on the complexities of a person’s dark side.

Felip also touched on defining people’s “fake faces,” which was co-written with Grammy-nominated songwriter-producer Seann Bowe and international music producer Hyuk Shin. “We had an almost counseling session to find out how he was currently feeling about his life and what he was currently struggling with, and discussed the topic of fake people that he’s been experiencing,” Hyuk Shin told One Music Philippines in a report.

Felip also held his “7sins” album concert and an autograph-signing event at Tower Records in Japan, which he referred to as his “dream country.” He was also the first Filipino artist to clinch the top spot of Japan’s all-genre rankings in 27 years and topped the Hip-Hop category in Amazon Japan.

Justin

Justin debuted as a solo artist with “surreal” in February 2024, which allowed him to display his abilities as a creative director to full use. For him, the song’s lyrics of wanting to “live in his own imagination” were among the inspirations behind its dream-like visuals.

“In terms of the concept, binalikan ko ‘yung mga creative thoughts ko from before and ideas [until deciding] na ito ‘yung visual na gusto kong gawin. With the help of my friends and my co-creative director, na-build namin ang concept (In terms of the concept, I returned to my creative thoughts from before and ideas before deciding on the visuals that I wanted to do. With the help of my friends and my co-creative director, we built the concept),” he said of his solo debut concept in an interview with INQUIRER.net.

He then followed up with “kaibigan” five months later, which explores the topic of developing feelings with a friend. His solo gigs include the mall show of dhruv and a guest appearance at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCA) season 100’s opening ceremony, to name a few.

While SB19 kept their lips sealed on their upcoming album, it seems that the recent change of profile pictures in their social media platforms is a hint of what’s to come in 2025.