Four years ago, singer Jaya packed her bags for a new life in the United States. Now, the Philippines’ Queen of Soul is returning not just to the stage with a concert on Sept. 14 — she’s stepping into a music scene that looks nothing like the one she left.
“I’ve noticed that the landscape of the music industry has changed,” the Texas-based performer told Inquirer Entertainment during a recent Zoom interview. “A lot of young acts are coming in. The concerts are more visual, and they’ve become more interactive. I don’t have to impress my audience with dance and pyrotechnics. I just need to prepare myself to perform the songs in a different way.”
These songs are the ones that made her a household name—“Wala Na Bang Pag-ibig,” “Dahil Tanging Ikaw” and other soul-stirring classics. “My songs are already time-tested,” she said. “But hopefully when I sing them, people will say, ‘Oh my gosh, a little different but sung in a way that’s unlike the last 10 or 20 years.’”
The changes aren’t just in the industry, the singer said, they’re in her, too. “At 55 years old, I hope you will still enjoy my song choices and delivery, more mature but heartfelt,” she stressed. “This homecoming concert is both exciting and emotional for me. Many of my beloved and respected mentors and friends have passed away, and the music landscape has changed since I was last in the Philippines.”
While she’s been performing across the US and Canada, reconnecting with Filipino audiences abroad, Jaya admitted that she’s missed the uniquely Pinoy backstage culture. “I missed the co-artists, makeup and hair people, friends and production people… and the daily chika,” she said, laughing.
Under the direction of John Prats and produced by Cornerstone Concerts, L-Squared Productions PH, and CAL Studios, “Jaya All Hits,” which will be staged at the New Frontier Theater, promises an evening that’s both nostalgic and fresh.
“I’m a storyteller,” Jaya declared. “I’m going to tell you what has happened in the past four years and what really happened during the different decades of my life. It’s a show about storytelling and the delivery of music.”
Jaya’s aim is to create the same interactive energy she’s grown to love in her North American shows. “You can’t just choose to talk with one person in the crowd — everyone answers back. That’s what I want here, too. An interaction with the crowd. I trust that my audience will be kind and ready to experience Jaya again in a different light.”
There was no dramatic trigger for this return, said Jaya, just the pull of home. “I missed the Philippines and I wanted to perform again,” she added. With her children now independent and her husband in school, she finally has the freedom to come back more often. “If allowed and given the chance, I still want to keep performing in the Philippines — or do other things besides singing.” /ra
