Credit to the owner of the photo
Last October 15, SB19 performed for the 1st anniversary of Billboard Philippines. They were the last performers out of about thirty-three artists/groups lined up, and their performance ended around 2 in the morning. One of the shining characteristics of the group is how they value the time of other people, especially their fans. They know that A'tin would travel great distances just to see them perform live and would brave even storms to support them. They respect their fans in every possible way, and they show it by being punctual to every event and giving their 100% in every performance.
During the Billboard Anniversary concert, technical issues were reportedly experienced by almost all the performers, and when the five began their performance, they experienced the worst. As artists, these five men value their craft and treat any stage they step into as sacred. That is their way of respecting the very thing that put them in the limelight and changed their lives for good. Right after the event, allegations were made by trolls, haters, and fans of another group regarding how SB19 handled the situation. They claimed that the boys had 'tantrums' and were scared to show people that their vocal abilities is not as good as people claim it to be. Some fancams even showed Pablo, the group's leader talking, to someone with intensity.
Before we dive into what happened, let's first remember that this is the same Pablo who poured his heart and soul in every song he created for his group. It is the same Pablo who always teach their fans to remain humble and kind. Finally, it is the same Pablo who despite his ability to create songs, prevented himself from releasing his hidden gems because he wanted his art to be perfect, not just for himself, but for his supporters, too. Those who know SB19 are fully aware of how these five talented men would do everything they can to give a beautiful performance for their audience. They never do or release anything mediocre, which is the very reason why even if they perform the same songs, they always make it a point to tweak or even change the arrangements to bring something new.
Now, onto the issue at hand.
When the audio of their performance didn't align with the live band, they tried their best to save it the first time, but they couldn't. By continuing their performance on their first try, they would be breaking their promise of bringing the best performance every time. So they tried again, hoping that things would be better, but the technical issues remained. No artist deserves to be hindered by things such as technical issues because every artist gives their best for their audience, unless they don't and the audience are fine with it. For the second time, SB19 stopped their performance and figured out a way to fix the issue, which is to remove the live band, but before that, Pablo was seen talking to someone beside the stage.
Was the way he talked to this person intense? Yes, obviously. Was he mad? Of course! Who wouldn't? When you practiced tirelessly for a performance and you're ready to give your audience something they would truly remember, technical difficulties messing everything up for you is the worse thing you could experience. When you're an artist like Pablo and his members, you know what you can bring to the table. You know that you have what it takes to give an amazing performance, and not being able to do that is like torture. No one knows what he said to the person he talked to, but one thing is for sure, their irritation about the whole technical fiasco was justified.
Not only they had to wait until past midnight to be able to perform, but they know that their fans have already waited long enough to see them on stage. A mediocre performance riddled with technical issues is not what their audience deserved, and they knew it. When an artist respect his or her craft, the term "the show must go on" gets to a whole new level. It is not just about getting on the stage and completing a production number. It's about delivering the best you could and ensuring that your audience would truly enjoy it. That is the SB19 way, and that is who Pablo is.
He is not just an artist, a leader of a PPOP group, or a solo artist. He is the CEO of 1z Entertainment, and he has every right to demand the best for his artists, and that includes himself. Their main goal is to bring Filipino music to the international scene. Lea Salongga already did it and showed that Filipinos can perform in international stages. Did she do it by giving a so-so performance? Definitely not. She ensured to give her absolute best every single time. Are we expecting the PPOP Kings to be okay with an "OKAY" performance? Them who already performed in The First Take? If you do, then you are deluded.
What Pablo showed was not a sign of having an attitude problem. It is of a professional artist who is giving his best for his audience, but it is also a CEO who allowed his artists to spend time for an event and make them exert so much effort for a wonderful performance. He is one of the most humble, down-to-earth person in the music industry, but even he knows that they don't deserve technical mishaps like that.