SB19 Unveils New Single ‘Lawless’ as They Gear Up for Lollapalooza Debut

Lollapalooza opened last Thursday in Chicago under punishing summer heat, but one of the festival’s biggest early talking points came from SB19. The Filipino P-pop group made its Lolla debut with a history-making set, becoming the first Southeast Asian artist to perform at the festival since it became a major destination event in Grant Park more than two decades ago.

The moment reached well beyond the crowd gathered in Chicago thanks to Lollapalooza’s Hulu/Disney+ livestream. On the Allianz stage, SB19 delivered a tightly executed one-hour mid-afternoon performance, blending sharp choreography, powerhouse vocals and the kind of stage command that suggested even larger festival slots may be ahead.

“We are SB19 from the Philippines!” the five members shouted together, surrounded by a full team of backing dancers. Josh then nodded to the intense weather with a grin, telling the audience, “I didn’t expect it to be this hot!” before adding a greeting for supporters tuning in from afar: “And to our Filipinos watching the livestream, hello!”

SB19 launched the set with “DAM” before sliding confidently into “Gento.” Performing behind their recently released studio album Wakas At Simula, the group also turned its latest single, “Lawless,” into an early highlight, channeling the track’s themes of ambition, confidence and self-belief as Lollapalooza’s first day got underway.

Lyrics to SB19 songs appeared on screen in Grant Park’s Hutchinson Field in both English and and Filipino as hundreds of fans nearest the stage frantically waved Filipino flags. It was the type of performance which masterfully underscored live music’s virtually unparalleled ability to simply bring people together.

“Music has that power to really connect people,” said Pablo backstage following the set. “Even though we have different languages, when you listen to a certain music, you feel the same emotion the song is trying to convey. And, so, through that, we’re able to connect to each other. And through these kind of festivals, like Lollapalooza, we get to see each other and have that connection and have that energy.”

ForbesSB19, Sombr, Wet Leg And Empire Of The Sun Kick Off Lollapalooza 2026By Jim Ryan

I spoke with all five SB19 members backstage at Lollapalooza about making their festival debut, the new single “Lawless” and the message they take to fans around the world via their music. A transcript of our conversation, lightly edited for clarity, follows below.

Jim Ryan: Well, I saw the set and it both looked and sounded fantastic. How was it for you guys on stage at Lollapalooza?

Josh: It was really amazing. It was actually nerve wracking at first. But once we got to the stage, we were just having fun. We were just being lawless all of the time.

Ryan: Well, “Lawless” [is now available]. What can you tell fans about the latest SB19 single?

Justin: Actually, we [didn’t] know what to expect. Because right now, we’re just being lawless. So, we just did everything. We’re doing our best. And, of course, I hope fans would expect more. Because this Lollapalooza stage is really big for us. So, we should not take that for granted. We should do our best. And do more.

Ryan: One of my favorite things about live music, especially at the moment, is the way in which it brings people together regardless of divisive times. That’s a rare thing. How important of a role is that for music to play?

Pablo: Music has that power to really connect people. Even though we have different languages, when you listen to a certain music, you feel the same emotion the song is trying to convey. And, so, through that, we’re able to connect to each other. And through these kind of festivals, like Lollapalooza, we get to see each other and have that connection and have that energy. And it’s just amazing to be in the flesh and hear amazing artists and share different cultures and different music together.

Ryan: That was quite an impassioned response today out there from fans to your first ever Lollapalooza performance. What do you say to a reaction like that?

Stell: We just want to say thank you to all of the SB19 fans who came today just to see us perform. We’re very honored and happy to represent not only our group but also the Filipino community on a global stage. We can’t promise a lot of things. But one thing is for sure: we will do our best every time we step on the stage. Small stage or big stage, we’ll do our best for our fans. All of this is all because of you. And we’ll do this not only for us but for all of the Filipinos. Thank you again. We love you forever. Always remember that. Thank you so much.