Soul Queen Jaya has spoken about why she left GMA 7 and transferred to its rival network ABS CBN.
“Like any child, sometimes you have to grow up and you wanna break free from something you’re used to doing and fly.
For me, flying now and doing this with ABS-CBN is something I know God has planned for me,” said Jaya, during her first television interview as Kapamilya in “Tonight With Boy Abunda” on ABS-CBN.
“So don’t get upset. Tanggapin po natin na lahat tayo kailangan din nating gawin ’yung mga desisyon na ang nakasalalay po ay ’yung kabuhayan namin. May mga anak po ako,” Jaya said.
“I wanna say this to ABS-CBN. Thank you for this opportunity and to Cornerstone who really picked me up and said we can do something with you,” she added.
Jaya, 45, said that she has no hard feelings when she left GMA 7 which became her home studio for 16 years.
“I am very, very grateful for my home, for giving me the opportunity to grow. I had so much wonderful memories, years, ang dami kong natutunan.’’
Music
Asked about her musical influences, Jaya said: “I’m 1/4 Jamaican so talagang mas dugo ko ’yung pagiging itim. Ngayon kung ang pag-uusapan ay kung natututunan bang kumanta na parang black singer, I think a lot of Filipinos were influenced by black music;
“Ever since I can remember, in the 1970s, that’s all I heard on the radio, Earth, Wind and Fire, Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder, Dionne Warwick. Lahat sila ’yan ang mga naririnig namin,” Jaya said.
New home
“Right now, I’m a Kapamilya po at kagagawan ito ng Panginoong Diyos. There was a period my career that was so dark. I would have to say na maitim s’ya. Mabigat and I said to myself, I’ll just handle all these with a smile,” Jaya said.
‘Ganun lang ’yun eh. Huwag kang masyadong maramdamin. Huwag mong dibdibin, lahat ng mga mangyayari sa’yo is all in God’s plan. I was independent for 10 to 11 months. I didn’t have a manager and Cornerstone came up to me,” she added.
Apart from being a judge in “Tawag ng Tanghalan” segment of the noontime program “It’s Showtime,” Jaya said that she will also sing in the variety show “ASAP.”
Jaya said that being a judge in “Tanghalan” is difficult.
“Tawag ng Tanghalan is tough. I would hate to sing on that stage kasi walang benchmark kung sino at ano ang lalabas dun.’’
