Gaudencio Sillona III (born February 1, 1981), known professionally as Jay R, is a

Filipino-American Filipino Americans ( fil, Mga Pilipinong Amerikano) are Americans of Filipino ancestry. Filipinos and other Asian ethnicities in North America were first documented in the 16th century as slaves and prisoners on ships sailing to and from New S ...

Ricky Lo (April 11, 2004)
Jay R: The Heart of The Hunk
, ''

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, songwriter, record producer, actor 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 just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...

. The album was certified platinum by the

Philippine Association of the Record Industry The Philippine Association of the Record Industry (Filipino: ''Kapisanan ng Industriya ng Plaka ng Pilipinas'', abbreviated as PARI) is a non-profit and private trade organization, that represents the recording industry distributors in the Phili ...

(PARI), receiving numerous awards and earning him the number one single, "Bakit Pa Ba". Jay R was dubbed as "R&B Prince" in his early career and was often partnered with

Kyla Kyla may refer to: *Kyla (given name), including a list of people with the name ** Kyla (Filipino singer) (born 1981), Filipino R&B singer **Kyla (British singer) Kyla Reid ( Smith; born 22 September 1983) is a British house music singer in the ...

(then known as the "R&B Princess"). Collectively known to their fans as "JayLa", they are known in the music industry as the R&B Royalties (R&B King and Queen, respectively). In 2006, he built a recording studio inside his mansion, followed by a recording label called JAYRS Music. He later renamed it as Homeworkz Records. In the same year, he released a Christmas album, '' Christmas Away from Home'', and dedicated it to his late uncle Reny. The album was re-released in 2008, where he donated the proceeds from the sales to

GMA Kapuso Foundation GMA Kapuso Foundation Inc. (formerly Bisig Bayan Foundation and GMA Foundation) is a socio-civic organization organized by GMA Network Inc. GMA Network, Inc., commonly known as GMA, is a Philippine media company based in Diliman, Quezon Cit ...

. Also in 2008, he released a cover album, ''

Soul in Love ''Soul in Love'' is the fourth studio album and second cover album by Philippines, Filipino singer Jay R Sillona, Jay R, released in January 2008 by Universal Records (Philippines), Universal Records. The album showcases his vocal quality and rang ...

'', which became his highest-rated and biggest-selling album. He made his big screen debut in the 2004 feature film '' Happy Together'', and later, released his self-titled second album in 2005. He released an all-Tagalog album early in 2010, ''

Jay R Sings OPM Love Classics ''Jay R Sings OPM Love Classics'' is the fifth studio album and third cover album by Filipino singer Jay R, released on February 5, 2010 by Universal Records. The album was produced by Ito Rapadas, who was also behind the production of '' Soul in ...

'', which consists of revivals of

Original Pilipino Music The music of the Philippines ( fil, Musika ng Pilipinas) includes the musical performance arts in the Philippines and the music of Filipinos composed in various local and international genres and styles. Philippine musical compositions are ofte ...

love songs. Later, he recorded a Bahasa song, which is slated for release in

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

. He is part of TV musical variety show ''

Party Pilipinas ''Party Pilipinas'' () 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 replacing ''SOP''. The show concluded on May 19, 2013 with a ...

'' on GMA, and hosts the Philippine adaptation of dating game show '' Take Me Out'' on the same network.Bong Godinez (April 26, 2010)
Jay-R's Take Me Out debuts today, April 26
, ''Philippine Entertainment Portal'' After more than 10 years of being with

GMA Network GMA Network (Global Media Arts or simply GMA) is a Philippine free-to-air television and radio network. It is the flagship property of publicly traded GMA Network, Inc. Its first broadcast on television was on October 29, 1961. GMA Network (f ...

, he transferred to the rival network,

ABS-CBN ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Television in the Philippines, Philippine Commercial broadcasting, commercial broadcast broadcast network, network tha ...

in 2014. After more than three months, he joined the impersonating competition ''

Your Face Sounds Familiar ''Your Face Sounds Familiar'' (Spanish: ''Tu cara me suena'') is a Spanish interactive reality television franchise series where celebrity contestants impersonate singers. The format, similar to Dutch television series ''Soundmixshow'', was f ...

'' as his first reality show in the network.

Early life

Jay R was born on February 1, 1982, in

Glendale, California Glendale is a city in the San Fernando Valley and Verdugo Mountains regions of Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, California, United States. At the 2020 United States Census, 2020 U.S. Census the population was 196,543, up from ...

, and raised in U.P. Campus and Daan Tubo. His father, Gaudencio Sillona Jr., is a

pianist A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...

, and his mother, Amparo Aquino-Sillona, is a singer. He is a grandson of the late Gaudencio Sillona, Sr. He is the youngest of four siblings. On his father's side, he has five brothers, saying "Before my parents got together, my father was married to somebody else." As of 2004 he was managed by his aunt, choreographer Geleen Eugenio. He speaks fluent Tagalog. Among his musical influences as a young man were

Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, Pop musi ...

Luther Vandross Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Known for his sweet and soulful vocals, Vandross has sold over 40 million records worldwide. He achieved eleven consecutive P ...

and

Gary Valenciano Edgardo Jose Santiago Valenciano (, born August 6, 1964), also known as Gary V., is a Filipino singer-songwriter, dancer, musician, actor, music producer and television host. Valenciano has released 39 albums, and won the Awit Award for "Bes ...

Music career

1997–2002: Early works and debut

At the age of sixteen, Sillona already belonged to a group called FI (First Impression). The group consisted of five members namely—Mike Gabriel, Alex Bacani, Jay R Sillona, Jimmy Martinez (who came with him to

Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...

and is now Jimmy Muna) and Owen Amurao. When Mike, Owen and Alex went their separate ways, he and Martinez continued the group by adding another talented singer named Kris Cadevida (later known as

Kris Lawrence Kristoffer Lawrence Cadevida (born on September 1, 1982), simply known as Kris Lawrence, is a Filipino-American singer-songwriter of dual American and Filipino people, Filipino citizenship. Early life and career Lawrence was born in Los Angel ...

). They would do gigs in Los Angeles,

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...

, and

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

. He was also the lead singer, with his sister Jhing, of another band that was led by his uncle, Robert Sillona, called The Howlers. Later, Jhing collaborated with him in creating hit songs. Sillona later started performing gigs all around

southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most po ...

. He also did back-up vocals for major artists, whose albums were released in the United States,

Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...

, the Philippines, and other territories. Later, he started co-writing songs with international artists. He collaborated with Ray Brown, Troy Johnson, Jason Edmonds, 3AM, Steve Singer, Gary Brown, The Triangle, Dutch Cousin, Chuck Cymone and many other talented producers.

2003–2005: ''Gameface'' and self-titled album

In 2003, Sillona signed a contract under

label. His first album, entitled ''

Gameface ''Gameface'' is the debut studio album by Filipino pop/ R&B singer Jay R, released in the Philippines in August 2003 by Universal Records. He produced the album together with Ray Brown and Troy Johnson, in partnership with NuLife and his recor ...

'', consists of twelve tracks, containing two original Tagalog songs—"Kaibigan", written by his sister Jhing Sillona, and "Bakit Pa Ba", written by Vehnee Saturno. Most of the other songs on the album are R&B cuts, and were co-written by him. Ten of the tracks were produced by respected American producers Troy Johnson, Ian Boxhill and Bryson Evans. His first single, "Design for Luv",Jay R's Titik Pilipino summarized biography and early career
". ''titikpilipino.com'' Retrieved February 8, 2010 is an R&B, hip-hop single, and had its music video filmed and produced 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, ...

with the help of good friend Ray Brown. Following the first single, he released a Tagalog ballad penned by Vehnee Saturno, entitled "Bakit Pa Ba". It became the biggest hit not only from the album, but also from the artist. In 2004, the album was re-released with two new songs that were later used as singles. The album was well-received both commercially and critically. It was certified Platinum by the

.Gameface tracks and info, it went Platinum
. CDBaby.com Retrieved August 29, 2010 It was also nominated in numerous categories of major music awards. On the 2004

MTV Pilipinas Music Awards MTV Pilipinas Music Awards was the MTV Pilipinas' annual music video awards event. Award categories * Video of the Year * Favorite Male Video * Favorite Female Video * Favorite New Artist in a Video * Favorite Group Video *Favorite Indie Video ...

, "Bakit Pa Ba" won Sillona the Favorite Male Artist award, also allowing him to grab the "Best Ballad" title on the

Awit Awards The Awit Awards are music awards in the Philippines given annually by the Philippine Association of the Record Industry (PARI) to recognize the outstanding achievements in the music industry. The word "Awit" means "song" literally in Filipino. T ...

of the same year. In April 2004, he accomplished his first ever three-night solo major concert which was entitled Gameface the ConcertJay R's first major concert at the Music Museum entitled Gameface the Concert
". ''

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, immediately followed by Gameface Reload in September 2004. After the success of his debut album, Sillona focused on doing a more complex R&B sound. He

covered Cover or covers may refer to: Packaging * Another name for a lid * Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package * Album cover, the front of the packaging * Book cover or magazine cover ** Book design ** Back cover copy, part of co ...

the

Billy Joel William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, pianist and songwriter. Commonly nicknamed the "Piano Man (song), Piano Man" after his album and signature song of the same name, he has led a commercially successful career as a solo ...

original " Just the Way You Are" in a whole different arrangement. In addition, he recorded an alternate version of the song, featuring

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

pop singer,

Samantha Mumba Samantha Tamania Anne Cecilia Mumba (born 18 January 1983) is an Irish singer-songwriter, dancer, actress, fashion model and TV presenter. In 2000, at the age of 17, she shot to fame with the release of her debut single "Gotta Tell You", which ...

.Antonette R. Valdez, Showbiz,
I won’t run away from my responsibility — Jay-R
, ''

'', March 19, 2006 Alongside the single, his self-titled album was released. Among the album's collaborators are rappers Young Clipp, Jdimes, and Sillona's best friends, Jimmy Muna and Kris Lawrence. "Ngayo'y Narito", another ballad by Saturno, was released as the album's second official single. The album received positive reviews, with ''Titik Pilipino'' stating "I can't find a bad word for Jay R (the artist and ''the album'') because he and his album are good".Jay R album review on titik pilipino
". ''titikpilipino.com'' Retrieved 2010-009-03 Despite high ratings, it failed to gather any award it was nominated for. Still, the album managed to reach gold status by the PARI. In 2005, he was part of '' Footloose: The Musical'', together with Iya Villania.Michael Ancheta (June 4, 2007)
Footloose musical in 2005 headlined by Jay R and Iya
, ''Philippine Entertainment Portal''STAGES, News,
Footloose the Musical
", ''Titik Pilipino'', August 28, 2005 In the same year, he appeared on

Karylle Ana Karylle Padilla Tatlonghari (born March 22, 1981), known mononymously as a Karylle, is a Filipino singer, actress, TV host and musical theatre performer. She is heralded as "''OPMs Showbiz Royalty''". She notably received a nomination for ...

's album, ''You Make Me Sing'', as a featured artist, songwriter and producer.Ryan Mark (August 14, 2005)
Bag-ong album ni Karylle 'materiales fuertes'
, ''

2006–2009: Homeworkz Records

In 2006, Sillona built Homeworkz recording studio inside his two-story mansion. He started the label JAYRS Music. In an interview about his recording studio, he explained "It's a necessity for a recording artist ..It saves a lot of money in the long run and it's very convenient. You can work on the recordings at any time of the day". The studio occupies a large room that was originally one of the bedrooms. Sillona himself was the one who conceptualized the look, which pictures a modern

bachelor pad A bachelor pad is a home (''pad'') in which a bachelor or bachelors (single men) live. The exact standards on what constitutes a bachelor pad are often ambiguous and debated but one definition describes it as: "A 'bachelor pad' is a slang term ...

with dark carpeting and sofas, and a bar for small parties. Recording equipment he acquired in the U.S. include a personal computer, a black

upright piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

and a recording booth.Dennis Ladaw, Homeworkz Records
House Music
, ''

'', January 26, 2010 In 2008, he renamed it as Homeworkz Entertainment Services. Homeworkz for short. In November 2006, he released his first ever

Christmas album Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music regularly performed or heard around the Christmas season. Music associated with Christmas may be purely instrumental, or, in the case of carols or songs, may employ lyrics whose subject ma ...

, '' Christmas Away from Home''. The album consists of classic

Christmas song Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music regularly performed or heard around the Christmas season. Music associated with Christmas may be purely instrumental, or, in the case of carols or songs, may employ lyrics whose subject ma ...

s and two originals, one featuring his sister Jhing entitled "Spread the Love". It, also, was inspired by and dedicated to his late uncle Reny. He stated, "The entire album is actually inspired by him ..His death triggered something in me, and I knew that a tribute was the best way to thank him and cherish his legacy". Produced by JAYRS Music, it marks his initial attempt at running his own independent record label. He single-handedly produced, arranged, mixed, mastered and attended to all details.ALV Talents Circuit Inc., Christmas Away from Home
Jay R Releases Christmas Album
, ''Titik Pilipino'', November 28, 2006 The album was re-released in 2008 as '' Holiday of Love'', including six additional Christmas songs, replacing the three

instrumental An instrumental is a recording normally without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through semantic widening, a broader sense of the word song may refer to instru ...

s. Album sales and proceeds were entirely donated to

GMA-7 DZBB-TV, Channel 7 (analog) and Channel 15 (digital), is the flagship TV station of Philippine television network GMA. The station is owned and operated by GMA Network Inc. with its studios are located at the GMA Network Center, EDSA corner ...

's Kapuso Foundation. He stresses the album's title, saying "It's Christmas after all ..it's only fitting that I practice what I preach. It's all about giving".Crispina Martinez-Belen, Holiday of Love
Jay R donates album sales to Kapuso Foundation
, ''

'' November 24, 2008 In 2007, he was featured on Amber's song, "FYI". Early in 2008, Sillona released another studio album, ''

''. It was his second

cover album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

, containing classical R&Bs 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, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

es that he grew up listening to. The album has received the highest ratings among Jay R albums, and has even sold impressively, certifying gold in the Philippines without any initial promotion.Nerisa Almo (July 9, 2008)
Jay R denies rumors about jumping to the other network
, ''Philippine Entertainment Portal'' It has also helped him gain new audience and group of fans. ''Titik Pilipino'' gave the album a perfect rating of five out of five stars, saying "As everybody should be well aware of by now, Jay R is a very talented artist".Lorelie Dino, Album review
Soul in Love – Jay R
", ''Titik Pilipino'' Retrieved September 3, 2010 It has also earned Sillona numerous awards and nominations on awarding events. On the 2008 Philippine Hip-Hop Awards, he won the R&B Artist of the Year award for the first time.List of Philippine Hip-Hop Awards 2008 winners
". ''Titik Pilipino'' Retrieved September 3, 2010 It also gave him a Best Male Soul/R&B Artist nomination on the first ever

Wave 89.1 DWAV (89.1 FM broadcasting, FM) - broadcasting as Wave 89.1 - is a radio station owned and operated by Blockbuster Broadcasting System, a member of Tiger 22 Media. The station's studio is located at the Unit 906-B Paragon Plaza, EDSA corner Rel ...

Urban Music Awards in 2009.List of Wave 89.1 Urban Music Awards 2009 nominees and winners
".

Retrieved August 3, 2010 On July 10, 2008, he went to Japan to further increase in sales and popularity. Later, the album turned Platinum in the Philippines. From 2008 to 2009, he appeared on Iya Villania,

Kris Aquino Kristina Bernadette Cojuangco Aquino (born February 14, 1971), professionally known as Kris Aquino (), is a Filipino television host, actress, producer, socialite and businesswoman. Dubbed as Philippine's "Queen of All Media", Aquino has hos ...

Billy Crawford Billy Joe Ledesma Crawford (born May 16, 1982) is a Filipino actor, musician, singer, dancer, comedian and television host who released 7 studio albums and has had a number of singles, notably " Trackin'", " When You Think About Me" (a remake o ...

albums.Jocelyn Dimaculangan (October 30, 2008)
Jay R does a duet with Iya for 'Always'
, ''Philippine Entertainment Portal''Jay R covers Boyz II Men for Kris Aquino
, ''Philippine Entertainment Portal''. September 28, 2008Ricky Calderon (June 23, 2009)
Jay R contributes on Kris Lawrence album
, ''Philippine Entertainment Portal'' Jay R also played a lead role on '' Dear Friends episode, "''The Three Bachelors''", starring opposite longtime music partner

2010–2012: ''Jay R Sings OPM Love Classics'' and International exposure

On January 5, 2010, Sillona released his first ever all-Tagalog album, ''

'', still by Universal Records. It consists of thirteen Tagalog songs, which were originally recorded by popular OPM acts in the 1980s and 1990s, handpicked by the singer himself. He personally love the songs that he chose, but admitted the challenges of remaking the materials, having said that they already have identities marked in them. On a song in the album, entitled "Muli", he collaborated with "Asia's Soul Siren"

Nina Nina may refer to: * Nina (name), a feminine given name and surname Acronyms *National Iraqi News Agency, a news service in Iraq * Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, on the campus of Norwegian University of Science and Technology *No income, ...

.Jay R Sings OPM Love Classics on Pep
. ''Philippine Entertainment Portal'' The album was critically successful. '' Inquirer Entertainment'' praised Sillona's outstanding vocal performance, stating "The singer (Jay R) is gifted with a voice suited for classy, urban R&B and he practically breezes through most of the ballads".Pocholo Concepcion, Album Reviews,
Bayang Barrios’ ‘Biyaya’ bound to become a folk classic
", ''

Philippine Daily Inquirer The ''Philippine Daily Inquirer'' (''PDI''), or simply the ''Inquirer'', is an English-language newspaper in the Philippines. Founded in 1985, it is often regarded as the Philippines' newspaper of record. The newspaper is the most awarded bro ...

'', March 22, 2010 In summer 2010, he participated on another compilation by Kris Aquino, ''Blessings of Love'', singing a

cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...

of " Dance with My Father".Bong Godinez (May 25, 2010)
Jay R records for Kris Aquino's 2010 compilation
, ''Philippine Entertainment Portal'' On September 2, 2010, Sillona went to

Jakarta Jakarta (; , bew, Jakarte), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta ( id, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta) is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Lying on the northwest coast of Java, the world's most populous island, Jakarta ...

, to sign a three-year contract with Tarra Group Indonesia, and to record an original song in Bahasa. It also included the launching of his album ''Soul in Love'' in the country. He did some TV guestings, and also finished shooting a music video, slated for release in the country.Mell T. Navarro, News, ''Philippine Entertainment Portal'', September 5, 2010 He collaborated with Indonesian pop singer Drimi on the song "Kau Dan Aku", which will be released as his first Bahasa single. He also co-wrote and co-produced the song "Beauty Queen" for his girlfriend Krista Arrieta Kleiner ( Miss Philippines), which received an award for Miss Expressive, after she performed the song live at the

Miss International 2010 Miss International 2010, the 50th anniversary of the Miss International pageant, was held on November 7, 2010 at the Sichuan Province Gymnasium in Chengdu, China. Miss International 2009, Anagabriela Espinoza of Mexico crowned her successor, E ...

held in China.

2014: ''Elevated album''

Jay released his ''Elevated'' album in 2014. This was a statement album because it was launched under his own label Homeworkz. Tonight featuring Mica Javier was an instant smash and rose to the top of the radio charts at No. 1. The song was also received best R&B song of the year from Wave 89.1 FM and 93.1 Monster FM. All the singles from the album also have music videos available on the Homeworkzmusic YouTube Channel. Singles from Elevated album : Falling For You featuring Marié Digby, Tonight featuring Mica Javier, Parachute, You're The One featuring Kris Lawrence &

AJ Rafael Arthur Joseph Rafael (born March 12, 1989), known professionally as AJ Rafael, is a Filipino-American singer-songwriter, YouTuber, and TikToker. Born in Moreno Valley, California, he graduated from the Berklee College of Music in 2010. Rafael st ...

, You Are Not Alone featuring Kyla, Follow Me featuring DJ Riddler, Already Mine. The song L-O-V-E written and produced by Jay R's good friend Marcus Davis was part of Hollywood movie Bounce Back. Starring Shemar Moore, Nadine Velasquez, Bill Bellamy and more. The album was a sweet victory for label owner Jay R because it reached Gold status and was awarded by PARI (Philippine Association of the Recording Industry) on ABS-CBN TV show ASAP channel 2. In 2016, Jay R was announced to be a member of the R&B group of ASAP titled ASAP Soul Sessions, along with

Jason Dy Jason James Desiata Dy (born June 19, 1990) is a Filipino singer, songwriter, actor and musician. He is best known as the winner of the second season of ''The Voice of the Philippines''. Dy was invited onstage by David Foster to perform with ...

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 Kristine Zhenie Lobrigas Tandingan-Monterde (born March 11, 1992), mononymously known as KZ, is a Filipino singer and rapper hailed as Asia's Soul Supreme. She rose to prominence following her win on the first season of ''The X Factor Philipp ...

and

. The group formed on May 15, 2016, and disbanded in late 2017.

2018–present: ''Kamusta Ka album''

Jay R has always been the innovative type. That is why in 2018 he launched a new music technology that the Philippines have never seen before. He dubbed it the "Artist Digi Pack". The Artist Digi Pack comes with the Kamusta Ka album of 9 songs, 4 videos, picture gallery of album photoshoot, earphones, 2gb MP3 player and a to charge and access the exclusive files. He is now currently promoting the singles on TV shows, radio, podcasts and live shows. in late 2017 Homeworkz launched a teaser single entitled Kabilang Dako written by Thyro and Jay R. It was an instant hit and won R&B song of the year on Wave 89.1 FM and Wish FM Awards. When 2018 struck he then started to release music videos for songs Kamusta Ka and Kabilang Dako which was shot in beautiful New Zealand. Jay R then released a song with his Soul Brothers Kris Lawrence and Billy Crawford called Habang Buhay. Within the music video he surprised his girlfriend of 5 years Mica Javier by proposing to her while shooting. She was happily surprised and said yes. In 2018, Jay R performed "Dito Lang Ako", which was written and composed by Jack Rufo, and produced by Blade Entertainment for the movie "Dito Lang Ako". The song becomes the love theme for the 2019

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...

film 12 Days to Destiny. In 2018, Jay R signed up with Cornerstone Entertainment. Afterwards, he would stage a collaborative concert titled SoulJa with

Jaya Jaya may refer to: Media *''Jaya'', self titled albums by Jaya (singer), released in 1989, 1996 and 2001 * ''Jaya'' (film), a 2002 Indian Tamil film Mythology *''Jaya'', a name of Karna in Mahabharata; the core portion of the ''Mahabharata'' ...

and

in August of the said year.

Acting career

In 2004, Sillona appeared in a recurring role on

's drama series ''

Narito Ang Puso Ko ''Narito ang Puso Ko'' () is a 1992 Filipino drama film directed by Chito S. Roño. The film Lorna Tolentino and Gabby Concepcion. Produced by Viva Films, the film was released on September 30, 1992, and was a box office success. Tolentino's perf ...

''. It was immediately followed with a main role on an episode of '' Love to Love'' entitled "Duet for Love", where he was teamed up with

Toni Gonzaga Celestine Cruz Gonzaga-Soriano (; born January 20, 1984), better known as Toni Gonzaga, is a Filipino singer, host, actress, producer, vlogger and entrepreneur. She is the former lead host of long-running reality show, ''Pinoy Big Brother''. To ...

. He played the role of Marvin, an Amboy who went on vacation to a beach resort and met a girl named Tammy, on which he shares the same things in common like singing.Plot of Love to Love episode 'Duet for Love'
.

Internet Movie Database IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...

Retrieved September 4, 2010 In December 2004, he made his film debut on

Regal Films Regal Entertainment, Inc. (formerly and more commonly known as Regal Films) is a Philippine film production company based in Pasig. It was founded by Lily Monteverde on August 19, 1962. It has produced movies of all genres; and is the oldest s ...

' entry for the year's

Metro Manila Film Festival The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is an annual film festival held in Metro Manila, Philippines. The festival, which runs from December 25 (Christmas) through New Year's Day and into first weekend of January in the following year, focuses on ...

, ''

So Happy Together So Happy Together may refer to: * ''So Happy Together'' (album), by Grifters, 1992 * ''So Happy Together'' (film), a 2004 Filipino film * "So Happy Together", an episode of ''the Mighty B!'' * A line from Happy Together (song) "Happy Together ...

''.A cast of winners in ‘Happy Together’
. ''

'' Retrieved September 4, 2010 He portrayed the minor role of Brent, a young man who later became

's love interest in the movie.Cast and roles on Happy Together
. ''

'' Retrieved September 4, 2010 In summer 2005, he was cast on another episode of ''Love to Love'', entitled "Haunted Lovehouse". He played Bogart, a guy who inherited his grandfather's land. Unfortunately, Nadia (

Chynna Ortaleza Lara Serena Roque Ortaleza-Cipriano (born December 6, 1982), professionally known as Chynna Ortaleza, is a Filipino actress, television host, and model. She is currently a contract star of GMA Network. Career Ortaleza landed her first TV gig as ...

) built a house on his land, forcing them to share the house together.Plot of Love to Love episode 'Haunted Lovehouse'
.

Retrieved September 4, 2010 He later starred on a

feature film A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...

, ''Hari ng Sablay'', which was released on November 30, 2005.Walden Sadiri, Showbiz, " ay R Stars on Hari ng Sablay, ''

'' Retrieved September 4, 2010 Before the year ended, he played the

antagonist An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the chief foe of the protagonist. Etymology The English word antagonist comes from the Greek ἀνταγωνιστής – ''antagonistēs'', "opponent, competitor, villain, enemy, riv ...

role of Haring Bagulbol on '' Exodus: Tales from the Enchanted Kingdom''. The film was Regal's entry for

2005 Metro Manila Film Festival The 31st Metro Manila Film Festival was held in Manila, Philippines from December 25, 2005 to January 7, 2006. Zsa Zsa Padilla, Marvin Agustin and the movie, ''Blue Moon (2006 film), Blue Moon'' topped the 2005 Metro Manila Film Festival The M ...

.‘Exodus,’ Reality Entertainment’s initial foray into the movies
. ''Manila Bulletin'' Retrieved September 4, 2010 It was critically acclaimed, earning ten awards and numerous nominations.List of awards received by Exodus
. Internet movie Database Retrieved September 4, 2010 In addition, the film was praised due to its impressive use of

visual effects Visual effects (sometimes abbreviated 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 foota ...

. In 2006, Sillona played a recurring role on '' Encantadia: Pag-ibig Hanggang Wakas''. He portrayed Azulan, a strong and gorgeous leader of the Bahaghari, who fancies Sangg're Amihan (

Iza Calzado Maria Izadora Ussher Calzado-Wintle (born August 12, 1982), known professionally as Iza Calzado (), is a Filipino actress, television host, dancer and model. She is dubbed as the "''Goddess of Horror Films''" by local media for her acting prowes ...

). On January 1, 2008, he starred on another

entry entitled ''Desperadas''. He played the sexy role of Vito, an

underwear model Glamour photography is a genre of photography in which the subjects are portrayed in erotic poses ranging from fully clothed to nude. The term may be a euphemism for erotic photography. For glamour models, body shape and size are directly relate ...

who works for Courtney (

Marian Rivera Marian Rivera Gracia-Dantes (; born 12 August 1984) is a Filipino recording artist, actress, and commercial model. She gained prominence as a widely-acclaimed actress for her roles in '' MariMar'', ''Dyesebel'', '' Amaya'', ''Darna'' and '' Te ...

), and likes Isabella (

Ruffa Gutierrez Sharmaine Ruffa Rama Gutierrez (born June 24, 1974) is a Filipino Model (person), model, beauty queen, host and actress. She was the 1992 Look of the Year - Philippines, Binibining Pilipinas World, Binibining Pilipinas World 1993 and Second Run ...

), but cannot get her to commit.Ryan Mark (July 22, 2007)
Sexy Jay-R sa Desperadas
, ''The Philippine Star'' In October of the same year, he portrayed Pato, a recurring role in the Filipino adaptation of ''

LaLola ''Lalola'' was an Argentine television comedy show that aired from 28 August 2007 to 29 April 2008. It was broadcast by TV channel América 2. It starred Carla Peterson and Luciano Castro as protagonists. The show won nine Martín Fierro Awards f ...

''. Before 2008 ended, ''Desperadas'' was immediately followed by its sequel, rushed as Regal's entry on the

2008 Metro Manila Film Festival The 34th Annual 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, ...

. Sillona reprised his role, Vito, for the film, where it was reported that Gutierrez did not approve on having a kissing scene with him.Jay R inaayawan ni Ruffa na maka-kissing scene
. ''The Philippine Star'' Retrieved September 4, 2010 In 2009, he played Vince, a lead role on '' Dear Friends episode, "The Three Bachelors" starring opposite longtime music partner

Other ventures

Sillona has admitted himself as a business-minded person, saying that unlike show business, he wanted something stable and something that's working already. In 2007, he built a recording studio in his house called JAYRS Music, which was later renamed as Homeworkz Studio. With a studio, he had to follow it with a recording label, and so he did. It was named as Homeworkz Records. Under the label, he self-handedly writes and produces songs, and has recorded three of his albums—'' Christmas Away from Home'', ''

'' and ''

''. In 2008, the song "Kayan Natin Ito", a tribute for the victims of the 2009

Typhoon Ondoy Typhoon Ketsana, known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Ondoy, was the second-most devastating tropical cyclone of the 2009 Pacific typhoon season, causing $1.15 billion in damages and 921 fatalities, only behind Morakot earlier in the seas ...

, was recorded in his Homeworkz Studio, together with various OPM artists. Under Homeworkz Records, he is managing an alternative band called Kley, wherein the lead singer is his very talented and beautiful

niece In the lineal kinship system used in the English-speaking world, a niece or nephew is a child of the subject's sibling or sibling-in-law. The converse relationship, the relationship from the niece or nephew's perspective, is that of an ...

DeeJay.Jay R manages his niece's alternative band
". ''telebisyon.net'' Retrieved February 12, 2010 In February 2007, Sillona launched a club at

Glorietta Glorietta is a shopping mall complex in the Ayala Center, Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines. The mall is owned by Ayala Land and operated through its subsidiary, the Ayala Malls. The mall is divided into five sections (named Glorietta 1–5) and ...

, called Rock Candy. However, it blasted as it was part of the

2007 Glorietta Explosion The 2007 Glorietta explosion occurred in the Glorietta 2 section of the Glorietta shopping complex at Ayala Center in Makati, Metropolitan Manila, in the Philippines, on October 19, 2007, at around 1:25 PM PST. Initial reports indicated that t ...

in October 2007.Jay R's businesses
. ''Philippine Entertainment Portal'' He lost millions of his investments, stating "I never recovered my capital as it happened at a time when the club was already picking up".
. ''mirrorwildthoughts.blogspot.com'' Retrieved February 12, 2010 After the disaster, he decided to just focus and invest on a

Ministop (), a member of AEON (company), AEON, operates the Ministop convenience store Franchising, franchise chain in Japan. Unlike most other convenience stores in Japan, Ministop stores feature a kitchen that prepares sandwiches, snacks and take out b ...

outlet that he bought at Wilson Street in

Greenhills Shopping Center Greenhills, formerly and still commonly known as the Greenhills Shopping Center, is a mixed-use shopping, residential and leisure development located in Greenhills, San Juan, Greenhills, San Juan, Metro Manila, the Philippines. Established by Or ...

, instead of reconstructing his club. He stated in an interview that

Katya Santos Katya Santos (born 1981/1982) is a Filipino actress and model. She started her career on the Philippine television series ''Ang TV'' and ''Oki Doki Doc'' at the age of 13. Since then she has become a sex symbol in the Philippine cinema having sig ...

was the one who recommended him to go into this kind of business. He also had ideas of owning a

Burger Machine Burger Machine is a Filipino chain of fast-food restaurants owned by the Burger Machine Holdings Corporation, a sub-company of the Philippine-based Gilmore Food Corporation. The chain is notable for its outdoor stalls commonly located along stre ...

branch, but as he inquired, he knew that the business has no franchise. He expressed interest in having a branch of

Mang Inasal Mang Inasal Philippines, Inc., also known as Mang Inasal, ( Hiligaynon for "Mr. Barbecue") is a barbecue fast food restaurant chain in the Philippines, established in Iloilo City in 2003. History The company was started by Edgar "Injap" Sia ...

, but has not pursued it yet, since it requires ₱7 million for the area, and twenty-eight persons for manpower. He also stated that he wants to have his own water station, and not a franchise.Jay R's businesses interests
. ''Philippine Entertainment Portal'' 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 Tropicana may refer to: Companies *Tropicana Entertainment, a former casino company that owned several Tropicana-branded casinos *Tropicana Products, a Chicago-based food company known for orange juice Hotels and nightclubs *Tropicana Casino & Re ...

, and Colgate.Iya, Jay-R renew Sun Cellular contract
. ''

'' Retrieved September 3, 2010Shaina, Jay-R – two of today’s sought-after product endorsers
. ''

'' Retrieved September 3, 2010 He is also a commercial model for Bench Body, Techno Marine, Unisilver,

Adidas Adidas AG (; stylized as adidas since 1949) is a German multinational corporation, founded and headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing and accessories. It is the largest sportswear manufactur ...

Skechers Skechers USA, Inc. is an American multinational footwear company. Headquartered in Manhattan Beach, California, it was founded in 1992 and is now the third largest footwear brand in the United States. History Skechers was founded in 1992 by Ro ...

and Calayan Surgicenter.Jay R represents Bench Body on Fashion Week
. ''

'' Retrieved September 3, 2010Rommel Gonzales (June 21, 2007)
Jay-R enjoys bachelorhood but remains loyal to his girlfriend
, ''Philippine Entertainment Portal''Jay R as brand ambassador of Adidas
. ''Philippine Entertainment Portal''Jay R endorses for Dr. Manny Calayan
. ''Philippine Entertainment Portal''

Philanthropy

In 2008, Sillona re-released his 2006 Christmas album, '' Christmas Away from Home'' into ''Holiday of Love'', under his own label called Homeworkz Records.Holiday of Love sales donated to Kapuso Foundation
. ''philstar.com'' Retrieved February 12, 2010 Sales of the album were donated to

's Kapuso Foundation.Sales from Holiday of Love album were donated to Kapuso Foundation
". ''mb.com.ph'' Retrieved February 12, 2010 In 2009, he was part of the recording for the song, "Kaya Natin Ito", a tribute to the victims of the

. The song was recorded in his Homeworkz studio. All proceeds from the single's sales went towards

Philippine Red Cross The Philippine Red Cross (PRC; fil, Krus na Pula ng Pilipinas) is a non-profit humanitarian organization and a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The PRC was established in 1947, with roots in the Philippine Rev ...

and

Gawad Kalinga Gawad Kalinga (GK) ("to give care" in Tagalog) is a Philippine poverty alleviation and nation-building movement known officially as the Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation. Its mission is to end poverty for 5 million families by 2024. ...

.Jocelyn Dimaculangan, Entertainment Guide/Music,
OPM artists aim to uplift the spirit of typhoon victims
, ''PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal)'', November 20, 2009 On June 30, 2010, he performed with

and

Jed Madela John Edward Tiña Tajanlangit (born July 14, 1977), professionally known as Jed Madela, is a Filipino singer, recording artist, songwriter, TV host, entertainer, and occasional actor. He was the first Filipino to win the World Championships o ...

on the victory street party of

Philippine President The president of the Philippines ( fil, Pangulo ng Pilipinas, sometimes referred to as ''Presidente ng Pilipinas'') is the head of state, head of government and chief executive of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of t ...

Benigno Aquino III Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III (; February 8, 1960 – June 24, 2021), also known as Noynoy Aquino and colloquially as PNoy, was a Filipino politician who served as the 15th president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016. The son of ...

, after the president's

inauguration In government and politics, inauguration is the process of swearing a person into office and thus making that person the incumbent. Such an inauguration commonly occurs through a formal ceremony or special event, which may also include an inaugu ...

.Mark Angelo Ching (July 1, 2010)
President Noynoy Aquino sings two songs in victory concert party
, ''Philippine Entertainment Portal''

Personal life

On March 1, 2020, Jay R married singer-actress

Mica Javier Mica Cecille Javier-Sillona (born July 29, 1993) is a Filipina singer, actress and model. Early life Javier was born in Manila, Philippines, the daughter of businessman and politician Leonardo "Sandy" Javier Jr. Her paternal uncle is Danny Jav ...

in an outdoor ceremony at the Lind in

Boracay Boracay (; often locally shortened to Bora) is a resort island in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines, located off the northwest coast of Panay. It has a total land area of , under the jurisdiction of three barangays in Malay, Akla ...

Malay, Aklan Malay , officially the Municipality of Malay (Aklanon language, Aklanon: ''Banwa it Malay''; Hiligaynon language, Hiligaynon: ''Banwa sang Malay''; tl, Bayan ng Malay), is a 1st class cosmopolitan municipality of the Philippines, municipality in ...

Discography

* ''

'' (2003) * ''

Jay R Gaudencio Sillona III (born February 1, 1981), known professionally as Jay R, is a Filipino-AmericanRicky Lo (April 11, 2004)Jay R: The Heart of The Hunk, ''The Philippine Star'' singer, songwriter, record producer, actor and model. In 2003, he ...

'' (2005) * '' Christmas Away from Home'' (2006) * ''

'' (2008) * ''

'' (2010) * ''Elevated'' (2014) * ''Kamusta Ka'' (2018) * “Pangako with CLR” (2020) * “Seryoso” (2020) * “Undeniable with Kyla” (2020)

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

Notes

References

External links

Official website
* * {{authority control 1981 births Living people American expatriates in the Philippines American musicians of Filipino descent Filipino male television actors Filipino male pop singers Filipino contemporary R&B singers 21st-century Filipino male singers Filipino songwriters Filipino singer-songwriters Filipino male voice actors Filipino male models GMA Network personalities Male actors from Glendale, California Writers from Glendale, California ABS-CBN personalities American contemporary R&B singers American soul singers 20th-century American male singers 20th-century Filipino male singers 21st-century American male actors 21st-century American male singers 21st-century Filipino male actors Filipino male film actors