Felip "Ken" Suson

Living anime character, and the sexiest main dancer; are just some of the names given to the main dancer of the iconic PPOP group SB19. There is definitely no one like Ken, also known as Felip in his solo acts. From the swag to the oozing sex appeal, and the deep, mindblowing voice, he had captured the hearts of many. Not to mention his taste in fashion is absolutely impeccable.

But Ken is not just a handsome face.

He was born on January 12, 1997 in Pagadian, Zamboanga Del Sur. The youngest in the family, and the only son. His life was never easy. In fact, his parents had to leave the country to work abroad to support him and his older sister. Growing up with religious grandparents, Ken was raised with manners and teachings in line with the word of God. He also grew close to his grandparents and even during high school, he admitted that he would sleep in between them.

His childhood was normal and fun, and he was born with artistic talent. As he grew older, he discovered his talent for drawing and won an art competition in high school. Part of his extracurricular activities was playing Sepak Takraw for his school's team, but first and foremost, his love for music stemmed from his family. With his father and grandfather as both pastors, Ken practically grew up in a church. In an interview, he shared that he would listen to his uncle play different instruments. As a kid, he wondered why his uncle looked like he was in another world whenever he played.

The funny thing about Ken is that he may look and act confident or "maangas", but in reality, he is a very shy dude. He even admitted that he couldn't even order his own food at a diner. This man always had trouble expressing himself, partly because his accent naturally came out whenever he spoke, but his heart was full of love. A trait that was surely passed down by his grandparents.

His journey as a performer started early on in his life as he was born into a musically inclined family. He reportedly had a high voice and was always pushed to sing in front of his family and even at school, but when puberty hit, his voice changed. Disappointed would be an understatement to describe how he felt. It is common for Pinoys to only see people who could belt as good singers, and Ken thought, because of the changes in his voice, he could no longer sing.

Dancing became his escape and eventually, he learned to love it. One thing to describe Ken is that there is nothing he can't do or learn as long as he puts his mind to it. He taught himself to play musical instruments, learned to play volleyball, basketball, and table tennis, and was a Sepak Takraw spiker. He could skate, and when he turned his attention to dancing, he excelled in it. Eventually, his love for music gave him a reason to get back to singing, but dancing had left an imprint that was hard to ignore.

He became a part of dance groups and competed in small and big competitions until he met another would-be member of his now group, SB19. They could have been friends at that moment, but distance got in the way. Outside performing, Ken was an architecture student and he was close to graduating when he received an invitation to audition for a talent search. His grandmother supported him even without the assurance that he could make it. With just a little money in his pocket and no prior approval from a relative, he flew to Manila to pursue his dreams.

Can you imagine how hard it is for someone who grew up speaking a certain dialect to be around people, most of whom don't understand a word you say? He had to endure rigorous training along with his co-trainees with the reality that not all of them would make it to the end. He had no plan B, no safety net, but he was sure of what he wanted and gambled everything, even his education for it. All his hard work paid off and it was a testament that nothing is impossible as long as you don't stop fighting for your dreams.

Ken's Facebook account

In every hero's story, there will always be villains. The enemies who would want to bring the hero down and destroy him, and Ken was not a stranger to that. Through the years, numerous issues had been thrown his way, including baseless accusations, and unprovoked hatred. What's commendable about him was never fought back, not even once. He welcomed the hate and turned it into positive energy that allowed him to create his own personality as a solo artist.

His debut solo song, Palayo, talks about the strength of finally walking away from a toxic relationship. Ken had always been vocal about self-love and self-importance. It was something that many of us should learn. In a musical world full of undying love and hopes of forever, he provided a different story, a different kind but important kind of love. Fast forward to April 2024, he released another song that tackles another truthful aspect of life, the Fake Faces around us.

People who only want to be with us because of what we can do for them, and as soon as we can no longer give anything more, they are done with us. Each of his songs is a story based on his personal experiences or other people's experiences, but at the end of the day, they were all real issues. One more thing that is true about Ken is that he believes that the best revenge is success, and he is definitely killing his haters right now. His deep and sultry voice provides a wide range of music at his disposal, and we can definitely say for certain that he is not yet done.

Aside from his family, friends, and relatives, the first people to celebrate him and his success are his Sisiws, a playful name for his personal fandom derived from his love of fried chicken. They've always been very supportive and loving, and it was a wonderful sight to behold. With them on his side, there is nothing Ken couldn't achieve.

Ken's social media accounts:

Credits to:

1. Dougbrock TV: Youtube