Jaya
One of Jaya’s biggest personal realizations about being in show biz for many years is that her talent is merely “borrowed” from God.
With this in mind, she makes sure that she sings, not to prove that she’s good, but to glorify Him.
“At one point in my life, I found myself asking, ‘What am I doing with this gift? Am I singing just to earn money or make a difference?’ I’m singing for God. I don’t think I would have lasted 30 years in this industry on talent alone, because my attitude, life and career weren’t perfect,” she said at a recent press con for her upcoming concert, “Soulja.”
“It’s not about who or what you are—it’s about who’s running your business, who’s your boss?” added the R&B singer. “There’s someone up there guiding you. Use your talent for His purpose.”
While she may come across as “overly religious,” she simply can’t downplay the fact that it is God from whom she draws “strength and wisdom.” And this has never been truer than the time when Jaya lost her mom Elizabeth Ramsey in 2015.
“I was at the lowest point of my life when my mother was dying… I lost weight. I was alarmingly skinny, and I didn’t even notice because I used to wear a fat suit (as Corazon) in ‘Mari Mar’ back then,” she recalled. “But somehow… I knew that I won’t stop singing just because my mother passed away.”
So, when she meets young, aspiring singers, the 48-year-old singer doesn’t give unsolicited advice about the craft or its technical facets. Instead, she shares with them her life experiences.
“There are a lot of amazing singers in the world and in our country alone. But what makes you different is your journey. I treasure all the things I have been through. I always give my trust and respect 100 percent. That’s what I tell them,” she said.
In “Soulja,” which is set on Aug. 30 at Resorts World Manila’s Newport Performing Arts Theater (call 891-9999), Jaya will be joined by fellow R&B and soul singers, Jay-R and Jason Dy.
“The crowd can expect our distinctive styles in the songs we’ll perform. There will be dancing… a lot of music that will make you groove,” she said.
While she’s the most seasoned of the three, Jaya said she’s the one who’s learning from her younger coheadliners. “They introduce me to new songs and styles,” she pointed out. “They teach me new ways of doing runs and riffs. They teach me new dance moves. And I’m absorbing everything like a sponge.”
There are a handful of local concerts slated this August. But Jaya doesn’t see those as competition. In fact, Jaya said, they promote each other’s projects.
“This is the best thing about the local scene: There’s no competition among us,” she stressed. “This is how we keep OPM thriving, stronger.”
Next year, Jaya will celebrate a milestone: her 30th year on the music scene. “It’s a miracle. And I feel so fortunate,” she said. “To think that I was mulling packing up and leaving two years ago… But God said, ‘Di pa, teh, diyan ka lang. Marami pang ganap!’”