began in 2022 while SB19 embarked on their first world tour and continued after they left the talent agency ShowBT to pursue self-management.

around "identity strengthening" and its songs explore topics of empowerment, commitment, love, mental health, and liberation, some of which were inspired by the band's struggles.

The Filipino boy band SB19 was formed by a local subsidiary of the South Korean entertainment company ShowBT in 2016 through a talent search.

In 2021, the group began gaining creative control of their work, starting with the release of their first extended play (EP), Pagsibol,[3] which they themed around artistic origins and growth.

SB19 worked with a few other record producers, including Pablo's brother, Joshua Daniel Nase, and Simon Servida.

strengthening),[10][11] and that they would continue to explore different genres and life experiences,[10] with inspirations drawing from their shortcomings, frustrations, and identity.

[12] The group's leader, Pablo, revealed in an interview with Zach Sang that Pagsibol and their forthcoming releases would be part of a trilogy.

[13] Conceptually, the trilogy would focus on the evolution of the band's artistry—from discovering their origins in Pagsibol to strengthening their perceived identity in Pagtatag!.

Most of the EP was produced by Pablo and Joshua Daniel Nase; they also collaborated with Simon Servida, Brian Lotho, Len Calvo, and Ohwon Lee in its production.

[24] The EP's opening track, "Gento", is a pop and hip hop song with claps, strong bass beats, and EDM break accompaniments.

[24] It is a reggaeton-influenced EDM pop track accompanied by hard-hitting beats and "adrenaline-activat[ing]"[22] production, with lyrics that reflect the boy band's struggles and triumphs.

[37][38][39] The single also became the subject of a dance challenge that trended on the video-sharing service TikTok, which accumulated over 1.7 million user-generated videos using the song on the platform.

The music video for "Gento", directed by Kerbs Balagtas, is grunge-themed and depicts the boy band mining for gold and dancing in a large quarry.

[42] The video for "Freedom" premiered at the Our Zone fifth-anniversary fan meeting,[43] showing the group wandering in outdoor spaces.

[C] Aside from touring, the boy band also made television and public appearances to promote the EP, with various live performances of songs from its track list.

They first performed the EP's first two tracks, "Gento" and "I Want You", on the noontime variety shows All-Out Sundays and ASAP Natin 'To on May 21 and June 11, 2023, respectively.

[52][53] In the United States, the group put on street performances of songs from the EP on Hollywood Boulevard and at Times Square.

Nylon Manila's Acer Batislaong labelled the songs as "bangers",[62] and Gabriel Saulog from Billboard Philippines described the EP as a "masterclass in confidence and versatility", praising the lyricism in "Gento" and "I Want You", which he respectively considered "catchy" and "snappy".

[22] A separate review published by Billboard Philippines described it as a "great EP", complimenting its songwriting, particularly how the songs feature multilinguistic lyrics, including Cebuano, which they opined added "a new dimension" to the group.