Jessica Sanchez eyes Tagalog songs, collabs with local artists

MANILA, Philippines, January 6 ------ Filipino-American singer and “America’s Got Talent (AGT)” Season 20 winner Jessica Sanchez expressed excitement about performing at the ASEAN Summit in May 2026 after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. invited her to sing at the regional event. “I will be there. I’m very excited for that. I think I need some time to really plan out what I’m going to be singing because I’ll be representing the Filipinos, so I want to take my time figuring out my song choices,” she confirmed in a chance interview with the Palace Press Corps last Dec. 30.

When asked what fans can expect from her singing career, Jessica teased, “I’ll be releasing my album in the first quarter of this upcoming year, and I also plan on doing some Tagalog songs and collaborating with Filipino artists. I’m very excited for you to hear the new music.”

Jessica also got candid as she looked back on her journey of joining and losing in various singing competitions before finally winning “America’s Got Talent” Season 20 last year. “I feel like when something is really worth it, when something is meant for you, it’s a long journey. I’m so happy that my journey was recorded for my world to see — starting when I was 11 years old trying out for ‘America’s Got Talent,’ being rejected, then coming back to ‘American Idol’ at 16 and not winning, and again coming back 20 years later and taking it home, winning ‘AGT’ Season 20,” she shared. “That was amazing, and waiting that long was a struggle. But this was really my year because not only did I win, but I was also pregnant, I gave birth to my first baby, and I’ve been on cloud nine,” she added.

Jessica hopes to empower the public to achieve their dreams despite hurdles in life. “It’s well worth it, so just keep on pushing, keep on fighting. I feel like as Filipinos, we are just naturally talented with our voices, so I say just keep pursuing your dreams,” she offered as advice to aspiring artists. During her visit to the Philippines in December, Jessica paid a courtesy call at Malacañang Palace, where she had a chance to meet and interact with the President and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos.

Source: philstar.com