The Philippine Star
''The Philippine Star'' (self-styled ''The Philippine STAR'') is an English-language newspaper in the Philippines and the flagship brand of the Philstar Media Group. First published on July 28, 1986, by veteran journalists Betty Go-Belmonte, ...
''
singer
Singing is the art of creating music with the voice. It is the oldest form of musical expression, and the human voice can be considered the first musical instrument. The definition of singing varies across sources. Some sources define singi ...
,
songwriter
A songwriter is a person who creates musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music genre and film scoring. ...
,
record producer
A record producer or music producer is a music creating project's overall supervisor whose responsibilities can involve a range of creative and technical leadership roles. Typically the job involves hands-on oversight of recording sessions; ensu ...
,
actor
An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...
, and model. In 2003, he released his debut album, ''Gameface'', under
Universal Records
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as Universal Music Group or Universal Music) is a Netherlands, Dutch–United States, American multinational Music industry, music corporation under Law of the Netherlands, ...
. The album was
certified platinum
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city located primarily in the Verdugo Mountains region, with a small portion in the San Fernando Valley, of Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is located about north of downtown Los Angeles.
As of 2024, Glendale ha ...
. He was raised in Barangay U.P. Campus and Daan Tubo,
Quezon City
Quezon City (, ; ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read and pronounced in Filipino language, Filipino as Kyusi), is the richest and List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 c ...
.
His father, Gaudencio Sillona Jr., is a
pianist
A pianist ( , ) is a musician who plays the piano. A pianist's repertoire may include music from a diverse variety of styles, such as traditional classical music, jazz piano, jazz, blues piano, blues, and popular music, including rock music, ...
and his mother, Amparo Aquino-Sillona, is a singer. As of 2004, his career was managed by his aunt, choreographer Geleen Eugenio. He speaks fluent Tagalog and cites
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris (; Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th c ...
,
Luther Vandross
Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) was an American Soul music, soul and Contemporary R&B, R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer. Over his career, he achieved eleven consecutive RIAA certification, RIAA-certified ...
, and
Gary Valenciano
Edgardo Jose "Gary" Santiago Valenciano (born August 6, 1964) is a Filipino singer and actor. Known for his musical versatility and performances, he is a recipient of various accolades, including 12 Awit Awards, 3 FAMAS Awards and the Myx ...
as musical influences during his youth.
Music career
2003–2005: ''Gameface'' and self-titled album
In 2003, Sillona signed a contract with
Universal Records
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as Universal Music Group or Universal Music) is a Netherlands, Dutch–United States, American multinational Music industry, music corporation under Law of the Netherlands, ...
and released his debut album '' Gameface'', which included two Tagalog songs—"Kaibigan" and "Bakit Pa Ba". The music video for his first single, "Design for Luv","". ''titikpilipino.com'' Retrieved February 8, 2010 an R&B,
hip-hop
Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...
track, was filmed in
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood ...
Manila Bulletin
The ''Manila Bulletin'' () (also known as the ''Bulletin'' and previously known as the ''Manila Daily Bulletin'' from 1906 to September 23, 1972, and the ''Bulletin Today'' from November 22, 1972, to March 10, 1986) is the Philippines' largest ...
'' Retrieved September 3, 2010 at the Music Museum, followed by ''Gameface Reload'' in September 2004.
Following the success of his debut, Sillona released Jay R, his self-titled second album, which introduced a more intricate R&B sound. It included a cover of Billy Joel's " Just the Way You Are" and an alternate version featuring Irish pop singer Samantha Mumba.Antonette R. Valdez, Showbiz, I won’t run away from my responsibility — Jay-R , ''
Manila Bulletin
The ''Manila Bulletin'' () (also known as the ''Bulletin'' and previously known as the ''Manila Daily Bulletin'' from 1906 to September 23, 1972, and the ''Bulletin Today'' from November 22, 1972, to March 10, 1986) is the Philippines' largest ...
'', March 19, 2006 The album also featured collaborations with rappers Young Clipp, Jdimes, and longtime collaborators Jimmy Muna and Kris Lawrence. While the album received positive reviews, including praise from ''Titik Pilipino'',"". ''titikpilipino.com'' Retrieved 2010-009-03 it did not win any major awards but achieved Gold certification from PARI.
In 2004, he collaborated with Filipino singer Kyla on the single " Not Your Ordinary Girl" from her album of the same name. The two later released additional duets, including " Back In Time," " Say That You Love Me," "
You Are Not Alone
"You Are Not Alone" is a song by American singer Michael Jackson from his ninth studio album, ''HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I'' (1995). It was released on August 15, 1995, by Epic Records, Epic and Sony Music, Sony, as the second s ...
," and " Undeniable". That year, he made his film debut in Happy Together and released his second studio album, a self-titled work, in 2005.
In 2005, Sillona appeared in '' Footloose: The Musical'', alongside Iya Villania.Michael Ancheta (June 4, 2007) Footloose musical in 2005 headlined by Jay R and Iya , ''Philippine Entertainment Portal''STAGES, News, "", ''Titik Pilipino'', August 28, 2005 He contributed as a featured artist, songwriter, and producer on Karylle's album, ''You Make Me Sing''.Ryan Mark (August 14, 2005) Bag-ong album ni Karylle 'materiales fuertes' , ''
The Philippine Star
''The Philippine Star'' (self-styled ''The Philippine STAR'') is an English-language newspaper in the Philippines and the flagship brand of the Philstar Media Group. First published on July 28, 1986, by veteran journalists Betty Go-Belmonte, ...
''
2006–2009: Homeworkz Records
In 2006, Sillona built Homeworkz, a recording studio in his home, and established his label, initially named JAYRS Music. He described the studio as a cost-efficient and convenient space for recording, which he designed himself to resemble a modern bachelor pad.Dennis Ladaw, Homeworkz Records House Music , ''
Manila Bulletin
The ''Manila Bulletin'' () (also known as the ''Bulletin'' and previously known as the ''Manila Daily Bulletin'' from 1906 to September 23, 1972, and the ''Bulletin Today'' from November 22, 1972, to March 10, 1986) is the Philippines' largest ...
'', January 26, 2010 In 2008, the label was rebranded as Homeworkz Entertainment Services.
In November 2006, Sillona released his first Christmas album, '' Christmas Away from Home'', featuring classic
Christmas song
Christmas music comprises a variety of Music genre, genres of music regularly performed or heard around the Christmas and holiday season, Christmas season. Music associated with Christmas may be purely instrumental, or in the case of Christmas ...
s and two original tracks. A re-release in 2008, titled '' Holiday of Love'', added six new tracks, with proceeds donated to
GMA-7
DZBB-TV (channel 7) is a television station in Metro Manila, Philippines, serving as the flagship of the GMA television network. The digital service is known as DZBB-DTV by only a few people. It is owned and operated by the network's namesa ...
's Kapuso Foundation.
Early in 2008, Sillona released '' Soul in Love'', a
cover album
An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...
, featuring R&B and
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
classics that influenced him. The album was well-received, achieving Gold certification in the Philippines and later earning Platinum status.Nerisa Almo (July 9, 2008) Jay R denies rumors about jumping to the other network , ''Philippine Entertainment Portal'' The album won him the R&B Artist of the Year award at the 2008 Philippine Hip-Hop Awards"". ''Titik Pilipino'' Retrieved September 3, 2010 and a nomination for Best Male Soul/R&B Artist at the inaugural Wave 89.1 Urban Music Awards in 2009.List of Wave 89.1 Urban Music Awards 2009 nominees and winners ". Wave 89.1 Retrieved August 3, 2010 To support the album, Sillona performed in Japan and collaborated with artists including Iya Villania, Kris Aquino,
Kris Lawrence
Kristoffer Lawrence Cadevida (born September 1, 1982), commonly known as Kris Lawrence, is a Filipino-American singer-songwriter and actor.
Early life and career
Lawrence was born in Los Angeles, California, United States. His father is Loret ...
, and
Billy Crawford
Billy Joe Ledesma Crawford (born May 16, 1982) is a Filipino actor and singer. Crawford is a recipient of a NRJ Music Awards, a FAMAS Award and a special Aning Dangal award from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
Crawfor ...
2010–2012: ''Jay R Sings OPM Love Classics'' and International exposure
In early 2010, Sillona released '' Jay R Sings OPM Love Classics'', an all-Tagalog cover album. The album features 13 songs recorded by prominent OPM artists in the 1980s and 1990s. '' Inquirer Entertainment'' commended the album for Sillona's vocal ability, stating that his voice "practically breezes through most of the ballads."
He appeared as a performer on the GMA network's musical variety show '' Party Pilipinas'' and served as the host of the Philippine adaptation of the dating game show ''
Take Me Out
A take is a single continuous recorded performance. The term is used in film and music to denote and track the stages of production.
Film
In cinematography, a take refers to each filmed "version" of a particular shot or "setup". Takes of each ...
''.Bong Godinez (April 26, 2010) Jay-R's Take Me Out debuts today, April 26 , ''Philippine Entertainment Portal''
On September 2, 2010, Sillona signed a three-year contract with Tarra Group Indonesia in
Jakarta
Jakarta (; , Betawi language, Betawi: ''Jakartè''), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (; ''DKI Jakarta'') and formerly known as Batavia, Dutch East Indies, Batavia until 1949, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia and ...
. As part of this contract, Sillona collaborated with Indonesian pop artist Drimi on "Kau Dan Aku".
2014: ''Elevated album''
Jay released his ''Elevated'' album in 2014, under his label Homeworkz. The single Tonight, featuring Mica Javier, rose to the top of the radio charts at No. 1 and was awarded best R&B song of the year by Wave 89.1 FM and 93.1 Monster FM. The album was awarded Gold status by PARI (Philippine Association of the Recording Industry) during the ABS-CBN TV show ''ASAP'' on Channel 2. 4
In 2014, after over a decade with
GMA Network
GMA Network (an acronym of its legal name, Global Media Arts and commonly known as GMA) is a Television in the Philippines, Philippine commercial broadcast network, serving as the flagship property of publicly traded GMA Network (company), ...
, Jay R transferred to
ABS-CBN
ABS-CBN is a leading Philippine media and content company. It serves as the flagship media brand of ABS-CBN Corporation, a subsidiary of Lopez Holdings Corporation. Once the country's largest free-to-air television network, ABS-CBN has since ...
. He debuted on the network as a contestant on the impersonation competition '' Your Face Sounds Familiar,'' marking his first appearance on a reality show.
In 2016, Jay R was announced as a member of the R&B group ASAP titled ASAP Soul Sessions, along with
Jason Dy
Jason James Desiata Dy (born June 19, 1990) is a Filipino people, Filipino singer, songwriter, musician and occasional actor. He is best known as the winner of the The Voice of the Philippines season 2, second season of ''The Voice of the Philip ...
,
Daryl Ong
Daryl Neilsonn Ong (born March 24, 1987) is a Filipino singer and songwriter. He rose to fame after joining the singing competition ''The Voice of the Philippines''.
When Ong sang his blind audition piece "Paano" (original by Gary Valenciano ...
, KZ Tandingan, and Kyla. The group formed on May 15, 2016, and disbanded in late 2017.
2017–present: ''Kamusta Ka album''
In late 2017, Homeworkz launched a teaser single entitled Kabilang Dako written by Thyro and Jay R. The song won R&B Song of the Year on Wave 89.1 FM and Wish FM Awards.
In 2018, Jay R signed with Cornerstone Entertainment.
Acting career
In 2004, Sillona appeared in a recurring role on
GMA-7
DZBB-TV (channel 7) is a television station in Metro Manila, Philippines, serving as the flagship of the GMA television network. The digital service is known as DZBB-DTV by only a few people. It is owned and operated by the network's namesa ...
's drama series '' Narito Ang Puso Ko''. It was followed by a main role on an episode of '' Love to Love'' entitled "Duet for Love", where he starred opposite
Toni Gonzaga
Celestine Cruz Gonzaga-Soriano (born January 20, 1984), professionally known as Toni Gonzaga, is a Filipino media personality, host, actress, businesswoman, singer and vlogger. Gonzaga was the former lead host of ABS-CBN's long-running reality ...
. In December 2004, he made his film debut, a minor role in Regal Films' entry for the year's
Metro Manila Film Festival
The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is an annual film festival organized by the Metro Manila Development Authority and held nationwide in the Philippines. The festival, which runs from Christmas Day through New Year's Day and into first weeke ...
, '' So Happy Together''.
In 2005, he was cast on another episode of ''Love to Love'', entitled "Haunted Lovehouse". He later starred in a
feature film
A feature film or feature-length film (often abbreviated to feature), also called a theatrical film, is a film (Film, motion picture, "movie" or simply “picture”) with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole present ...
, ''Hari ng Sablay'', released on November 30, 2005. Before the year ended, he played the
antagonist
An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the main enemy or rival of the protagonist and is often depicted as a villain.Exodus: Tales from the Enchanted Kingdom''. The film was Regal's entry for the 2005 Metro Manila Film Festival. It was critically acclaimed, earning ten awards and numerous nominations. In addition, the film was praised due to its impressive use of
visual effects
Visual effects (sometimes abbreviated as VFX) is the process by which imagery is created or manipulated outside the context of
a live-action shot in filmmaking and video production.
The integration of live-action footage and other live-action fo ...
.
In 2006, Sillona took a recurring role on '' Encantadia: Pag-ibig Hanggang Wakas''. He portrayed Azulan, a leader of the Bahaghari, who fancies Sang'gre Amihan ( Iza Calzado). On January 1, 2008, he starred in another
Metro Manila Film Festival
The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is an annual film festival organized by the Metro Manila Development Authority and held nationwide in the Philippines. The festival, which runs from Christmas Day through New Year's Day and into first weeke ...
entry entitled ''Desperados''. In October of the same year, he portrayed Pato, a recurring role in the Filipino adaptation of '' LaLola''. Before 2008 ended, ''Desperados'' was followed by its sequel, rushed as Regal's entry at the
2008 Metro Manila Film Festival
The 2008 Metro Manila Film Festival started from December 25, 2008, to January 7, 2009.
This year marks the return of the Escalera brothers in '' Iskul Bukol 20 Years After (Ungasis and Escaleras Adventure)'' and the hardworking mother, Ina Mo ...
. In 2009, he played Vince, a lead role in '' Dear Friends episode, "The Three Bachelors", which featured his opposite longtime music partner Kyla.
Other ventures
In February 2007, Sillona launched a club at Glorietta, called Rock Candy. However, it was destroyed during the 2007 Glorietta Explosion in October 2007. After the disaster, he invested in a Ministop outlet at Wilson Street in Greenhills Shopping Center, instead of reconstructing his club. He stated in an interview that Katya Santos was the one who recommended investing in this kind of business.
Sillona has done commercials and theme songs for products like
Sun Cellular
Digitel Mobile Philippines, Inc., doing business as Sun Cellular (or simply known as Sun), was a wholly owned subsidiary of Digital Telecommunications Philippines (Digitel), which in turn was owned by PLDT and is one of the Philippines' large ...
, Tropicana, and Colgate. He is also a commercial model for Bench Body, Atlas Shippers International, Techno Marine, Unisilver,
Adidas
Adidas AG (; stylized in all lowercase since 1949) is a German athletic apparel and footwear corporation headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. It is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, and the second largest in the ...
On March 1, 2020, Jay R married singer-actress Mica Javier in an outdoor ceremony at the Lind in
Boracay
Boracay (; sometimes shortened by non-natives as Bora) is a resort island in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines, located off the northwest coast of Panay, Panay Island. It has a total land area of , under the jurisdiction of thre ...