SB19 captures a defining moment on 'Simula at Wakas: Kickoff Concert Album'
SB19 has dropped Simula At Wakas: Kickoff Concert Album, and it’s less “souvenir for people who were there” and more “formal documentation of a group operating at full power.”
The release captures performances from their massive two-night shows at the Philippine Arena and makes a compelling case that SB19’s live era deserves its own canon.
SB19 (Images from Sony Music Entertainment)
The album draws on their recent discography, blending material from Simula At Wakas, Pagtatag!, and Pagsibol, and it works because the group treats their catalog as something alive rather than fixed.
These aren’t carbon copies of studio tracks. Mixed and mastered by Radkidz with live arrangements by Jem Florendo, the performances sound intentional, dynamic, and surprisingly emotional for a concert record of this scale.
SB19 is a Filipino pop group at the forefront of the P-Pop movement, known for their high-level vocals, sharp choreography, and genre-blending sound that spans pop, hip-hop, and R&B.
Composed of Pablo, Josh, Stell, Ken, and Justin, they gained international attention through self-produced music and fan-driven momentum, becoming one of the first Filipino acts to break into major global charts while proudly spotlighting Filipino identity on a world stage.
A standout favorite is the live version of “Moonlight.” Originally a glossy collaboration with Ian Asher and Terry Zhong, it’s stripped down here into something warmer and more vocal-forward.
The production steps back, the harmonies take over, and suddenly the song feels less like a crossover play and more like a statement about who SB19 actually is. The group has called it one of their favorites on the album, and it’s easy to see why.
More broadly, the album feels like a checkpoint. It captures a band confident enough to let
imperfection, crowd energy, and spontaneity shape the performance. In other words, it sounds alive. They’re settling into themselves, and this record makes that evolution hard to ignore.
With the album release, SB19 also announced a grand way to cap off their landmark world tour: “Wakas At Simula: The Trilogy Concert Finale,” happening on April 18 at the SMDC Festival Grounds. Tickets are expected to go on sale in February 2026. (Ian Ureta)