SB19 drops Vevo performance after settling trademark issues
Photo from SB19’s official Twitter
Following SB19 in 2023 felt like seeing a Pinoy teleserye’s climax—the kind where the protagonists reach their peak, only to encounter a major bump in the road that puts their hard-earned success at risk.
But the “major bump in the road” did not come in the form of a memory loss or a surprise inheritance for the P-pop group. Instead, it took the shape of a legal tango with their former management ShowBT.
Here’s a recap of what went down: SB19 launched their self-made agency 1Z Entertainment a few months after parting ways with ShowBT. Their viral hit “Gento” (plus, the entire “Pagtatag” EP) was also turning into a certified international bop—with various celebrities dancing to it.
Needless to say, the group was reaching new heights.
Amid the success, though, SB19 found themselves in a dispute—one that involved the trademark for their name and logo. You see, ShowBT *legally* held the rights to these assets, which implied that the group would have to rebrand should they lose the battle. This caused them to momentarily hit on the brakes, halting group activities for the time being.
— 1Z ENTERTAINMENT (@1zentertainment) December 5, 2023
Luckily, the plot did not end in tragedy. SB19—like the main characters they are—has won the tussle and officially earned the rights to their identity. (We can all collectively heave a sigh of relief now.)
A performance at NYC’s Vevo Studio
As if to celebrate the milestone, SB19 dropped an exclusive performance of “Gento” days after they announced the trademark settlement agreement. It was shot at the Vevo Studio in Brooklyn, New York—making them the first P-pop group and one of the few Filipino acts (Ylona Garcia, Beabadoobee, and No Rome, among others) to grace the studio.
Despite being a pretty intimate space, the quintet was still able to exude the same charisma they normally bring to bigger venues. And judging by their outfits, the performance seemed to be recorded the same day SB19 made an appearance on New York Living and busked at Times Square.
Talk about demand.
Vevo has the largest network of music channels on YouTube. The platform features artists from across genres—and having SB19 on their roster only solidifies the potential of P-pop to capture global attention.
SB19 makes history at AAA 2023
In other news, SB19 has added another item to their long list of firsts and mosts. They’ve become the first-ever Filipino act to be given the Best Artist Award (Singer) at the Asia Artist Awards 2023.
It’s a recognition they share with some of today’s hottest K-pop artists: IVE, Le Sserafim, Akdong Musician, The Boyz, and ITZY.
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The group also took home the AAA Hot Trend Award. “[This is] such a big milestone, not just for SB19 but for every Filipino out there,” said one of the group’s rappers Josh during their acceptance speech.
Bonus: SB19 wowed audiences with their opening stage at the same event, and even had popular Korean celebrities such as NewJeans and Stray Kids vibing along.
