Beyond being SB19’s leader, Pablo has built another identity that deserves its own spotlight: songwriter. Since his SB19 debut, Pablo has reportedly written more than 50 songs for the group, shaping much of the sound and storytelling behind the P-pop act. In 2025, that body of work earned him a place among FILSCAP’s Top Five Composers, alongside OPM legends. 

Here are seven songs that show the range of Pablo Nase as a songwriter.

“MAPA” by SB19

“MAPA” is perhaps the clearest example of Pablo’s ability to make something deeply personal feel universal. Written by Pablo in 2021, the SB19 hit is a tribute to parents, with its title playing on “map” and mama and papa. Its emotional core comes from reversing the usual parent-child dynamic: the people who once guided you become the ones you want to guide and care for in return.

“GENTO” by SB19

If “MAPA” shows Pablo at his most sentimental, “GENTO” shows what happens when he turns ambition into a concept. Released as the lead single from Pagtatag! The track uses gold mining as a metaphor for success.

Its central idea is straightforward: nothing valuable comes without digging for it. That metaphor becomes a fitting reflection of SB19’s own journey, transforming perseverance into something listeners can move to. The song also demonstrates Pablo’s instinct for building a hook around a concept strong enough to carry an entire era.

“DAM” by SB19

Pablo’s writing gets more inward on “DAM,” which he co-wrote and co-produced with his brother Josue and Simon Servida.

The Simula at Wakas track turns inward, addressing personal burdens, self-doubt, integrity, and the determination to keep moving despite them. Musically, it pulls from hip-hop, EDM, folk, industrial, and progressive rock, giving the song a restless quality that matches its subject.

It is a good example of Pablo writing from a place that feels less triumphant and more confrontational: the fight is happening inside.

“DUNGKA!” — SB19

Then there is “DUNGKA!”, where Pablo gets to have a little fun with his pen. Co-written with Josue, the Simula at Wakas track shows another side of his writing: sharp, playful, and unapologetic. 

The song has the swagger of a diss track without losing the larger pop sensibility that makes SB19’s music accessible. After the introspection of “DAM,” “DUNGKA!” proves Pablo knows when a song simply needs to bite back.

“KAPANGYARIHAN” — Ben&Ben feat. SB19

Pablo’s songwriting becomes explicitly political on “Kapangyarihan,” his collaboration with Ben&Ben. The 2021 track was written by Miguel Benjamin Guico, Paolo Benjamin Guico, and Pablo, with Pablo contributing additional lines to the version featuring SB19. Its lyrics confront abuses of power and demand accountability from those in positions of authority.

The song later found another life as the opening theme for Pulang Araw and, years after its release, became associated with protest movements in the Philippines. For Pablo, it shows how songwriting can move beyond personal storytelling and become part of a larger conversation.

“ROOM” — Stell

One of the clearest ways to understand Pablo as a songwriter is to listen to something he wrote for someone else. For Stell’s solo debut, Pablo wrote “Room,” while Radkidz—Pablo and Josue—handled its production. The song was built around Stell’s idea of creating a space where he could be fully himself, free from other people’s expectations and judgment.

That makes “Room” particularly interesting in Pablo’s catalog. He was writing for another artist, but the song still had to sound personal to Stell. The result shows his ability to translate someone else’s perspective into a song without losing its individuality.

“I WANT YOU” — SB19

Finally, “I WANT YOU” puts Pablo in a more openly romantic space. Written by Pablo and produced with August Rigo, the track leans into an R&B-influenced sound, giving him room to explore attraction and desire rather than the motivational, political, or introspective themes that appear elsewhere in his catalog.

It is a reminder that Pablo’s songwriting doesn’t have to carry a grand concept every time. Sometimes, he can simply write a song that knows exactly what it wants.

Across these seven tracks, Pablo’s strength becomes easier to trace. He writes about parents, ambition, personal battles, power, identity, desire, and the people around him, moving between pop, hip-hop, R&B, folk, and more experimental territory without losing a distinctly Filipino voice.

Pablo may be the person leading SB19 onstage, but behind the music, he has spent years building the words, concepts, and emotions that give the group something to say.