SB19 looks past 'Wakas' to a future bigger than themselves

SB19 fans could not help but feel concerned when the P-pop Kings sang about endings in "Wakas." Though the symbol of the "Wakas at Simula" album is a semicolon, signifying completion but also continuation, good things coming to an end is difficult to contemplate.

But SB19 has never been afraid to be vulnerable, and they bravely confronted this inevitable fact of life during their "Wakas at Simula: The Trilogy Finale" concert.

Stell's voice, normally crystal clear when he sings, cracked with emotion when he addressed the thousands of A'TIN who flocked to the SMDC Festival Grounds on Saturday.

"Every time na may concert kami, lagi lang pumapasok sa isip ko, hanggang kailan kaya namin ma-e-experience 'yung ganito?" he said.

"Hindi man tayo sure kung kailan magwawakas ang lahat pero at least, ngayon sure tayo na marami na tayong nagawang memories na masaya magkakasama. So san man 'to mapunta, I think enough na 'yun para masabi na naging makabuluhan 'yung buhay ko."

SB19 is aware that pop groups have a shelf life. Three of the members are now in their 30s, and they sing enough about the finite nature of time to have the ticking of the clock always at the back of their minds. And yet, they do not despair. Instead, they put their energies into cultivating something that will outlast them. A sprout that grows into a tree and bears fruit, whose seed will once again take root and grow into its own. It's the imagery they embraced from "Pagsibol" to "Wakas at Simula."

It's not about building a personal legacy. SB19 dares to dream on behalf of their fellow artists and their fellow Filipinos, whose love for music seems to be embedded in our DNA.

From Jasmine Trias to Sofronio Vasquez, we have always celebrated Pinoy artists who go out into the world to show what we can do. But SB19 dares to do the opposite: they want to bring the world to our land to watch our artists on our own stages and experience everything that we can offer beyond the Filipino throat chakra.

And it is now happening. Global A'TIN booked flights and hotel rooms to watch SB19 at the Philippine Arena last year, and again at the SMDC Festival Grounds this year.

"Ever since 'yun 'yung aim namin pero hindi siya pangarap lang namin," Pablo told members of the media after the three-hour show on Saturday. "Sabi ko nga po kanina 'yung pangarap namin kapag pinagsama-sama 'yung pangarap namin we can do great things talaga. Makikita mo BINI nag-Coachella, kami mag-la-Lollapalooza. Tapos makikita mo 'yung mga tao pumupunta na talaga dito."

"If we could produce this kind of shows, people will come to us 'di ba? So kung makikita 'yan ng mga siguro investors, businesses, kung ano 'yung kayang gawin ng Pinoy, or puwede silang mag-risk kung ano 'yung puwede nating makuha to support. Even mga fellow Filipinos natin. Kaya talaga," he added. 

With the scale of production for "Simula at Wakas" and "Wakas at Simula," SB19 is building the Philippines a portfolio for live events that can attract fans from outside the country. And with their company 1Z Entertainment, the group is making sure that it will go beyond themselves.

They have planted seeds and the sprouts are now visible: Jay Roncesvalles, their long-time choreographer, made his debut as 1Z artist and rapper J2X, while Xonara, their upcoming girl group, introduced themselves with a bang at the "Wakas at Simula" stage.

Pablo, when asked for their hopes for the new artists, said: "Mahigitan po nila ang SB19."

"Alam n'yo sa totoo lang po kanina, although excited kami sa performance namin, mas excited kami kay J2X tsaka kay Xonara. Kami po, kami na 'to eh, kami na lagi-lagi na lang magkasama nagpe-perform kasama 'yung A'TIN," he shared.

"Pero 'yung makita 'yung mga tao na talagang nagangarap kasabay namin na tutungtong sila sa stage at abutin 'yung pangarap nila, 'yun po 'yung talagang parang pinapanood ko 'yung old self ko. Kami 'to, gantong-ganto kami, 'yung punong-puno ng passion, 'yung excitement, sobrang nakaka-proud po 'yung moment." 

Someday, SB19 will retire. Not now and hopefully not for a few more years, but it will happen. Until then, Pablo, Josh, Stell, Ken, and Justin will keep building.

One thing about the semicolon, you can add it again and again and again and extend your sentence beyond the page, as great writers sometimes did in literary classics. —CDC, GMA News