In less than 24 hours, the music video of SB19's third single "Alab" registered over 500,000 views when it was released on January 9, 2020.
At press time, their music video has garnered over 1.4 million views.
Members of SB19—Sejun, Stell, Josh, Ken, and Justine—are grateful to their fans for their overwhelming support since they released their "Go Up" music video in July 2019.
The P-pop group expressed their gratitude during their January 10 press conference for their latest single at Novotel Hotel in Quezon City.
Justine told PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal), "Very thankful kasi hindi po mangyayari lahat 'to kapag hindi po sila nag-support from the start.
"Until now they're trying to introduce us to other people parang yung friends nila, yung family, talaga pinapakilala nila [kami]."
For fun, the members made a bet among themselves to guess how many views their music video would make in 24 hours.
Sejun revealed, "Actually may betting kaming ginawa!"
Stell emerged as the winner with his bet of 700,000. Josh came in second for his 300,000-view forecast. Justine is in third place for guessing that their music video would reach 800,000 views in 24 hours.
Ken's prediction was 1 million views. He quipped, "Kasi gusto ko i-pressure yung A'Tins."
Meanwhile, Sejun went for an ambitious forecast of 2 million views in a day.
THE MAKING OF ALAB MUSIC VIDEO
During the press conference, SB19 and Robin Geong, the CEO of ShowBT Philippines, narrated how they produced the music video for "Alab."
According to Justine, the colorful concept actually came from their CEO. But the members also gave ideas during the planning stage.
Justine recalled, "Our boss, si Sir Robin, meron siyang idea, meron siyang plans for us pero hindi hinayaan na yung plans niya lang yung masunod.
"He asked us kung ano po yung gusto naming mangyari and nagbabatuhan po kami ng suggestions."
Justine said their biggest challenge was to merge all their ideas into one.
"Humanap na po kami ng production team, and then from there, yung ideas po namin and yung ideas ng production team, dun na po nag-start yung collaboration.
"So talagang masakit sa ulo kasi mamaya may misunderstanding, nag-iiba-iba yung ideas, nagkakaroon maya't maya ng, 'Ah meron akong pwedeng idagdag.'"
The filming for their MV lasted for over 28 hours and the members are grateful to everyone who worked behind the camera.
Sejun said, "Sa totoo lang po, nakikita din po ng mga fans namin na sobrang hardworking kami pero po hindi nila nakikita yung mga tao na nagwo-work behind na hindi natutulog.
"Sobrang nagpupuyat, nagpupursige para mai-angat yung grupo namin kaya sobrang thankful po kami sa kanila."
FIVE ZONES OF ALAB MUSIC VIDEO
The music video featured a different zone for each member.
During the press conference, SB19 members shared the story behind each of their zones. They also picked the colors for their zones, which represent their personalities.
Josh's pick was red. It had ropes, which symbolizes his fear of being controlled.
The rapper explained, "Ako yung tao na dominant yung personality ko. I don't want anything to control me pero by falling in love, parang nako-control po ako nung kung sino man or kanino ako nai-in love."
Ken's color is black. In his zone, the performer is seen trapped inside a glass box.
Ken said, "The box represents my comfort zone... Kasi may character din po ako na I don't want to look vulnerable po sa harap ng mga tao. I don't want to look weak. So as much as possible, hindi po ako vocal sa feelings ko sa mga tao kasi baka po ma-reject ako or ma-disappoint lang ako so ayoko pong magmukhang mahina sa kanila."
He continued, "But sa love po parang dun ko na-realize na walang ibang paraan, you have to get out of that box, sirain yung box na yun para ma-express ko yung feelings ko..."
Justine's color is green, and his zone is filled with frames of different sizes.
He explained, "Yung story po nung zone ko na parang I don't know what to express, parang pina-plastik ko yung sarili ko na meron akong pinapakitang iba't ibang emotions towards the girl na, 'Ah baka kailangan kong maging maangas, kailangan kong maging cute sa kanya. In the end, na-realize ko na kailangan ko lang maging sarili ko."
Stell's color is yellow, which represents his fun personality.
He said, "Tulad po ng sabi ng fans na parang ako daw po yung nagre-represent ng ray of sunshine. In-accept ko na po yun na aminado naman po ako sobrang vocal po ako sa lahat ng bagay, talkative po talaga akong tao, sobrang showy, sobrang kung anong nasa loob ko po sinasabi ko po. Yun po yung pinakita ko sa music video."
Meanwhile, Sejun picked the color violet which symbolizes how intense his love is.
"Initially, kaya ko siya pinili kasi sa flame, siya po yung pinaka-mainit sa color palette po ng flames. Sa ngayon po, somehow, siguro nare-represent po nung yung personality ko.
"Pero hindi ko po masasabi na fully na personality ko talaga yun kasi sobrang cute po nung pinaggagawa ko dun na kahit ako nagki-cringe na ako sa ginagawa ko sa music video."
SB19 ON HANDLING FAME
The members of SB19 admit that they still feel overwhelmed by their sudden popularity.
Asked how they feel upon seeing fans screaming their names, Ken said, "Masaya, kasi hindi po namin ine-expect na ganun yung tanggap ng mga tao sa amin.
"So para sa akin, sobrang nakaka-overwhelm lang po na ma-appreciate nila yung music na ginagawa namin. We worked hard for it.
"Yung ma-appreciate ka lang ng tao, sobrang saya na sa pakiramdam."
Josh also said that more people now recognize them when they go out. But the 26-year-old performer said that the fame has not changed them at all.
He told the press, "Siguro po yung people outside, nare-recognize na po kami easily ngayon unlike before. Pero yung personality po namin, still the same.
"Kung gaano po kami ka-effort noon, siguro ngayon doble pa po yung effort namin."
"Kung ano po yung pinakita namin before sa inyo, na personality namin, same pa rin po, yung mindset po namin, yung pagwo-work hard po namin.
"Para sa amin, yun po talaga yung pinaka-reason bakit kami andidito ngayon kaya po hindi na po mawawala sa amin yung ganung personality."
Justine is happy to know that their group serves as an inspiration to their fans.
He said, "Kunyari sa parents nila, meron po kasi kaming nami-meet na parents na they're happy na yung children po nila, inspired sa amin na parang ginagalingan po sa school.
"Minsan may kinuwento pa yung parent na, 'May task munang kailangang gawin yung anak ko bago bilhin yung gusto niya.'
"So from there, parang meron kaming nagagawang something good for their family, hindi lang as fan girl po."
Sejun hopes that their fans would continue to support them.
"Hindi namin ine-expect pero nangangarap po kami na sana balang araw, makarating din po kami sa ganitong level and siguro mas higher pa.
"And we're very thankful po na sa effort namin, maraming tao na ang kasama namin para tumulong sa amin ma-achieve yung mga na-achieve namin ngayon.
"Sana po this 2020, kasama pa rin po namin sila."