PABLO Sets the Bar High with Daring Debut Single

We'd like to say we were surprised when P-Pop group SB19’s leader Pablo announced his solo debut with little to no warning. The announcement came in the form of a 3-minute video in which Pablo sings an unnamed song while a clock in the background reads "2022-01-28 08:00 PM" In the painfully long days leading up to the release, the soon-to-be soloist released a series of cryptic tweets teasing the content of his upcoming release. And we weren't surprised about that either. This singer, dancer, songwriter, composer and leader is a mystery all by himself - and we're glad.

A Daring Statement About Mental Illness

'La Luna,' which did drop on January 28th, is an edgy hip-hop track featuring unique and intriguing visuals and beats. Pablo wrote the music and lyrics himself, so it's no surprise that the track moves seamlessly between Tagalog and English, especially given Pablo's English degree. Just as the rapper sings in two languages, he also portrays two characters in the music video. The first character is an imprisoned version of Pablo, who's wearing shackles and refusing human contact out of fear of rejection and leaving his comfort zone. The second character is a more confident and liberated version of the Pablo who sings about breaking free of expectations and fighting back against what the first character fears.

Those familiar with Pablo's music know his unreleased songs follow the same themes: depression, mental health, anxiety, and perseverance through trials.

Throughout the video, the theme of overcoming mental illness is everywhere. Pablo revealed that he'd written the song in 2019, and everything about it shows a lot of vulnerability on the artist's part. At the time, the artist was still going by his early stage name, Sejun. Not only was he fresh to the P-Pop scene, but he was growing into his role as a leader and mentor to his bandmates. After all he's been through since then, the song has all the feels of a coming-of-age. Sejun has put off the shackles of his insecurity and doubts to become the Pablo we know today. There is no questioning that he is now the alpha.

Those familiar with Pablo's music also know how his unreleased songs follow the same themes: depression, mental health, anxiety, and perseverance through trials. 'La Luna' follows in this vein, showcasing the duality of mental illness through the theme of transformation. Pablo himself has compared the two characters to the dual nature of a werewolf at the full moon.

A Warm Reception for a New Debut

One thing is for sure, the reception for 'La Luna' has certainly been warm. Both Pablo's existing fans (A'tin) and the broader hip-hop community haver hailed the release. The track debuted at number one on the MYX Hits and Pinoy MYX Countdown lists, and the music video is nearing 1 million views before the one-month mark. The emotional and hard-hitting debut has set the bar high for the newly-debuted solo artist.

Pablo is made for greatness - it's just a matter of watching him grow now.

There were a lot of things about Pablo's debut that surprised us. We were surprised to hear such a hard-hitting rap track. We were surprised by how vulnerable the rapper was. What we aren't surprised about is how well the video and the track are doing. Pablo is made for greatness - it's just a matter of watching him grow now.

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