Josh Cullen (musician)

In 2016, South Korean entertainment company ShowBT branched out in the Philippines and opened a talent audition for Filipinos aspiring to become professional performers.[5] Santos was among the participants, and was chosen later on for a 5-piece boy band. Santos then underwent South Korean-style training that is rampant for K-Pop bands prior to debut, which included voice and dance classes, body conditioning, personality development, and the like.[6] On several accounts, the SB19 members recalled how rigorous the sessions were wherein hours of nonstop and unpaid training daily while juggling with their work.[6] But more than the training, it was the threat of failing their weekly evaluation and the possibility of being eliminated.[6] According to Santos in an interview,

“...the weekly evaluations were really nerve-wracking. That’s the performance that you’ll have to prepare for. Other trainees and teachers will watch you[...]You’ll really get nervous. And if you don’t perform well, you’ll be eliminated right away."

— Josh

During his training, he drew inspirations from Filipino hip hop artists Loonie, Gloc-9, Shanti Dope, and Smugglaz. He also admired the styles of Bigbang's G-Dragon, and BTS.[7]

On 26 October 2018, Santos debuted with fellow members Pablo, Stell, Justin, and Ken as P-Pop group known as SB19. Their first single "Tilaluha" was written by fellow member Pablo but its success was not widely acclaimed.[8][9] With a message centered on heartbreak and unrequited love, the song was intended to introduce the band and their powerful vocals in which it debuted poorly to charts. The initial poor reception for the group and their singles leads to them almost splitting up.[10] SB19's second single "Go Up" was released on July 19, 2019.[11] They described the song as their "last shot" because they had decided to disband if their career did not progress after.[12] Unexpectedly, they gained public attention after the dance practice video of the song was uploaded which was later shared by a fan on Twitter and Facebook.[13] Opportunities opened and the group started to appear in multiple radio and television outlets, both local and internationally.[14] On 2021, SB19 became the first Filipino and Southeast Asian act to be nominated in Billboard Music Awards for Top Social Artist along with BTS, Blackpink, Ariana Grande, and Seventeen—which BTS won.[15][16] It marked the first-ever appearance of a Filipino artist in the Billboard Music Awards.[16]

In 2022, Santos joined his independent musician cousins Ocho the Bullet and Carrot Mayor on their track "Sofa (Remix)", released on YouTube and Apple Music.[17]

On February 24, Josh Cullen debut as solo artist, record producer, song writer and composer. He released a single "WILD TONIGHT", a Victorian themes and vampire-inspired concept combines with the elements of EDM, pop, and hip-hop. The single was the result of artistic pursuit: a pulse of liberating joy that reveals a facet of Josh’s personality beyond celebrityhood and public perception. Josh acknowledges that he is heavily involved in the creative process, from brainstorming and refining music ideas to writing lyrics and composing melodies, and even getting himself into co-producing the material with Ace Santos, his cousin. [18]

All song credits are adapted from the Tidal, unless otherwise noted.[19]

Year	Artist(s)	Song	Album	Lyricist		Composer		Ref.
				Credited	With	Credited	With
2020	SB19	"Go Up"	Get in the Zone		Pablo Felip Stell Josh Justin Oh Won Lee Glow		—	[20][21]
2022	Ocho the Bullet	"Sofa" Remix	Non-album single		Carrot Mayor		—	[22]
2023	Josh Cullen	"WILD TONIGHT"	Non-album single				Albert Christian “Ace” Santos	[23]
		"PAKIUSAP LANG"	Non-album single				Ocho The Bullet	[24]