SB19’s Stell during the 10th Wish Music Awards. Image: X/@wish1075
Months before SB19’s Stell brought home three awards from the 10th Wish Music Awards, he confessed during his solo debut showcase that it took some time before he developed confidence in himself and his abilities.
But his efforts to establish himself as a solo artist were worth it as he bagged the Wish Ballad Song of the Year, Wish Breakthrough Artist of the Year, and Wishers’ Choice plums at the awards ceremony last Sunday, Jan. 19, at the Araneta Coliseum.
“Sobrang eye-opener ang nangyari. Lagi kong sinasabi na hindi ako ready, hindi ko siya ine-expect (What happened was such an eye-opener. I would always say I’m not ready. I’m not expecting anything),” Stell told INQUIRER.net on the sidelines of the event.
“But kapag nand’un ka na sa mismong [position na ‘yun], babalik sa’yo lahat ng doubts. Iniisip ko siya before. [Pero] wala, kailangan ko na siyang gampanan. Nakita na ng tao na I’m well-deserved sa mga ganitong klaseng awards,” he continued.
(But when you’re in that position, the doubts will come back. I’ve been thinking about them before. But I have to simply do it. People have seen that I well deserve these kinds of awards.)
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These awards, in turn, gave Stell the confidence to move forward in his future pursuits.
“Iniisip ko na, game on. Kaya ko nang gawin lahat. Ready ako to face anything, mapa-solo man or group activity. Super ready ako ngayon. Dala-dala ko ‘to at gagalingan ko palagi (What I’m thinking is, game on. I can do anything. I’m ready to face anything whether it’s a solo or group activity. I’m super ready now. I’m carrying these awards as a motivation to do better),” he said.
When asked why he still goes through self-doubt, Stell admitted that he’s still in a state of disbelief that he was allowed to show off his skills in a wider scale. “Naging parte rin siya ng paglaki ko. Hindi naman ako lumaki sa isang pamilya na pwede kong gawin ang mga gusto ko.”
“Pangarap ko talaga ito noong maliit pa ako,” he continued. “Ngayon, naaabot ko na tulad ng mga kanta [kasama ang iba’t ibang artists]. Hindi ako makapaniwala na ito pa ang Stell na batang nangangarap noon, pero ngayon, nagagawa ko na siya lahat.”
(It became a part of me while growing up. I didn’t grow up in a family where I was free to do what I wanted. It’s been my dream to do since I was young. Now, I fulfilled my dream of performing with different artists. I still can’t believe that I’m still the young Stell with big dreams. But now, I can do them.)
Aside from his Wish trophies, Stell’s other solo milestones include releasing “‘Di Ko Masabi,” which was composed by National Artist Ryan Cayabyab, being included in Cayabyab’s “Gen C” show, and going viral for his “All By Myself” performance in David Foster’s concert.
TOWARDS SELF-CONFIDENCE 👏🏻
WATCH: Despite being recognized by OPM legends like Ryan Cayabyab and Regine Velasquez, SB19’s Stell admits that he still struggles with self-doubt at times although his recent milestones gave him the confidence to keep going. | @HMallorcaINQ
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— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) January 20, 2025
Despite all this, Stell said self-doubt is something that one doesn’t recover from easily, but he’s grateful to his loved ones and supporters for encouraging him to do his best.
“Hindi talaga mawawala sa’tin magkaroon ng [doubt] pero [masaya ako na] may mga taong tumutulak sa likod natin para maniwala sa kakayahan natin (The doubt will never go away, but I’m glad there are people urging me to believe in myself and my skills),” he said.
Stell also addressed the recent viral videos of himself including his “Defying Gravity” performance at the Mall of Asia and his guest appearance on the noontime show “It’s Showtime,” saying he appreciates getting known beyond his performance skills.