Billboard, the globally renowned music authority, has declared “A’Tin,” the passionate fanbase of Filipino boyband SB19, as the triumphant winner of its annual fan army face-off.
After a spirited competition that spanned five rounds of voting, the ultimate showdown unfolded between Seventeen’s devoted fanbase, known as Carats, and the fervent supporters of the popular Filipino boyband.
The victory for SB19’s A’Tin coincided with the group’s return to New York City as part of their “Pagtatag!” World Tour.
One SB19 enthusiast, Betzy, expressed her excitement, “It was insane. They had me panicking. I was speechless.”
The influence of SB19 transcended language barriers during their concert, with even non-Filipino-speaking fans joining in to sing along to the group’s Tagalog songs.
Lydia Lane, a fan hailing from London, shared her experience, “As somebody who doesn’t speak Tagalog, I remember my first reaction to Mapa, without knowing the lyrics, I felt all the emotions. I was crying because just their voices and the power, without knowing their meaning, I still felt it.”
StarMedia, the U.S. tour promoter for SB19, revealed to ABS-CBN News that dedicated A’Tins traveled from various parts of America to attend the group’s concerts.
Dennis King, who journeyed from Georgia to be part of the event, articulated his hopes for the band, “It’s the perfect opportunity to continue blazing their own path. That’s what I want to see. Not to fill the void of BTS but go completely beyond.”
A special message from @SB19Official: Congrats A’TIN on winning #BBFanArmy2023! 💙
Check out a recap of this year's tournament here: https://t.co/a1jqJlIAL0 pic.twitter.com/Y6QAay7sYG
— billboard (@billboard) August 9, 2023
Prior to their monumental concert in New York, SB19 had already captivated audiences with a sold-out show in Los Angeles, showcasing their remarkable international appeal.
