SB19 talks about what they think of the fan theories that crop up after every new release
MANILA, Philippines – There’s nothing quite like a new SB19 release to send their dedicated fandom A’TIN into a sleuthing spiral. Reaction videos, song interpretations, theories that link to other elements in the SB19 universe – this is the inevitable wave that follows every time the P-pop superstars drop something, whether it’s a new song or a music video.
Take their recent smash hit “Gento,” for instance. The song’s lyrics are filled with references, callouts, and wordplay, sometimes to the point of sounding bizarre. Its very title, “Gento,” is also as ambiguous as its gets, and has been milked to death for all sorts of meaning.
And that’s just for the one song.
For the group – made up of Pablo, Stell, Josh, Justin, and Ken – all theories and interpretations are welcome. As Pablo, the group’s main songwriter, said, it just gives the song life when fans are able to view it through their lens.
“Well for me, nabibigyan naman ng buhay yung kanta dahil meron silang experiences na nakaka-relate sila doon. So, kahit mo sabihin meron kaming storya na gusto ipahayag doon, hindi siya mag-make sense kung hindi nila naramdaman o hindi nila na-feel kung ano yung sinasabi ng kanta,” he said in an episode of Rappler Live Jam. “That means, para sa akin, mas okay na pinapahayag nila yung interpretation nila doon sa song.”
(Well for me, the song is given life because they have experiences that they can relate to it. So even if you say that we have a story that we want to tell there, it’s not going to make sense if the fans don’t feel what the song is saying. That means for me, it’s better that they interpret the songs themselves.)
A’TIN and casual fans alike might be excited to know that the group actually waits for the theories to come rolling in on Twitter every time they release or post something.
“Doon po kami na-excite kasi iba’t iba talagang…yung iba’t iba yung hugot, iba’t iba yung story na nagagawa nila. Tapos naisip namin, oo nga, hindi natin naisip yung other side na yun,” member Stell added.
(That excites us because they are really able to make different stories that come from different emotions. And we think, oh right, we didn’t think of that side of it.)
He said that the stories fans come up with actually impress them.
“Sabi namin, ang galing din talaga ng A’TIN. Bukod sa maingay sila, magaling din talaga silang gumawa ng story na talaga nagme-make sense lahat. Tapos kahit iba-iba silang story na pag-coconnect, connect po talaga,” Stell.
(We always say, A’TIN are so talented. Aside from the fact that they’re loud, they’re also really good at making up stories that make everything make sense. And even if they’re different stories, they are really connected.)
“Maraming (there are many) beautiful coincidences,” Justin said, as he shared one fan theory that was based on the cellphone number Josh used in his music video for his solo single “Wild Tonight.”
“Parang yung hindi naman namin sadya minsan, na bibigyan ng meaning (It’s like the things we don’t do intentionally gain meaning),” Josh added.
SB19 released their second EP Pagtatag! in June, with the six-track EP considered as the start of the group’s new era.
They are currently on their second world tour, which kicked off at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City in June. They performed in Davao on July 5, and are headed for Bacolod on July 9.
On July 21, they are headed for the US, where they will be making stops in several cities before performing shows in Canada in August. – Rappler.com