Manila (CNN Philippines Life) — Filipino boy group SB19 is finally releasing their first full-length album, “Get in the Zone” on July 31. The album will contain nine tracks, including three remixes and two unreleased songs.
The announcement comes at the heels of the group climbing to the top 3 slot of the Billboard Social 50 chart, just behind K-Pop giants BTS and EXO.
SB19 members Justin, Sejun, Josh, Ken, and Stell revealed more details about the forthcoming album through a video press conference.
“Ito po kasing album na to is about the journey of SB19,” says Sejun.
He adds: “Our experiences, lahat ng mga emotions na pinagdaanan namin, ‘dun po namin in-incorporate sa album. May kantang malungkot, mga kantang masaya, mga kantang hopeful, inspirational. Lahat po ng pinagdaanan namin as trainees, gumawa kami ng kanta based sa mga emosyon na naramdaman namin sa journey.”
The five-member group became a viral hit with their single “Go Up,” released in July 2019. Later in the year, they released the infectious pop-rock single “Alab.”
In May 2020, the group released the song “ikako,” which they dedicated to the country’s fight against COVID-19.
The members were deeply involved in the process of making the album, writing lyrics, composing, and collaborating with their producers in Korea, through their agency ShowBT. Despite the K-pop group framework that ShowBT employs to groom the group, it is apparent that SB19 is firmly a Filipino act. This is recognizable in the making of the songs and the album itself.
“‘Yung album po namin is more [about] the soul of Filipino kasi kami po yung nagsulat and ‘yung ideas namin regarding sa lyrics; 'yung experiences namin,” says Justin.
“‘Pag nagkakareceive din po kami ng mga demos, pinagiisipan namin kung bagay ba sa group namin,” adds Josh. “Feeling po namin marami kaming kaya i-incorporate sa pinagpipiliian namin pero siguro po tina-try namin kung pano ipapasok 'yung ganitong lyrics, 'yung ganitong steps. Binabagay po namin sa taste ng mga Pilipino.”
The album also includes their first single, the sweeping ballad “Tilaluha.” “[We wanted the song] to establish na kaya po namin kumanta. And besides that ‘yun ‘yung naksanayan na ng mga Pilipino, mga ballads, sad songs,” says Sejun.
Fans can also expect “Love Goes.” “It was supposed to be our first single, but mas naisipan po namin na i-release sya on a later date," says Sejun.
SB19 follows a process when working on a material and they are given a certain degree of freedom, from writing the lyrics to making the choreography.
“Nagca-clash minsan ng ideas, pero ‘yun po ‘yung maganda, na lahat may input and kapag pinagsama-sama namin, mas maganda ang kinalalabasan,” Stell said in our February 2020 cover story.
The band is still actively making music, and though they are relatively new, Sejun says they are more confident now with their sound.
“Right now, para sa akin, everyday is an experience,” he says. “Itong album na ilalabas namin, special sa amin. Masasabi namin na confident na po kami gumawa ng mga bagong kanta, lalo na ngayon mas marunong na kami mag compose, maging creative at pagsama-samahin ang views namin kasi nakakapag-adjust na kami sa bawat isa.”
The album will be available on all digital platforms via Sony Music. Check the official SB19 pages for the release schedule. You can pre-save the album here.