Cebuano P-pop group VLST to debut this May 17

To make it big in the P-pop scene, the aspiring Bisaya idol group VLST had to make a few, but significant sacrifices. One of these was putting a halt to their college education.

- By JANUAR JUNIOR AGUJA

The group's leader, Aeron, used to be in a rock band for a few years before the pandemic and was able to balance his studies and music.

"Every weekend is for gigs. But with P-pop, we need extensive training with our voice and dance, and that requires stability. I only have two years left, and I do want to go back to school, but at the same time, I want to push our group. I am willing to make sacrifices for this group," he said at the group's launching press conference.

VLST lead dancer, main rapper, AND composer Zyman, echoed his leader's mission. "Managing time is hard. I had to reset for this risk because I really want to focus on this group."

Completing the five-member group with Aeron, 22, and Zyman, 21, are singer and group's center Markeu, 21; main vocalist Gemen, 20; and main dancer Gab, 20.

Managed by the new talent agency Rising Harmony Entertainment, some of the members were recruited through auditions last year, while Aeron and Zyman were shoo-ins, being originally part of an earlier group, De Astra, which was supposed to debut in 2023.

"Our previous management and the talents of our old group decided to part ways amicably," Zyman said of De Astra's fate.

Aeron and Zyman played a role in the founding of Rising Harmony Entertainment, with Sheree Baylon-Brizo stepping in as their manager.

"I did not plan on building an entertainment company," she previously told The FREEMAN. "My original plan was to start a digital marketing agency, and Aeron and Zyman saw how I managed fan events before and how I handled people, so they approached me to manage them."