Jaya on family, faith and plans to ‘start again’ in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines, September 15 ------ Jaya may have left the Philippines for the United States a few years ago, but she admits her heart never really said goodbye. “No (it wasn’t forever goodbye). Exit, magplano, mag-establish something for my kids. It was really for them, a sacrifice for them,” shared the country’s “queen of soul,” who sold their family home when they migrated to the US in 2021.

To her surprise, the veteran singer remained just as busy abroad, never running out of singing gigs across the US and North America. Now, however, her sights are set on her home country again. Not to return to her old showbiz grind, but to reestablish local roots with a new family home. “My plan is to buy a small family home and start again… Feeling ko gusto ko yung medyo malayo sa siyudad, tahimik. Parang San Pedro or pa-Laguna or Cavite area,” she told The Philippine STAR in between promotional activities for her comeback concert “All Hits” happening tonight at 7 at the New Frontier Theater in Cubao, with tickets available via ticknet.com.ph. Show is produced by L-Squared Productions and Cornerstone Entertainment.

Meanwhile, her priority remains her family and children, who are each discovering their own passions and talents. Her daughter Sabriya, in particular, has taken an interest in music like her mom. She will officially debut in the local music scene at Jaya’s “All Hits” concert tonight. Sabriya’s musical path reminded Jaya of her late mother, Elizabeth Ramsey, who had always sensed that music would be in her granddaughter’s future. “Yung nanay ko, sanggol pa lang yan, sabi niya, ‘Day, singer ‘to.’ Inaaway ko siya, ‘Ma, wag mo namang gawin yan kasi ganito gusto ko.’ Sabi niya, ‘Day, putulin mo dila ko, singer yan, mas malala pa yan sayo, mas magaling pa yan sayo. Kasi mamanahin niya yung instrument ko, ikaw dancer ka eh.’ She said that a long time ago,” Jaya recalled. She added, “Yes (she predicted it). Pati yung pag-Folk Arts ko in 1997 (for my first major concert), nakita daw niya yun habang tulog siya. So she said (of Sabriya), ‘Singer talaga yan.’”

Unlike her own experience of being pushed into performing at a young age, Jaya said her approach is more of a guide to her daughter. “So the way I handle her is, ‘Look, you have the talent, use it now. Whatever you need, we will provide it, as long as we’re able to.’ “Now she’s interested in music. Hindi ko siya pinilit. I also didn’t say because that’s not my right. That is a gift given by God. If you will not use it, what will happen?”

Jaya proudly shared that Sabriya is not only singing, but also writing and producing her own tracks — already available on Spotify. “Gamit na gamit ‘yung talent,” she said. “She knows instruments… ‘yung laptop niya, dun siya nagpo-produce… I don’t know exactly what she does, but she does it so well.”

Looking back on her mother’s trailblazing legacy, on the other hand, Jaya begged to differ that she made a bigger career than her. “Mas marami siyang marka. She was doing mga ‘50s movies. Sinong nagpapadala sa akin? It’s the fans! She did one movie, which I didn’t know about, and nagawa na pala niya yung nakasako siya na kumakanta dun. “She broke the glass ceiling for women of color in this country. She was the only one who did that during that time. Binigyan ko lang ng ano… In-improve ko lang na kaya natin ‘to Ma. Like, ako naman, kulot, maitim yun. “Now, it’s gawin mo na yun, Nak.”

Source: philstar.com