SB19's Josh on the Rise of P-Pop: 'It's All About Authenticity'

The P-Pop (Pinoy Pop, in relation to K-Pop) phenomenon seems unstoppable, which is a good thing, as it gives more local artists an avenue to break into the entertainment industry not only in the Philippines but also in other countries. One of the breakout artists from this growing genre is Josh Cullen, who is one of the members of the hugely popular P-pop group?SB19.

P-Pop（Pinoy Pop，與K-Pop有關(guān)）現(xiàn)象似乎不可阻擋，這是一件好事，因?yàn)樗o更多的本地藝術(shù)家提供了進(jìn)入娛樂(lè)行業(yè)的渠道，不僅在菲律賓，而且在其他國(guó)家。喬希-庫(kù)倫是這一不斷增長(zhǎng)的流派中的突圍者之一，他是大受歡迎的P-流行音樂(lè)團(tuán)體SB19的成員之一。

Josh recently dropped his solo debut single?"Wild Tonight"?to more than 500,000 views, clinching the fifth spot on Youtube's trending music videos. While the rapper plays a suave?Twilight-esque Cullen vampire in the video, up close, he is more akin to a young Francis Magalona, with the same lithe build, street smart vibe, and an authentic energy in the way he engages with others.

喬希最近推出了他的個(gè)人首支單曲 "Wild Tonight"，獲得了超過(guò)50萬(wàn)次的瀏覽量，在Youtube的熱門(mén)音樂(lè)視頻中位居第五。雖然這位說(shuō)唱歌手在視頻中扮演了一個(gè)風(fēng)度翩翩的暮光之城式的庫(kù)倫吸血鬼，但近距離看，他更像一個(gè)年輕的弗朗西斯-馬加洛納，有著同樣輕盈的身材，街頭的智慧氣息，以及他與他人交往時(shí)的真實(shí)能量。

Hard knock life

硬碰硬的生活

The street smarts have been inculcated from his troubled childhood, a fact that he does not hide from his fans. Josh was self-supporting from the age of 15. A product of a solo parent family, he was hustling to provide for himself so he won't be a burden to his mom.?

他的街頭智慧是在他困難的童年時(shí)期被灌輸?shù)?，這一點(diǎn)他沒(méi)有對(duì)他的粉絲隱瞞。喬希從15歲開(kāi)始就自食其力。作為單親家庭的產(chǎn)物，他一直在為自己的生活奔波，這樣他就不會(huì)成為他媽媽的負(fù)擔(dān)。

"At 15, I was working my ass off," he tells?Esquire Philippines. "Since I love video games,?tambay ako sa?computer shop. Because I was knowledgeable sa computers,?naging?technician?nila ako.?Nag?English tutor?din ako na parang?mini call center. I was also hustling on games like DOTA. I did whatever I needed to do to survive.?Lahat ng diskarte ginawa ko,?dinaan ko sa galing,?at yung galing ko ay yung magaling ako makisama sa ibang tao."

"15歲時(shí)，我正在拼命工作，"他告訴菲律賓《Esquire》雜志。"因?yàn)槲蚁矚g電子游戲，所以我在電腦店工作。因?yàn)槲覍?duì)電腦很有研究，所以我成為了一名技術(shù)員。我是一名英語(yǔ)家教，在小型呼叫中心工作。我還在DOTA等游戲上拉客。為了生存，我做了我需要做的一切。我制定的所有策略，我都非常出色地完成了，而我的出色之處在于我善于與他人相處?！?/p>

His early childhood dream was actually to be a doctor or a pilot, which shifted to being a professional gamer at around the age of 10. "My formal education lasted only up to Grade 3," he shares. "Then I pursued it when I got older. I took an Alternative Learning System course to pass high school, but I couldn't afford to go to college."

他早年的夢(mèng)想實(shí)際上是成為一名醫(yī)生或飛行員，在10歲左右轉(zhuǎn)變?yōu)橐幻殬I(yè)游戲玩家。"我的正規(guī)教育只持續(xù)到三年級(jí)，"他說(shuō)。"然后我在長(zhǎng)大后繼續(xù)學(xué)習(xí)。我參加了替代學(xué)習(xí)系統(tǒng)課程，以通過(guò)高中，但我沒(méi)有能力上大學(xué)"。

His passion for gaming proved to be the key to a better life. "I had no formal training in dancing. I learned to dance because of the?Dance Dance Revolution?game. Rapping came as a natural progression?kasi?influenced?ako?ng hip-hop culture. I listened to Tupac, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Loonie, Ron Henley, and Gloc-9.?Mahilig din ako sa mga banda."

事實(shí)證明，他對(duì)游戲的熱情是通往美好生活的關(guān)鍵。"我沒(méi)有接受過(guò)正式的舞蹈訓(xùn)練。我是因?yàn)椤段璧父锩酚螒蚨鴮W(xué)會(huì)跳舞的。說(shuō)唱是一個(gè)自然的進(jìn)步，因?yàn)樗绊懥宋业奈幕?。我?tīng)過(guò)圖帕克（Tupac）、史努比-道格（Snoop Dogg）、阿姆（Eminem）、盧尼（Loonie）、羅恩-亨利（Ron Henley）和格洛克-9。我也喜歡樂(lè)隊(duì)?！?/p>

Josh chanced upon a dance performance by Stell (Ajero, his SB19 bandmate), and was inspired to try his luck in the entertainment industry. They were formally introduced at a dance competition, where he was chosen as Star of the Night, and was invited to be part of a dance troupe.

喬希偶然看到斯特爾（阿杰羅，他的SB19樂(lè)隊(duì)成員）的舞蹈表演，受到啟發(fā)，想在娛樂(lè)業(yè)試試運(yùn)氣。他們?cè)谝淮挝璧副荣愔姓秸J(rèn)識(shí)，他被選為當(dāng)晚的明星，并被邀請(qǐng)成為一個(gè)舞蹈團(tuán)的成員。

The group's training was hard, he says, especially since he was working at a BPO center at the same time. "Minsan nakakatulog ako sa?work.?Dumating sa point kinailangan ko pumili?between work and my passion, and I chose this path."

他說(shuō)，該團(tuán)的訓(xùn)練很辛苦，特別是由于他同時(shí)在一個(gè)BPO中心工作。他說(shuō)，該團(tuán)的訓(xùn)練很辛苦，特別是由于他同時(shí)在一個(gè)BPO中心工作。

True grit

真正的勇氣

The road to stardom is not easy, and Josh admits there were times he wanted to give up. His determination paid off, and he is now more optimistic that bigger things are yet to come. The 29-year-old says the first 26 years of life has been a long, hard journey. "There were times?na?feeling?ko patapon ako. I was questioning why bad things were happening to me, and whether I deserved them."

通往明星的道路并不容易，喬希承認(rèn)有幾次他想放棄。他的決心得到了回報(bào)，他現(xiàn)在更加樂(lè)觀(guān)地認(rèn)為更大的事情還在后面。這位29歲的年輕人說(shuō)，人生的前26年是一個(gè)漫長(zhǎng)而艱難的旅程。"有的時(shí)候，我覺(jué)得自己是個(gè)傻瓜。我在質(zhì)疑為什么壞事會(huì)發(fā)生在我身上，以及我是否應(yīng)該得到它們"。

Through all of the challenges, music was his constant companion. "During the times that I was questioning myself,?doon ako kumukuha ng lakas sa mga?artists?na pinakikinggan ko. I was by myself since I was 15,?at walang nakakaintindi ng mga pinagdadaanan ko. Through the moments?na wala akong makausap,?nag-rely?ako sa?music?na ginagawa ng mga?idols?ko.?Ginawa ko silang mga?role models,?na?someday I will be like them and give inspiration to others."? ?

在所有的挑戰(zhàn)中，音樂(lè)是他永恒的伴侶?！霸谖屹|(zhì)疑自己的時(shí)候，我從我所聽(tīng)的藝術(shù)家那里得到了力量。我從 15 歲起就一個(gè)人，沒(méi)有人理解我正在經(jīng)歷什么。在我沒(méi)有人傾訴的時(shí)刻對(duì)，我傳達(dá)了我在我的偶像創(chuàng)作的音樂(lè)中的感受。我讓他們成為榜樣，總有一天我會(huì)像他們一樣，給其他人帶來(lái)靈感?！?/p>

Things have definitely changed for the better, with SB19's music awards, professional endorsements, and even an ambassadorship with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

隨著SB19的音樂(lè)獎(jiǎng)項(xiàng)、專(zhuān)業(yè)代言人，甚至是國(guó)家文化和藝術(shù)委員會(huì)的大使職位，事情肯定已經(jīng)發(fā)生了好轉(zhuǎn)。

"For 26 years?talagang ginapang ko ang buhay namin,?ginapang ko ang mga pangarap ko.?Nuong naging artista ko,?tapos nag-viral?kami?and?na-recognize yung group, for the first time,?naramdaman ko na ito na yung?start of something?na puwedeng magbago ng lahat, not just for me but for the entire industry."?

“26年來(lái)，我一直在為我的家庭、為我的朋友、為我的家人而努力。我在追逐我的夢(mèng)想。當(dāng)我成為一名藝術(shù)家，然后我們走紅，這個(gè)團(tuán)體得到認(rèn)可，我第一次覺(jué)得這是一切都可以改變的事情的開(kāi)始，不僅對(duì)我，對(duì)整個(gè)行業(yè)也是如此?！?/p>

In the beginning, he says people could not understand the concept of P-Pop. Haters called them copycats of K-Pop groups. He explains, "I think it's all about authenticity.?Iyong?experience?natin?as a Filipino,?hindi natin mapepeke. We are telling?our own stories. We are sharing our own experiences.?Kung ano iyong kinalakihan namin,?iyong environment natin, it's how it makes us P-Pop."

在開(kāi)始時(shí)，他說(shuō)人們不能理解P-Pop的概念。仇恨者稱(chēng)他們是K-Pop團(tuán)體的模仿者。他解釋說(shuō)：“我認(rèn)為這一切都與真實(shí)性有關(guān)。作為一個(gè)菲律賓人，我們無(wú)法偽造。我們?cè)谥v述自己的故事。我們?cè)诜窒碜约旱慕?jīng)歷。我們成長(zhǎng)的地方，我們的環(huán)境，這就是它讓我們成為 P-Pop 的方式”

Better days

更好的日子

As in one of their group's hit songs "Mapa," Josh is taking care of his mom, who is one of his biggest supporters. "Before?nag-hihirap kami.?Ngayon,?kinuha ko na si?Mommy?ko.?Binigay ko agad sa kanya iyong mga kailangan niya, especially with the house needs,?lahat ng?appliances. Stress-free?na siya.??Hindi na siya?magwo-work.?Wala na siyang ibang iisipin."?

正如他們組合的熱門(mén)歌曲之一 "Mapa"，喬希正在照顧他的媽媽?zhuān)撬畲蟮闹С终咧?。在我們受苦之前。現(xiàn)在，我?guī)е业膵寢?。我立即給了他他需要的東西，尤其是家里需要的東西，所有的電器。他現(xiàn)在沒(méi)有壓力。他不會(huì)再工作了。他不會(huì)考慮別的?！?/p>

His solo endeavor, he says, reveals his 'authentic self and his true sound.'?

他說(shuō)，他的個(gè)人努力，揭示了他的 "真實(shí)的自我和他的真實(shí)聲音"。

"It is my dream to influence and give inspiration," he says. "I enjoy working with the group,?may?kanya-kanya kaming?role, but this track ("Wild Tonight") is all me. They are very supportive and I will do my own work simultaneously with my work with the group."

"影響和給予靈感是我的夢(mèng)想，"他說(shuō)?！拔蚁矚g和團(tuán)隊(duì)一起工作，我們每個(gè)人都有自己的角色，但這首曲子（"Wild Tonight"）是我的全部。他們非常支持我，我將在與小組合作的同時(shí)做我自己的工作"。

As someone who is now enjoying the fruits of his struggles, Josh shares this piece of advice to those who are experiencing hardships in life.?

作為一個(gè)現(xiàn)在正在享受他的奮斗成果的人，喬希向那些在生活中遇到困難的人分享了這個(gè)建議。

"Kapit lang.?Kahit napapagod na kayo sa pinagdadaanan ninyo. Try to get out of your comfort zone and embrace change. Take opportunities, work hard, and work smart as well."

"沒(méi)關(guān)系。即使你厭倦了你正在經(jīng)歷的事情。嘗試走出你的舒適區(qū)，擁抱變化。抓住機(jī)會(huì)，努力工作，也要聰明地工作"。

Josh Cullen On 'wild Tonight,' Sb19, And More - Josh Cullen Sb19 Interview (esquiremag.ph)

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