Pagsibol (lit.'Sprouting') is the first extended play of Filipino boy band SB19, released on July 22, 2021, by Sony Music. It consists of six tracks, of which four were also released as singles, "What?", "Mapa", "Bazinga" and "SLMT".[1]
In an interview, SB19 leader Pablo explained that they've named their first extended play (EP) Pagsibol because it represents their musical journey, citing their families as one of their greatest influences throughout their career.[2] He wrote the song, and dedicated it to his own parents when he was homesick during their Get In The Zone tour in 2020.[3] “What?,” the first song in the tracklist, tells about self-empowerment.[4] According to the group, Pagsibol is tribute to their fans.[5]
SB19 begun teasing a comeback in March, with a caption, "What is Coming?". On June 30, the group posted a poster featuring the record's title and their logo.[6] A week after, the release date has been revealed accompanied with a pre-save link. They also announced a postponement of their upcoming concert. A release scheduler was posted on July 14, 2021.The tracklist was shown a day after that featured the two released singles "What? and "Mapa", promotional single "Ikako", and three more songs. Concept photos were dropped for 6 days and the highlight medley was released a day before the release. Hours before the release, SB19 guested in a livestream on Twitch by the American magazine Rolling Stone, as well as on iHeartRadio to promote their extended play.[7] It was released on streaming and digital platforms on July 22, 2021. A lyric video for "Bazinga" was uploaded on YouTube on the same day.[8]
The group has partnered with Spotify Philippines with a campaign that "showcases Pinoy pride and tells the story of SB19’s latest EP through audio and visual art". They collaborated with six Filipino visual artists to design jeepneys inspired by the six tracks on Pagsibol.[9]
In January 2022, SB19 launched premium merchandise line inspired by Pagsibol. The exclusive merchandise was conceptualized and produced by Sony Music Philippines, SB19, and ShowBT. SB19's Justin De Dios serves as a co-creative director for the project, pitching in his input for all the studies and acting as liaison for the rest of the members when it comes to creative decisions.[10]
