Prince of Soul JAY R Unfolds A New Chapter As He 'Sings OPM Love Classic'
Everybody knows the face of the star well-known as the Prince of R & B in the country now as the Prince of Soul. Jay R is finally getting ready for his big come back via his new album that soon be hitting the record stores nationwide within this month.After giving us his biggest hits ‘Bakit Pa Ba?’ written by veteran songwriter Vernee Saturno and ‘Ngayo’y Narito’ his debut album Game Face was Platinum (nearly hitting the double Platinum status). His 2008 release ‘Soul in Love’ awarded Platinum just last year. There are lots of astounding things about JayR; he writes, produces his own songs and his talent in singing and dancing is unbeatable. He never gets tired of improving himself not for once. Now he’s back again to give us another hit album.
The concept of his upcoming disc ‘JayR Sings OPM Love Classics’ was really knew to him. But it’s another additional milestone in his career.
"Jay R Sings OPM Love Classics" Tracklisting :
1. Himala (Originally popularized by Rivermaya) – CARRIER SINGLE OF THE ALBUM
2. Ako'y Sa 'Yo, Ika'y Akin (Originally popularized by I-Axe)
3. Ikaw Lamang (Originally popularized by Zsa Zsa Padilla)
4. Paalam Na (Originally popularized by Rachel Alejandro)
5. Muli (Originally popularized by Gary Valenciano & Regine Velasquez) with Nina
6. Kahit Kailan (Originally popularized by South Border)
7. Huwag Na Lang Kaya (Originally popularized by True Faith)
8. Sa Isip Ko (Originally popularized by Agot Isidro)
9. Sa Kanya (Originally popularized by Ogie Alcasid)
10. Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin (Originally popularized by Martin Nievera)
11. Sana Ay Ikaw Na Nga (Originally popularized by Basil Valdez)
12. Wala Na Bang Pag-ibig (Originally popularized by Jaya)
13. Hagkan (Originally popularized by Sharon Cuneta)
Jay-R once again graced your OPM Authority with his soulful presence among us. It's not a usual day-in day-out at the office meeting a celebrated celebrity like him, though we've met him several times. Air-conditioning at the studio is at its best hitting us cold, his presence keeps it warm and bubbly.
He’s at the high of his senses courtesy of his (upcoming) album “Jay-R Sings OPM Love Classics.” Few of the few others were giving opportunities to do a step like this – only if you are like Jay-R.
Jay-R made few favors this time. Few other songs were enlisted because they were of his parents choice and others are just details, nonetheless those are songs they all agreed upon singers and producers alike. Besides songs went through 'rigorous' dry runs and auditory check from home to car stereos to wherever it reaches as long as the feedback come back.It's an all-tagalog rendition divergent from his past albums which are mostly whipped with accented English lyrics, obviously Jay-R grew up in America for quite some time. It's a truly new innovative musical prowess his putting at the seat of his voice. He's making it as his own and out of something there put his own musical badge definitely called - Jay-R.
THE ALBUM
This album will perhaps be the most noticeable of them all. It takes Jay-R to the new dimension of musicality. The album is composed of an all 13-track songs, all tagalog, all OPM – all handpicked. Under the creative tentacles of the Platinum producer Ito Rapadas, Jay-R celebrates music with his new brainchild “ Jay R Sings OPM Love Classics.”
On the other hand, it is a sort of a tribute to some of the OPM bigwig such as Basil Valdez, Sharon Cuneta, Martin Nievera, Gary Valenciano, Regine Velasquez, Jaya, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Ogie Alcasid and even the bands like Rivermaya, True Faith, I-Axe. His album bears few other collaborative effort with other artist such as with the First Female Diamond Artist and Soul Siren Nina in the track “Muli.” The carrier single is Rivermaya's ever famous “Himala.”
Not known to the minority, Jay-R was crowned “Prince of R&B” because of his bland and emotive vocal rendition of every fiber of the songs he sang. Thus, few of his albums have cached several buys and is now certified platinum such as “Gameface” and “Sould In Love.” This is where Jay-R shines the most making him more comely to some movies, endorsements, gigs and regular TV stints.ON THE RECORD
Jay-R takes the clay into his hand used to give it new shape, the way his artistic sinew can do. Without losing the the real theme he puts his own color to the song with the original jiving with the Jay-R essence. “For me when I'm making a new record, I wanna make it as my own. I stick to the same format of the song but I will create and develop it on my own style for all the songs,” he commenced.
In choosing the songs, Jay-R considers few individuals to have their taste suggested to his menu, “The one you've mentioned earlier, “Ikaw Lamang” 'yun ang pinaka paborito ng mommy ko. Kinakanta ng mom ko 'yun lagi. Kinakanta n'ya 'yun kapag 'yung dad ko nag a-accompany sa piano. So “Ikaw Lamang” is a personal song for me, he said. They were really his parents favorites so he consented, “most of the songs included in this new record gusto ng parents ko kaya I was inspired to do it.” No doubt, mother knows best. Nonetheless, despite being cumbersome at some other Tagalog terms, Jay-R take it as a whole saying, “hindi naman.. You speak yourself in the situation lang sa song, 'di ba each song may story? Naintindahan ko naman (laughs) though there are some words that I don't get pero 'yung buong kanta I get the gist of it. S'yempre alam ko naman 'yung sinasabi sa mga kanta.”
He explains how it would be naturally difficult to record songs, the way it is. “Actually “Muli” kasi ang taas t'saka 'yung timing iba talaga 'yung ginagawa ni Gary V. At the same time sobrang idol ko si Gary V. the way I sing “Muli” parang Gary V. style. I've known the song ever since I was a kid so ang hirap na gawing style ko because I'm used to doing it as Gary V. style.” Besides making it to his own, few other hassles dashed in such as, “yung time frame. Actually I've recorded the entire album in less than a month kasi sobrang daming trabaho n'ung December of last year so 'yung mga equipment ko dinadala ko na sa mga gigs at sa mga tapings ko. Minsan nagre-recording ako sa hotel while doing other work at the same time. It's like every seconds counts.”
Some artists like to test their new songs in their car stereos or invite friends to the studio to hear playbacks. How did you listen to the album when it was a work in progress?
Ako lang I just monitored it myself. I wasn't able na maparinig kina Kris Lawrence or Jimmy Muna. Every minute in December was scheduled. No time for listening or anything. Ako na talaga ang nag-monitor of the entire album.
So you just released the single, "Himala” What was the inspiration for the song?
We wanted to do it na tipong 'yung kanta na “Kiss From A Rose” ni Seal. We wanted to do it something like that because ang ganda nung kanta pang-soundtrack talaga so we wanted to do something like that with “Himala”. Plus I think everyone can really relate to the message of the song.
In this album, you've got a chance to have a duet with Nina. How did you choose who you wanted to have on the record?
Yes, we did “Muli” which was originally done by Gary V and Regine Velasquez. She was actually recommended by Universal Records. I hope they will like the song, it's something new and it's my first time to have a duet with her although we haven't able to record the song together because of conflict of schedules at that time. She's also busy and me so we just recorded it's other parts.
Were you aiming for a specific audience when recording your CD?
Yes. I think we're going for the strictly Tagalog song listeners market. 'Yung mga nakikinig sa Soul in Love that's more of parang high end. Now we're going towards “masa” crowd kasi with each album we wanted to stick to RnB pero marketed to different crowds para lumaki lalo 'yung market namin.
You've done a lot in terms of evolving; you've gone into originals, revivals for Soul in Love and now you sings OPM classics. We're just curious, what keeps Jay R evolving?
I think creativity keeps me evolving. Each time I do an album, I make sure that I always want to do something different after that. I want to reinvent my music. I don't want to repeat things that I already did. I would like to have fresh and new every time I do an album. I never wanted to be the same. So after I do Soul In Love which is all English this time it's all Tagalog naman. And probably after this no more revivals for a while. I wanted to do an all original one. I always something that keeps me going so the fans keep listening to me, not the same consistent sound na nagiging boring after a while. I'm always looking for that new sound in RnB. And there’s still this burning urge to outdo myself with every album I make.
You've done a number of cover songs. What do you enjoy about playing covers?
It's easy to gather kasi kapag original you can record 50 songs tapos dalawa lang nagustuhan mo d'un 'di ba. Covers kasi gawa na siya at nag hit na siya kaya kapag ginawa mo 'yung cover you adopt the “sikat-ness” ng song.
How do you decide on which songs would work well as Jay R songs?
I leave it all with everyone in Universal Records. They all meet about it and they all look at the different aspects. Pero sa akin, kung anong ibato sa akin na kanta dapat 'yung gusto ko, gusto ng parents ko at 'yung kaya ko i-evolve in my own sound.
Is either part of this album closer to where you see yourself going in the future?
Tagalog is definitely possibility for the future kasi Filipino tayo s'yempre. Pero in the future I see myself doing more original Tagalog.
What's the response been from fans who have heard the new material?
So far the response is from you guys only. Hindi ko pa pinaparinig sa iba kayo palang ang nakakarinig and according to you guys, it's a good album.(laughs)
Did you have an idea of what direction you wanted this album to go in or did you just jump in and see what happens?
Yes, we knew exactly what we wanted in this new record like what we did with Soul In Love pero all Tagalog songs this time around. We make sure that before we did it , we had a concept and what direction we're going.
In this decade it seems like it’s been very, very difficult for any artists to continue the momentum of success. They have one album that blows up and then they seem to fade. Why do you think that is?
I think the mentality of the artist should be really strong, feet on the ground and should be working hard always. He/She always wanting to stay on top because they always say it's not hard to get into number 1 but what's hard is staying in number 1, and that's why it's more work to stay there than getting there kaya siguro there are artist nowadays na when they get into the top they get comfortable with it tapos nawawala 'yung fire to work and be on top. So I think that's why they fade out.
Of all the songs you did, what particular song would you like to be associated?
I think “Bakit Pa Ba” would be the song for me. 'Yun talaga ang nagpasikat sa akin and I'm proud because it's original and style ko talaga.
Why should we need to buy your album?
Kasi artist like me, we keep OPM alive 'yung mga classics talaga na kanta so if you buy my album parang you're going back into the future of the old songs.
INSIDE OUT
Inside out, Jay-R drew sympathy to the world’s crackled face like the tragedies around the globe. “All the tragedies that's happening in the world. Like ngayon, may tragedy na naman sa Haiti. It's like the world is really changing and we just have to live in it. Be happy and live it as if it's like your last day,” he asserts.
Getting into maturity with the songs and with oneself is a gradual process, so is Jay-R coping changes and grateful with the help he receives, “I have grown a lot since Gameface and ang daming tumutulong sa aking mga producers at songwriters until now. Although I have been doing cover songs but when I do my original music I myself making my own music na, producing myself and writing it myself na. So I think I've grown as a singer-songwriter-producer.”
More on him...
What else do you have planned for 2010?
I'm planning to release two artists under my record label, Homeworkz and hopefully distributed by Universal Records if they want (laughs). I'll be having concerts and tours lined up in the States. We have this project that we're going to reunite all the RnB artists here and put them all in one concert.
You're shows are so spontaneous and fun. Do you ever get nervous or forget what you're doing on stage?
I always get nervous every show. Minsan what I forget is 'yung lyrics 'yun ang madalas kong nakakalimutan. Kasi minsan iba talaga kapag 'yung energy ng tao masaya parang na-overwhelm ka kaya minsan nakakalimutan mo 'yung lyrics. (laughs)
What is your favorite aspect of being a solo artist?
You only wait for yourself. You don't wait for anybody. And everything is on your terms talaga, you don't have to ask for permission kasi kapag banda dapat lahat alam, lahat on time, maghihintay ka minsan. Kapag solo ka, medyo cool ka lang at walang masyadong inaasikaso.
What are you most excited about artistically in terms of the future?
I'm looking forward to the evolution of music in the future because you know that's what producers like myself are always looking for, you should up to date on what are the sounds today para you have to stay at the top of your game. You always do the research and I always look forward to seeing on how and what kind of music is going to evolve. 'Di ba 'yung Black Eyed Peas they just change the whole hip-hop, RnB, pop and they like fuse it all together? And it just change the music so I can imagined how it's gonna be on 2012, two years from now.
When can we expect an all original songs from you since you're a songwriter at heart?
My next album after this is all original most definitely. Next year na siguro 'yun. I made Ma'am Kath (of Universal Records) promise me that after this album, all originals naman.
You've been working so hard on your album and doing things and going places. If you could go home and relax, what'd be the first thing you'd do?
First thing I would do is go home and relax and go eat and out burger, that's my favorite ever. (smiles)
If you were to pick 3 of the most memorable things over the course of your stay in the industry, they would be...
My first Platinum record for Gameface. The Awit Awards of course and my first show sa Los Angeles with Jasmine Trias in 2006. It was very memorable s'yempre hometown ko 'yun, in a very big venue and it was really a big thing. It was a successful show. My whole family was there to watch me perform for the first time as professional artist in the industry. It was truly memorable.
Other artists are transferring from one label to another, what made you want to stay with Universal Records?
Loyalty is the best policy (laughs). I've been with Universal Records ever since I started in the industry. No, honestly I really do believe in loyalty definitely kasi you're not gonna get anywhere kung palipat-lipat ka. You have to establish a relationship. For me, Universal Records are treating me well and we're making good music so why leave. I believe loyalty is the best because that's where you develop a relationship and you become friends.
And finally, do you have any goals you want to reach before you turn 30 in a few years' time?
I would like to sell a million records worldwide in two years time.
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