SB19 shares why they chose ‘VISA’ as submission for Best Asian Pop Music Performance at the Grammys

SB19 revealed why they chose “VISA” as their submission for the Grammy Awards’ Best Asian Pop Music Performance category.

In an interview with Billboard, SB19’s Stell explained: “We submitted ‘VISA’ for best Asian pop music performance. We felt that it truly represents our vocal performance and culture, and makes a strong case for the struggles we experience as Asian artists.”

The category “recognizes artistic excellence in Asian pop music performances. Eligible recordings include contemporary popular music originating from or widely recognized within Asian markets,” as per grammy.com.

“Recordings must feature meaningful use of one or more Asian languages. An Asian language should play a significant role within the song in bilingual or multilingual structures such that the recording is identifiable with that language. Recordings performed entirely in an Asian language are eligible,” the website added.

In the same interview, SB19’s Justin also reflected on the significance of the Best Asian Pop Music Performance category for Asian artists.  

“The creation of the best Asian pop music performance category directly impacts the future of Asian artists on the global stage, so it’s a moment that we’d like to be part of, especially with artists from Southeast Asia,” he said.

SB19 released “VISA” as a single in February. In a previous press release cited by Billboard Philippines, Stell opened up about the experiences that inspired the track, particularly the difficulties the group encountered in securing visas for their international tours.

“We were very affected by visa applications during our tour. SB19 has been active for seven years, and we hope that songs like these can reach officials and encourage laws that make it easier for athletes, artists, and others working overseas to access visas,” he shared.

“This could include creative acts, producing content, or receiving rebates for spending related to the arts. This is not just an attempt to produce music, but to push Filipino culture forward. There is little support from the government, so it is important that our work can make an impact not only personally but also on a national level,” he added.

Aside from “VISA,” SB19 also submitted their track “LAWLESS” for consideration in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category.