Another day, another Justin from one of the world's biggest boybands is going solo.
Away from Timberlake and NSync, Justin De Dios from the Filipino group SB19 will release his debut single Surreal on February 29.
He announced it in a surprise three-minute cinematic trailer. It shows the singer walking through a forest and a field of flowers before finding a tent and going inside.
Last month, Justin made his acting debut in the ABS-CBN series Senior High. He played Jared, who attended the school’s prom as the date of another character.
This isn’t the first time a member of the group, made up of Pablo, Stell, Ken, Josh and Justin, has released solo music. In the past few years, Josh, Pablo and Ken have also worked on individual projects.
Josh, who is the lead rapper and vocalist, released Wild Tonight in February last year. Pablo, considered the leader of the group, who is also a vocalist, main rapper, chief songwriter and creative director, presented La Luna in January 2022. Meanwhile, Ken who is a lead vocalist and main dancer, released an original song called Palayo (Away) in 2021. He followed it up with 2022’s Bulan.
SB19 formed in 2016 after the members participated in a talent contest held by ShowBT Philippines, a subsidiary of the South Korean company ShowBT.
The members were originally selected to be performers for company events, but former ShowBT chief executive Jung Sung-han saw their potential and decided to turn them into a boyband.
The group have become the new face of pop music in the Philippines. They are the first Filipino act to be nominated in the Billboard Music Awards for Top Social Artist and the first South-East Asian act to enter the top 10 of Billboard’s Social 50 charts. They also broke a record set by BTS for longest No 1 reign on Billboard's Trending Songs chart.
In June last year, they left their agency and created their own company 1Z Entertainment. They said they hope to have more creative freedom over their music but also help other musicians in the country be successful, too.
"Our main goal is to contribute to the Philippine music industry and help make Filipino music more recognised globally,” Ken previously told The National. “Also, to uplift and inspire people. We established 1Z Entertainment for these [reasons].”
RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
'Spies in Disguise'
Director: Nick Bruno and Troy Quane
Stars: Will Smith, Tom Holland, Karen Gillan and Roshida Jones
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
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Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
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Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Company profile
Company name: Suraasa
Started: 2018
Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker
Based: India, UAE and the UK
Industry: EdTech
Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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- Marie Curie
- Jimi Hendrix
- Leonardo Di Vinci
- David Bowie
- Paul McCartney
- Albert Einstein
- Jack the Ripper
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- Helen Keller
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
THE BIO
Ambition: To create awareness among young about people with disabilities and make the world a more inclusive place
Job Title: Human resources administrator, Expo 2020 Dubai
First jobs: Co-ordinator with Magrudy Enterprises; HR coordinator at Jumeirah Group
Entrepreneur: Started his own graphic design business
Favourite singer: Avril Lavigne
Favourite travel destination: Germany and Saudi Arabia
Family: Six sisters
