Maria Luisa Ramsey Kagahastian (born March 21, 1970), known professionally as Jaya (), is a Filipino singer, actress, and television personality. Referred to as the country's " Queen of Soul", she is known for her distinctively deep voice and soulful singing style. She was a talent of

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), ...

but later 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 ...

, where she served as one of the head jury of the ''

Tawag ng Tanghalan ''Tawag ng Tanghalan'' (, abbreviated TNT) is a Philippine television reality competition show broadcast by ABS-CBN. Originally hosted by Jaime dela Rosa, Patsy and Lopito, it aired as a reality competition from 1954 to September 1972 and f ...

'' segment of the Philippine noontime variety show '' It's Showtime'' and performer on ''

ASAP ASAP usually stands for " as soon as possible". ASAP may also refer to: Arts and media Music Performers * ASAP (band), a hard rock band fronted by Adrian Smith * ASAP Mob, a recording group from Harlem, New York ** ASAP Ferg (born 1988), Americ ...

''. Jaya is the second Filipino recording artist to chart in the United States (the first being

The Rocky Fellers The Rocky Fellers were a Filipino-born pop/rock band discovered by Stanley Kahn in the 1960s, who signed them to Scepter Records. The group was composed of four Filipino brothers: Tony, Junior, Eddie and Albert Maligmat, and their father, Doroteo ...

), with her debut single "If You Leave Me Now" peaking at number 44 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. Jaya also ventured into musical theatre, playing the role of

Surpanakha Shurpanakha (Sanskrit: शूर्पणखा, , ), is a ''rakshasi'' (demoness) in Hindu epic. Her legends are mainly narrated in the epic ''Ramayana'' and its other versions. She was the sister of Lanka's king, Ravana, and the daughter o ...

in the 1999 Filipino musical '' Rama at Sita'' staged at the University of the Philippines Theater.

Early life

Maria Luisa Ramsey Kagahastian was born on March 21, 1970. Her mother was Elizabeth Ramsey, a Filipina comedian and singer of Jamaican and Spanish-Filipino descent. Ramsey's father is Reynaldo Kagahastian, a Filipino. Her parents separated when she was young, and her father migrated to the United States. He now resides in

Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...

, Canada. She entered show business at the age of ten as a backup dancer for her mother, and at the age of 12 was a backup singer and front act for some minor and major shows. She began performing solo in 1982, using the name Louise Ramsey. Ramsey did not finish high school in the Philippines because of her busy lifestyle as a child performer. She nonetheless received high marks and was once elected

class president A class president, also known as a class representative, is usually the leader of a student body class, and presides over its class cabinet or organization within a student council. In a grade school, class presidents are generally elected by ...

Life in the United States

Her mother Elizabeth decided to leave for the United States in June 1985, and brought Louise with her. There, she continued her solo singing stints, performing with other

overseas Filipino An overseas Filipino () is a person of full or partial Filipino origin who trace their ancestry back to the Philippines but are living and working outside of the country. This term generally applies to both people of Filipino ancestry and cit ...

artists like Tillie Moreno, Eddie Mercado, Lerma dela Cruz, and the duo Reycards. Life in America was difficult for Ramsey and her mother as they moved around different cities in California. She attended John Marshall High School in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

, which at the time already had a large

Filipino-American Filipino Americans () are Americans of Filipino ancestry. Filipinos in North America were first documented in the 16th century and other small settlements beginning in the 18th century. Mass migration did not begin until after the end of the Sp ...

student population. She ran away from home in 1988 after finishing high school, moving to

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

with a friend and landing a job as a backup vocalist for

Stevie B Steven Bernard Hill (born April 19, 1958), known professionally as Stevie B, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer who was influential in the freestyle and hi-NRG dance music scene of the late 1980s, mostly in Miami. He had a ...

's group of musicians.

Career

U.S. debut

After high school in the U.S., Ramsey became a back-up vocalist to Miami freestyle singer

. In 1989, she was re-christened "Jaya" and signed a record deal with Stevie B's label LeFrak-Moelis Records and her eponymous first album, produced by Stevie B, was released in the US. The album consisted largely of freestyle dance tracks written or co-written by Stevie B, who also provided backup vocals. The album's first single, "If You Leave Me Now", was a hit in discos and debuted on the U.S. ''Billboard''

Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), o ...

chart in October 1989. After 18 weeks on the Hot 100, the song was still gaining in both sales and airplayMichael Ellis. "Hot 100 Singles Spotlight." ''Billboard.'' 102.6 (10 February 1990). p. 79.
p. 34.
—it ended up peaking at number 44 in February 1990— and remained in the Hot 100 for a total of for 26 weeks, an unusually long chart run for a single peaking outside the top 40. The song did well in many markets but at different times, thus diluting its Hot 100 rank. It hit top 10 in several markets and made it to number one at the

crossover Crossover may refer to: Entertainment Music Albums * ''Cross Over'' (album), a 1987 album by Dan Peek, or the title song * ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987 * ''Crossover'', an album by Intrigue * ''Crossover'', an album by ...

powerhouse

KMEL KMEL (106.1 FM) is an urban contemporary radio station that is licensed to San Francisco, California, serving the San Francisco Bay Area. It is owned and operated by iHeartMedia. KMEL has studios located in the SoMa district, and broadcasts ...

. The song hit number 14 on ''Billboards Top 40/Dance crossover chart and number 25 on the 12-inch Singles Sales chart. Jaya's follow-up single, "One Kiss Per Minute", was a minor dance hit, but failed to make the pop chart and the third single from the album failed to chart as did another non-album single in 1993.

Philippine debuts

1995 was a turning point in Jaya's musical career.

Pilita Corrales Pilar Garrido Corrales (August 22, 1937 – April 12, 2025), better known as Pilita Corrales, was a Filipino singer, actress and comedian. She was known for her distinctive backbend when singing and was popularly referred to as the "Greatest s ...

, dubbed "Asia's Queen of Songs", noticed her voice after Jaya did an opening act for Corrales, Carmen Soriano, the late Bert "Tawa" Marcelo, and Elizabeth in the United States. Corrales then asked Jaya if she would like to return to

Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...

and record an album, to which she agreed. Jaya returned to the Philippines and signed a record deal with Viva Records in March 1995 and completed her first local album. Five songs were recorded in the US while the rest were done in the Philippines. Jaya is noted for being the Philippine music industry's female record holder of a seven-times platinum album. She was a big hit when Pinoys first heard her belt out soul ditties in 1996. Her winning the 1996 Metropop Song Festival via Danny Tan's "Sometimes You Just Know" made her the biggest star on the rise at the close of the last century. Her first album under Viva Records hit an all-time high of 9 times platinum. In 1997, she released her third album ''In the Raw'', (second in the Philippines) the follow-up to her massive-selling 1996 Philippine debut album, ''Jaya'', which sold nine times platinum, (360,000 units; platinum is 40,000 units sold). She also won as Best Interpreter at the Asia Song Festival held in

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

in February 1997 for her rendition of the song "You Lift Me Up", composed by Danny Tan with lyrics by Dodjie Simon. This composition also received the grand prize, the Best Song award. She adorns ''Magpakailan pa Man'' (Up to the End), with soulful,

Toni Braxton Toni Michele Braxton (born October 7, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. She has sold over 70 million records worldwide and is one of the best-selling female artists in history. Braxton has won seven ...

-styled flourishes, and renders the upbeat, "Together" with panache and verve. Her assured handling of the delicately nuanced, "Sana'y Maulit Muli" (May it Recur Again), is a ''tour de force''. The album sold quintuple-platinum (200,000 units sold). She released a Christmas album, entitled ''Kung Kailan Pasko'' which contained traditional

carols A carol is a festive song, generally religious but not necessarily connected with Christian church worship, and sometimes accompanied by a dance. A caroller (or caroler) is someone who sings carols, and is said to be carolling (or caroling). ...

alongside original compositions, including a

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 ...

version of ''

The Christmas Song "The Christmas Song" (commonly subtitled "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" or, as it was originally subtitled, "Merry Christmas to You") is a Christmas song written in 1945 by Robert Wells (songwriter), Robert Wells and Mel Tormé. The Nat K ...

''. In 1999, PolyMax Records, a label of then-PolyGram Records Philippines (now an affiliate of Universal Records) released Jaya's ''A Love Album'', first released in 1992 in Japan under the same title. The album consists of songs taken from an earlier Jaya album, also called ''A Love Album'', released in the United States in 1989, as well as songs recorded specifically for the 1992 Japanese release. In 1992, while touring Japan as a backup singer and keyboardist for American R&B artist Stevie B., Jaya was approached by the Japanese label Toshiba/EMI to make an album for Japanese release. ''A Love Album'' was released in Japan in conjunction with Jaya's American label, LMR Records, which still owns master rights, and from whom PolyMax obtained permission to release the album in the Philippines (according to Kazu Watanabe, managing director of PolyMax Records). ''A Love Album'' is exquisitely produced, and Jaya acquits herself well on the album's upbeat R&B/dance-styled tunes and soulful ballads. In 1999, Jaya released, her fifth album released in her native country since 1996, entitled ''Honesty'' originally done by

Billy Joel William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Piano Man" after his Signature song, signature 1973 song Piano Man (song), of the same name, Joel has ha ...

, was also her career single. ''Honesty'' differs greatly from Jaya's two previous major albums released in the Philippines, 1996's ''Jaya'' and 1997's ''In the Raw''. Though, as before, ''Honesty'' contains mostly passionate, easy-listening love songs, this time out her approach is more intimate. She doesn't add many soulful flourishes as before, nor does she allow herself to soar passionately to the heavens, which she often did on her previous albums. Another major difference is the inclusion of three modern,

rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated within African American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predomina ...

styled songs, including, "We Thang," "Tear to Fall" and "In My Dreams." These songs are far more contemporary and have much more international appeal than the easy-listening love songs which dominate Jaya's music. After five years in the recording scene, she released her first greatest hits album, entitled ''Five'' featuring a duet of ''Habang May Buhay'' (While There's Life) with

Regine Velasquez Regina Encarnacion "Regine" Ansong Velasquez-Alcasid ( ; born April 22, 1970) is a Filipino singer and actress. She is considered one of the most influential figures in Philippine popular culture and is known for her vocal range and beltin ...

and ''Kung Wala Na'' (If It Is Gone) from the ''Abandonada'' soundtrack. In 1999, Jaya faced a big challenge when she did her first musical, the

Ramayana The ''Ramayana'' (; ), also known as ''Valmiki Ramayana'', as traditionally attributed to Valmiki, is a smriti text (also described as a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic) from ancient India, one of the two important epics ...

-based ''Rama at Sita'' that starred

Lani Misalucha Lani Bayot Misalucha (; born Lani Dimalanta Bayot (born August 3, 1969) is a Filipino singer. Known for her vocal range, powerful, emotive vocals and ability to sing opera arias, she has been referred to as " Asia's Nightingale". Her music h ...

. Her performance as the

demon A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in folklore, mythology, religion, occultism, and literature; these beliefs are reflected in Media (communication), media including f ...

king

Ravana According to the Mahakavya, Hindu epic, ''Ramayana'', Ravana was a kingJustin W. Henry, ''Ravana's Kingdom: The Ramayana and Sri Lankan History from Below'', Oxford University Press, p.3 of the island of Lanka, in which he is the chief antag ...

's sister, Soorphanaka, was memorable for her skillful treatment of risque songs and sultry dancing. Also in 1999, Jaya was given the offer to become a main host in a GMA Network variety show called ''

SOP A sop is a piece of bread or toast that is drenched in liquid and then eaten. In medieval cuisine, sops were very common; they were served with broth, soup, or wine and then picked apart into smaller pieces to soak in the liquid. At elaborate ...

''.

2000: ''Unleashed'' and concert scene

In 2001, Jaya released her sixth ''Unleashed'' album where she sang the songs in a relaxed, confident manner, and performed middle-of-the-road songs that mostly have depth and quality. She forwent the soulful embellishments that were plentiful in her first two albums, although every so often she added a few unwritten notes in a passionate, soulful manner. She approached her last album, 1999's ''Honesty'', in the refined manner that she furthered on ''Unleashed''. Jaya covers

Roy Orbison Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist known for his distinctive and powerful voice, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. Orbison's most successful periods were ...

's "Love Hurts" and

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...

's "Love" in an understated, yet enjoyable manner.

Johnny Nash John Lester Nash Jr. (August 19, 1940October 6, 2020) was an American singer and songwriter, best known in the United States for his 1972 hit " I Can See Clearly Now". Primarily a reggae and pop singer, he was one of the first non-Jamaican art ...

's "I Can See Clearly" features an imaginative, bass-heavy arrangement. Also in that same year, she released her first live album, entitled, ''Jaya Live at the Araneta''. The album is dominated by performances of American hits. For example, the album starts with a performance of

Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Honored as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Soul", she was twice named by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine as the Roll ...

's 1960s hit "

Respect Respect, also called esteem, is a positive feeling or deferential action shown towards someone or something considered important or held in high esteem or regard. It conveys a sense of admiration for good or valuable qualities. It is also th ...

", and also includes

Labelle Labelle was an American funk rock band that originated out of the Blue Belles, a girl group who were a popular vocal group of the 1960s and 1970s. The original group was formed after the disbanding of two rival girl groups in the area around ...

's "

Lady Marmalade "Lady Marmalade" is a song written by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan that is famous for the French refrain of "''Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir''?", which is a sexual proposition that translates into English as: "''Do you want to sleep with m ...

Nirvana Nirvana, in the Indian religions (Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism), is the concept of an individual's passions being extinguished as the ultimate state of salvation, release, or liberation from suffering ('' duḥkha'') and from the ...

's "

Smells Like Teen Spirit "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana. It is the opening track and lead single from the band's second album, '' Nevermind'' (1991), released on DGC Records. Having sold over 13 million units worldwide, it i ...

," and Roy Orbison's "

Love Hurts "Love Hurts" is a song written and composed by the American songwriter Boudleaux Bryant. First recorded by the Everly Brothers in July 1960, the song is most well known in two hit versions by UK artists: by Scottish hard rock band Nazareth in ...

." She performs several of these ballads here, including her first hit in the Philippines, "Dahil Tanging Ikaw" (Because It's Only You). Several guest artists also have spots, including Regine Velasquez, who performs Abba's "Dancing Queen"; boy band Jeremiah, who accompanies Jaya on remakes of songs by American boy bands, including

Westlife Westlife are an Irish pop group formed in Dublin in 1998. The group consists of members Nicky Byrne, Shane Filan, Kian Egan and Mark Feehily. Brian McFadden was a member before leaving in March 2004. The group disbanded in 2012 and later reun ...

's "Swear It Again"; and male singers Wency Cornejo, KC Montero, and Rivermaya's vocalist and songwriter, Rico Blanco. After four years of hiatus in the music scene, Jaya returned with her seventh studio album entitled, ''Fall in Love Again''. Friends, old and new helped Jaya put the album together. One of these is

Ogie Alcasid Herminio Jose Lualhati "Ogie" Alcasid Jr. (born August 27, 1967) is a Filipino actor, singer, songwriter, comedian, director and producer. He is best known for his songwriting and collaboration with other musical artists. He has appeared in fi ...

, who composed and produced "Ako'y Sa'yo" later revived by

, "Maging Akin Ka Lamang" and their duet of "Bakit Di Mo Sabihin". Another one is Vehnee Saturno, who wrote and produced most of Jaya's early hits. His contributions are "Pagkukunwari" and "Di Na Ba Kita Mapipigilan", which is the album's first single release.

2007: New label

In 2007, she released her eighth album Cool Change under her new label,

GMA Records GMA Productions, Inc., doing business as GMA Music (formerly known as Infiniti Music and GMA Records), is a Philippine record label owned and operated by GMA Network Inc. It is engaged in the production, marketing, and distribution of music an ...

, featuring covers of international hit songs including

Donna Summer Donna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948May 17, 2012), known professionally as Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter. She gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s and became known as the "Queen of Disco", while her music ...

's " On the Radio" and the

Chaka Khan Yvette Marie Stevens (born March 23, 1953), better known by her stage name Chaka Khan ( ), is an American singer. Known as the " Queen of Funk", her career has spanned more than five decades beginning in the early 1970s as the lead vocalist of ...

's "Through the Fire". All of the songs were presented with new arrangements in various musical genres. The first single was "Is It Over?" originally sung by

Ronnie Milsap Ronnie Lee Milsap (born Ronald Lee Millsaps; January 16, 1943) is an American country music singer and pianist. He was one of country music's most popular and influential performers of the 1970s and 1980s. Nearly completely blind from birth, h ...

which received a Platinum award in 2009. After her Platinum Record solo album, "Cool Change, " Ramsey released her ninth studio album entitled, ''Real.Love.Stories.'' It contains 14 love songs carefully picked and beautifully revived by the Philippine's Queen of Soul, such as "

Breathe Again "Breathe Again" is a song by American contemporary R&B, R&B singer Toni Braxton. It was written by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and produced by Edmonds, L.A. Reid, and Daryl Simmons for Braxton's Toni Braxton (album), eponymous debut album (1993). ...

" originally sung by

; "Old Friend" by

Phyllis Hyman Phyllis Linda Hyman (July 6, 1949 – June 30, 1995) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Hyman's music career spanned the late 1970s through the early 1990s, and she was best known for her expansive contralto range. Some of her most ...

and "

Save the Best For Last "Save the Best for Last" is a song by American singer and actress Vanessa Williams, released in January 1992 as the third single from her second studio album, '' The Comfort Zone'' (1991). The song was written by Phil Galdston, Wendy Waldman, an ...

" by

Vanessa Williams Vanessa Lynn Williams (born March 18, 1963) is an American singer, actress, model, producer and dancer. She gained recognition as the first Black woman to win the Miss America title when she was crowned Miss America 1984. She would later Vanes ...

. The concept album was released initially on a limited edition micro secure digital format and after two weeks, it will be available on physical CDs and digital downloading. Jaya also took part in the all-star charity single '' Kaya Natin Ito!'' along with some of her colleagues (with the exception of

Jennylyn Mercado Jennylyn Anne Pineda Mercado-Ho (born May 15, 1987) is a Filipino actress and singer. She is known for playing dramatic roles in film and television. She rose to prominence after winning the reality talent competition '' StarStruck'' in 2003. M ...

and

Yasmien Kurdi Yasmien Yuson Kurdi-Soldevilla (; born January 25, 1989) is a Filipino actress and singer. She is one of the Final Four in the first season of '' StarStruck'', a reality-based talent search show by GMA Network in the Philippines, where she f ...

). The project was supported by Gawad Kalinga to help the victims of Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.

2010: New beginnings

On March 1, 2010, Jaya starred in her first

soap opera A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originat ...

as a supporting character in ''

Diva Diva (, ) is the Latin word for a goddess. Diva is a name from Roman mythology, and is associated with the nouns divus, diva, which means god, goddess, and the adjective divinius, which means divine or heavenly. It has often been used to refer t ...

'', a new primetime offering of GMA Network for their 60th Anniversary, alongside

Mark Anthony Fernandez Mark Anthony Lacsamana Fernandez (born January 18, 1979) is a Filipino actor. He is the son of actor Rudy Fernandez and actress-politician Alma Moreno. Career Fernandez first rose to prominence when he was once a former member of one of the ...

and

Glaiza de Castro Glaiza Castro Galura-Rainey (; born January 21, 1988), professionally known by her stage name Glaiza de Castro, is a Filipino actress and singer. She is known for playing various roles in television and mainstream, independent, and sociopolitica ...

. Her show '' BandaOke'' aired from October 25, 2009, to March 21, 2010, and was replaced by the reality sitcom ''

Pepito Manaloto ''Pepito Manaloto:'' () formerly known as ''Pepito Manaloto'', ''Pepito Manaloto: Ang Tunay na Kuwento'', ''Pepito Manoloto: Kuwento Kuwento'' and ''Pepito Manaloto: Ang Unang Kuwento'', is a Philippine television sitcom series broadcast by GM ...

''. She was also a main presenter of the GMA-7 variety show, ''

Party Pilipinas ''Party '' () is a Philippine television variety show broadcast by GMA Network. Hosted by Regine Velasquez, Ogie Alcasid, Jaya and Janno Gibbs, it premiered on March 28, 2010. The show concluded on May 19, 2013, with a total of 160 episodes. ...

''. Jaya was reluctant to act before but she enjoyed playing the role of Barang, Regine Velasquez' friend in ''Diva''. She played the nosy landlady Helen de Herenes in '' Kaya ng Powers'', a sitcom that starred

Joey Marquez Joselito Perez Marquez (; born Artemio Perez Marquez Jr.; October 7, 1957) better known as Joey Marquez, is a Filipino actor, comedian, politician, and former professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association. He was bor ...

and

Rufa Mae Quinto Rufa Mae Ocampo Quinto (born May 28, 1978) is a Filipino actress, comedian, television presenter, producer and model. Known for her camp and signature comedic performances in film and television, she has been cited as a notable figure in Philip ...

as a couple from outer space. Jaya won Best Female Vocal Performance for the song "Hiding Inside Myself" at 23rd Awit Awards on September 30, 2010, defeating some of the younger local singers of today.

2011–2016: ''All Souled Out'' and Sunday All Stars judge

Jaya released an album under Universal Records entitled ''All Souled Out'', a CD album containing 12 tracks of all revival songs. It was her third cover album, containing classic R&B and jazz songs that she grew up listening to. The album received a critical response, after experimenting with a variety of sounds in her previous outings, "Jaya comes to terms with what she is really all about as a singer in "All Souled Out." She triumphs in making the material sound genuine, largely because it is perfect for her. And her voice is a thing of wonder. There is warmth, power, and vulnerability in her renditions, making listening to the entire album a breeze—perfect for long drives or for those lazy weekends." She was one of the "Big Four" judges of GMA Network's new musical variety show ''

Sunday All Stars ''Sunday All Stars'' is a Philippine television variety show broadcast by GMA Network. It premiered on June 16, 2013 on the network's Sunday Grande sa Hapon line up. The show concluded on August 2, 2015 with a total of 107 episodes. Overview ...

'' which began airing on June 30, 2013. She also starred in ''

Mga Basang Sisiw ( / international title: ''Lost Children'') is a 2013 Philippine television drama series broadcast by GMA Network. The series is based on a 1981 Philippine film of the same title. Directed by Ricky Davao, it stars Renz Valerio, Bianca Umali, K ...

'' as Sally

2016–present: Return to ABS-CBN

Jaya became a ''Kapamilya'' after being welcomed on

's and after 16 years with

, noontime-variety show '' It's Showtime'' last July 16, 2016, and she is now a part of the jury on ''

''. In November 2016, Jaya was one of the guest performers of the Filipino girl group DIVAS' first concert titled ''DIVAS Live in Manila'' along with

K Brosas Maria Carmela Brosas (born July 15, 1975), better known by her screen name Kakai or K Brosas, is a Filipino actress, comedian, singer and television host. She was born in the Philippines to an American father and a Filipina mother and was a b ...

and

Personal life

In 1998, Jaya married musician Andrew Buffington, whom she met in 1995, and filed for divorce after three years. Jaya married her second husband, Gary Gotidoc, in May 2006, and at the age of 36 gave birth to her daughter Sabriya. On June 27, 2009, at 5:28 pm, she gave birth to her son Dylan at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City. In July 2021, Jaya moved to the United States with her family. In 2023, Jaya became subject to controversy after

John Lapus Jonathan Anthony Solis Lapus (born July 7, 1973), also known as Sweet, is a Filipino actor, host, comedian and film and television director. Lapus is known for his various roles in films such as the '' Shake, Rattle & Roll'' film series. He ...

posted a

blind item A blind item is a news story, typically in a gossip column, in which the details of the matter are reported while the identities of the people involved are not revealed. The invention of the blind item is credited to William d'Alton Mann (1839&nd ...

on Twitter, alleging that there was an unnamed singer repeatedly liking anti-transgender Tweets on the platform. It was widely believed that the post alluded to Jaya, after it was revealed that she had been liking Tweets from the account of the

far-right Far-right politics, often termed right-wing extremism, encompasses a range of ideologies that are marked by ultraconservatism, authoritarianism, ultranationalism, and nativism. This political spectrum situates itself on the far end of the ...

anti-LGBT The following outline offers an overview and guide to topics about LGBTQ people. ''LGBTQ'' is an initialism that stands for "lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer". It may refer to anyone who is non-heterosexual, non-heteroroman ...

organization Gays Against Groomers. Days later, she clarified that she is not against

transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...

people, stating that she is just "against children being exploited". Her response received flak from

drag queen A drag queen is a person, usually male, who uses Drag (entertainment), drag clothing and makeup to imitate and often exaggerate Femininity, female gender signifiers and gender roles for entertainment purposes. Historically, drag queens have ...

DeeDee Marie Holliday.

Discography

Studio albums

*''Jaya'' (1989) *''Jaya'' (1996) *''In the Raw'' (1997) *''Kung Kailan Pasko'' (1998) *''Honesty'' (1999) *''Jaya'' (2000) *''Unleashed'' (2001) *''Fall in Love Again'' (2005) *''Cool Change'' (2007) *'' Real. Love. Stories.'' (2009) *''All Souled Out'' (2011) *''Queen of Soul'' (2019)

Live album

*''Live at the Araneta'' (2001)

Compilation albums

*''A Love Album'' (1999) *''Five'' (2000) *''Silver Series'' (2006) *''18 Greatest Hits'' (2009)

EPs

*''If You Leave Me Now'' (1989) *''One Kiss Per Minute'' (1990) *''Shadow Love'' (1990) *''When I'm Available'' (1993) *''Skindo-Le-Le'' (2001)

Soundtrack

* ''I Have A Lover'' (performer: "Hanggang Dito Na Lang") (October 21, 2019) * ''S6parados'' (performer: "Isang Araw") (August 3, 2014) * ''Pangako... Ikaw lang'' (performer: "Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang") (July 4, 2001) * ''Abandonada'' (performer: "Kung Wala Na") (November 29, 2000) * ''Dito sa puso ko'' (performer: "Dito Sa Puso Ko") (1999) * ''Dahil Ba Sa Kanya'' (performer: "Dahil Ba Sa Kanya") (May 13, 1998) * ''Wala na bang pag-ibig'' (performer: "Wala na bang pag-ibig") (October 22, 1997) * ''Laging Naro'n Ka'' (performer: "Laging Naro'n Ka") (April 9, 1997) * ''Hanggang Ngayo'y Mahal'' (performer: "Hanggang Ngayo'y Mahal") (1997) * ''Dahil Tanging Ikaw'' (performer: "Dahil Tanging Ikaw") (1996)

Filmography

Television

Films

*''Pangako... Ikaw Lang'' (2001) * ''Enteng Kabisote 10 and The Abangers'' (2016t)

Theatre credits

* '' Rama at Sita'' (1999)

Awards

References

External links

GMA MusicViva Records
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Jaya 1970 births Living people Filipino contemporary R&B singers Filipino dance musicians Filipino freestyle musicians Filipino people of Jamaican descent Filipino women composers Filipino women pop singers Filipino television actresses Singers from Manila Viva Artists Agency Viva Records (Philippines) artists Universal Records (Philippines) artists GMA Music artists GMA Network (company) people ABS-CBN people Star Music artists Filipino women rappers Visayan people Filipino television variety show hosts Actresses from Manila