Filipino boy band SB19 have cracked the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart with their newest track Gento.
The music video for the song was released on May 19 and already has more than three million views on YouTube.
Although they debuted in 2018, the band has grown in popularity over the past few years thanks to their hit songs Bazinga, Mapa and Go Up.
They’ve also become the face of P-pop (Pinoy pop) as one of the most popular acts from the Philippines.
For those who haven’t heard of SB19, here’s everything to know about the group.
Who is in SB19?
The group is made up of five members – Pablo, Stell, Ken, Justin and Josh.
Pablo, 28, is the leader of the group – a vocalist and the main rapper. Josh, 29, is also a lead rapper and sub vocalist. Stell, 27, is a lead dancer and main vocalist while Ken, 26, is also a main dancer and lead vocalist. Justin, 24, is the youngest member of the group and the creative lead of the band.
All the members are from the Philippines but have cited K-pop boy bands such as BigBang, BTS and B2ST as inspiration.
How did they form?
SB19 was formed by ShowBT Philippines, a subsidiary of the South Korean company ShowBT, during a talent search in 2016. They were originally only selected to be performers for company events but former ShowBT chief executive Geong Seong Han decided to make them into a boy band.
“When I first visited the Philippines for market research five years ago, I noticed the Filipino fans' enthusiasm and energy for K-pop,” Geong told Forbes in 2020.
“That, plus the advantage of them being fluent in English, opened an opportunity and possibility for overcoming K-pop’s weaknesses. Although the K-pop model is already well established, I wanted to create a new culture mixed with P-pop. So, SB19 is a new idol group with a unique style that is a result of localisation.”
The group members carried out three years of training – following a similar regimen to K-pop stars – before making their debut in 2018 with the song Tilaluha.
“What they have been doing in Korea, the K-pop idols there, they have this intensive training where you have to make your moves synchronised, you’re singing while you’re dancing and it’s really hard.
“To utilise that here in the Philippines is really great, because there are lots of talented Filipinos that are not given opportunity, so that we can show the talent of the Philippines all over the world,” said Pablo in a Forbes interview.
What are SB19 fans called?
Fans of the group are known as A’tin, which was announced in November 2019. The word means “ours” in Tagalog – promoting the message that the group’s success is also down to the fans.
SB19 have previously asked fans to not put an “s” at the end of the word because, as a collective noun, it can be used for both singular and plural.
There are two fan groups in the emirates: UAE A'Tin and United A'Tin of Emirates, with representation from people living in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman and Fujairah.
How did the group find success?
The boy band have released one studio album and eight singles. The first album Get in the Zone was released on July 2020 with the single Tilaluha, which received lukewarm reception.
However, it was their second single Go Up that turned their luck around. The group considered disbanding if the song wasn't successful but the dance practice video of the song went viral after it was shared by a fan on Twitter and Facebook.
A few months later, SB19 made their first appearance on the Billboard Next Big Sound chart, becoming the first Filipino act to do so.
What other records have SB19 set?
Last year the Filipino boy band broke a record set by K-pop stars BTS for longest reign at number one on the Billboard Trending Songs chart with Bazinga.
The song spent seven consecutive weeks on top, surpassing BTS’s hit single Butter, which previously held the record at six weeks.
They’ve also become the first Filipino and Southeast Asian act to be nominated in the Billboard Music Awards for Top Social Artist and are the first Southeast Asian act to enter the top 10 of Billboard’s Social 50 charts.
School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
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Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
Name: Timothy Husband
Nationality: New Zealand
Education: Degree in zoology at The University of Sydney
Favourite book: Lemurs of Madagascar by Russell A Mittermeier
Favourite music: Billy Joel
Weekends and holidays: Talking about animals or visiting his farm in Australia
Jewel of the Expo 2020
252 projectors installed on Al Wasl dome
13.6km of steel used in the structure that makes it equal in length to 16 Burj Khalifas
550 tonnes of moulded steel were raised last year to cap the dome
724,000 cubic metres is the space it encloses
Stands taller than the leaning tower of Pisa
Steel trellis dome is one of the largest single structures on site
The size of 16 tennis courts and weighs as much as 500 elephants
Al Wasl means connection in Arabic
World’s largest 360-degree projection surface
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
