Spotlight on Ms. JHING

Photo courtesy of Jhing Sillona

Let me start by saying that I have always wanted to interview a Filipino artist who is based in the United States.

While searching and doing my own research as to who should be the very first Fil-Am artist I would feature and interview for my column, I came across Jhing Sillona, or better known as Ms. JHING.

Luckily, when I reached out to her, she was not that busy as yet and she readily agreed to participate for my latest article. Ms. JHING had even said how truly timely my feature on her would be; that my request comes like some “divine intervention” for her (as Ms. JHING herself had put it) because she will have a world concert tour very soon !

And as serendipity would have it, I had reached out to her purely out of my own volition, as is and has always been the case, anyway, with any other artists I choose to feature. Ms. JHING was even more elated to know that someone (meaning I) from Inquirer.net, one of the major media outlets, had taken first notice of her and wanted to interview her.

With Ms. JHING, one of my objectives in featuring her is to inform music aficionados–in the Philippines and elsewhere around the world–that there is another Filipino artist in the United States we can watch out for and be proud of, too.

I do not want to spoil anything for the readers as I want them to discover for themselves and learn more about Jhing Sillona by reading the answers she has provided to my questions below.

So here goes my interview with the multi-talented artist, Ms. JHING.

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1) What/who first inspired you to get into music?

Ms. JHING: The answer to that is definitely my family. In my pre-teen years, my parents used to take my brother and me to sing at functions and shows and I really hated it (LOL)! As a kid I just didn’t understand why we had to perform for everyone but they obviously knew something that we didn’t. These performances became our training ground and prepared us for bigger things. Thanks mom and dad!

2) What was the first song(s) you learned?

Ms. JHING: It was “Crazy For You” by Madonna. I attended elementary school in the Philippines and I was in third grade when I had to sing for the first time in front of my whole class. I remember watching the confused faces of the teachers and other third graders as I sang. Then they erupted in a cheer and everyone huddled around me. They were really surprised and so was I ! I didn’t even know I could sing before then. It was the first time I felt the magic of music in me and I’ll never forget it.

3) Is your family musical?

Ms. JHING: Yes! My mom loves to sing and my dad plays the piano. My Tito Bob would throw parties complete with live bands and we’d jam and sing and dance. The whole family would bust out in harmonies and freestyle. This was a very normal way of life and I thought all families lived this way. I used to sing in my Tito Bob’s band, The Howlers, when I was a teenager with my brother, JayR, who later went on to become the King of R&B in the Philippines. My daughter, Julianne Sillona, is also a singer/songwriter. My sister Jhoy was a finalist in Tawag ng Tanghalan and my niece Deejay Poblete recently won an Aliw Award for Best New Artist (Group). The rest of the family is very talented too. In fact, we are producing a U.S. concert tour in June and July that will be in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Las Vegas called Original Music Only. It’s a family affair that features JayR and my brother from another mother, Kris Lawrence, along with myself and the rest of our Homeworkz family of artists including Robin Nievera, Mica Javier, Q-York, Deejay and Julianne. We’ll all be performing original music. For tickets visit https://homeworkz.ticketleap.com.

4) Were you influenced by old records & tapes? Which ones?

Ms. JHING: Growing up, our house was always filled with music. When my parents are not having one of their impromptu live jam sessions, my dad would play his CDs of Doris Day, Nat King Cole, Natalie Cole, Whitney Houston, Sade, etc. I was always attracted to the music of the 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s. I love Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Holiday, The Andrews Sisters, and Sarah Vaughn. I am also a fan of Whitney, Mariah, Lauren Hill, Aretha Franklin, Amy Winehouse, MJ, Prince, Erykah Badu, Esperanza Spalding and Queen B of course.

5) Who was your first teacher in music?

Ms. JHING: I had a music teacher in Sun Valley Junior High, Mr. Kenyon, who made an impact in my life. He cared for his students, kept us away from trouble, and respected our opinions. When I got into music pedagogy and became an educator, I modelled a lot of my teaching style after Mr. Kenyon. I want to make a difference in the lives of my students, young and old, just like he did. As for my very “first teacher in music,” that would be my Ate Jhoy. I idolized her as a child and wanted to do everything she did. To me, she was the best singer ever and she always encouraged me to be my very best.

6) Which famous/notable Filipino or American musicians have you learned from since living in the United States?

Ms. JHING: I’ve been blessed with the privilege to have worked with and be around great musicians and artists around the world. My favorites are Sergio Mendez, Usher, Eric Benet, Blake Shelton, and Sy Smith. Bobby Nunn is a Motown music veteran who I’ve worked with for years. He taught me a lot about songwriting, publishing, and recording. Kyla is my fav in the Philippines. That

girl can sing! Of course, there is my brother JayR who I grew up with. We learned how to write songs and become independent artists by applying the business, promoting, and selling our own music.

7) How often and for how long do you practice?

Ms. JHING: I’ve been so involved in the production part of Original Music Only and trying to find a balance between businesswoman, producer and artist. Thank God for family! Everyone has stepped up and we’re co-creating and making it happen (shout out to Mel, Jhoy, Alvin, Sheila, and Shamina). I try to do vocal warm-ups and work on my songs everyday to get my vocal strength up for my concert tour.

8) What do you practice – exercises, new tunes, hard tunes, etc.?

Ms. JHING: As a voice coach, I always tell my students that vocal warm-ups are the most important thing you can do for your voice. Before you get into any heavy singing, you must first stretch and warm up. Think about it, you can’t just start doing hard-core exercises at the gym without stretching or you will injure yourself. It’s the same with our voice. Practicing my songs with the Original Music Only tour band is always fun with my Tito Bobby as the musical director. I’m also learning some choreography for the tour.

9) You are in that phase of your young career wherein it is only natural that you are still experimenting with your sound in short finding your true musical inclinations. What genres are you most comfortable with and which you feel are best suited for you ?

Ms. JHING: Currently, my original music is a fusion of the soul and R&B I grew up listening to, mixed with pop beats, and a dash of jazz. But who knows? Maybe the next project will be totally different. I’m learning to let go of limitations on how I want to express myself. There is no wrong or right way, just start making music.

10) What are your fondest musical memories? In your house? In your neighborhood or town?

Ms. JHING: I remember being a little girl in Sto. Nino, Paranaque and singing with the neighborhood tambays. A bunch of guys would gather on the street corner, sing and play their acoustic guitars. My Lola told me to stay away so I would sneak out while she took a nap. I was probably 8 or 9 years old. Fun times! In Junior High, I couldn’t wait to come home after school to sing. Forget about homework! Haha! I would turn my karaoke on and sing my heart out all day. No one ever told me to be quiet. I had a very supportive musical environment.

11) What are your immediate music career goals?

Ms. JHING: Right now I am concentrating on my Original Music Only concert tour. We’ll be in the U.S. in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Las Vegas in June and July of 2016. It’s going to be spectacular so please come see it!

Visit https://homeworkz.ticketleap.com for tickets and https://facebook.com/originalmusiconly for info. Later in the year, I will be touring in Dubai, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Philippines, and Canada. I am also looking into doing a mission in the Philippines this year in November, perhaps through the Alexis Louise Quiza Foundation. ALQ’s mission is to help abandoned, lost, and abused children and we have plenty of kids in the Philippines that could benefit from this. It’s all up the air for now but the intention has been set.

12) What are your long-term career goals?

Ms. JHING: I want to help other artists by teaching, producing, and writing more songs. I guess more of what I already do now through the SCPC Foundation, a music foundation in the San Fernando Valley where I serve as Creative Director. I design vocal workshops and teach voice and piano to young singers and musicians through group and individual classes. I also help raise funds for these programs to help children who can’t afford music classes.

My vision is to start a music school and foundation in the Philippines. People around the world are well aware of how much talent we have in our country. We have many talented kids who have little access to a stable life, let alone music education. We already have a record label there, Homeworkz, that my brother JayR started. We would probably combine the two somehow and build a music empire that encourages originality, individuality, and spirituality through giving back. I also plan to expand my company BRANJi, a full service music licensing, media production, and marketing/branding company that I co-founded with music industry veteran Bobby Nunn. It really is a creative wonderland.

13) What are the qualities you have which you feel set you apart from all the other young and talented Filipino artists that are currently based in the United States?

Ms. JHING: I am an Artpreneur. My artistry encompasses music and shows up in all areas of my life. I apply art in all I do-obviously as a musician, singer and songwriter, but also as a businesswoman, educator, and philanthropist.

Music is my life. I can work a 20-hour day and come home happy if my days involve music and entertainment. I’m so blessed because I’ve been able to turn music into a business and I’m finding out that a big part of what I love to do is giving back and spreading the love of music around the world. For me, music in our souls and it can touch our hearts like nothing
else can.

14) If there is one song–old or new–that perfectly encapsulates who you are today, in terms of your thought processes and how you approach life in general, what would that song be ?

Ms. JHING: I’m one of those half glass full and see the silver lining kind of people. Yeah, I can get really annoying sometimes (LOL). I was running errands one day, probably hear the holidays, which brings out the best and worst out of people. The thing is I was having wonderful and magical day, even with all the long lines, traffic, and miserable people around me. So that I night I wrote a song about it called “Baby It’s You”/ It’s not always easy to be nice. feel good, and go with the flow so the song serves as a reminder to not let others people’s drama affect me and bring me down. As a matter of fact, let me give a smile and dose of love to make your day better. We get what we give out; it’s a universal law. I will be debuting “Baby It’s You” and my other new songs at my upcoming Original Music Only tour this summer.

15) Who is Ms. JHING in a nutshell ?

Ms. JHING: Ms. Jhing is woman, healer, mother, goddess, artist, creator, and curator of love of music who is constantly evolving and growing into the person she is meant to be in this lifetime.

Watch Ms. Jhing live on the Original Music Only World Tour coming to a city near you. June 17 in San Diego, June 18 in Los Angeles, June 24 in San Francisco, June 25 in New York, and July 2 in Las Vegas. For tickets call 818-730 2190 or visit https://homeworkz.ticketleap.com and  https://facebook.com/originalmusiconly for more info.