Jayke ready to show versatility

It had always been her dream to pursue a singing career — so when the opportunity came, 18-year-old Beatriz Jacqueline Reyes (called Jayke for short) didn’t have to think twice, even if it meant leaving Los Angeles and moving halfway around the world to Manila where she’s now on her way to establishing herself as one of the biz’s fast-rising young singers.

The daughter of Filipino immigrants, Jayke is the latest talent to join the Backroom family of artists. Another Backroom artist, actor-singer Arnold Reyes, is producing her album. Scheduled for release next month, the CD-Lite will be bannered by the carrier single, Jayke’s remake of Kay Palad Mo penned by Jimmy Antiporda and Jamie Rivera, arranged by Arnold Buena and popularized by Lilet.

When they were choosing materials for her album, she suggested to Arnold that maybe they could include a version of the song in the line-up. They also included a remake of Ferris Wheel, a song originally performed by Regine Velasquez.

Jayke’s long trek to music stardom began when she met Filipino designer Arielle Agasang in the US. “He helped me with clothes when I had performances in the States,” she said. In June 2009, Jayke and her family moved back to the Philippines, and they met Arielle again who networked her with industry players and one thing led to another.

The concept of the album is diverse. There are ballads meant to showcase her ability to hit the high notes; at the same time, there are R&B dance hits.

However, as a singer, Jayke is partial to R&B and pop. She imagines herself to be a stylized Sarah Geronimo, who can do R&B and pop, ballads and dance music, with equal ease. She doesn’t want to be identified just as someone who can “birit.”

She would rather work on becoming a versatile artist who can do almost anything. “For me naman kasi, ‘yung birit talaga, parang you show your voice, but it doesn’t fit every song,” explains Jayke. “I think (in the album), there should be a mix para hindi magsawa ang tao. That’s why for me, I don’t want all birit. I don’t want people to say that’s the only thing I can do.’”

Despite the exposure she’s had in the US — she attended the Los Angeles High School for the Arts, trained with Seth Riggs (who also taught the late Michael Jackson), did commercials and auditioned for shows on Nickelodeon and Disney — Jayke realizes that moving to the Philippines to launch a career means starting all over again.

She is coming into an industry dominated by people like Sarah and Angeline Quinto, not to mention the likes of Regine, and if she wants to find a place, she’s going to have to work doubly hard.

“I know it will be hard kasi siyempre, success is not easy. It’s never easy,” explains Jayke. “But I believe in myself, and I think I have a good chance of making it. My family and I sacrificed for my dreams, so for my parents especially, I need to really push.”

She knows she has weaknesses, like her inability to speak fluent Tagalog. However, she’s working on it. At the same time, she also has her strong points, like her bubbly, outgoing personality and her being focused and determined.

“As a singer, I really think I give my all. I know every singer gives their all, but I have a different quality from other singers, and I’m really dedicated. I know I can do anything. I’m really focused,” she says.

Once the album is released next month, people will be seeing more of this promising Filipino-American singer. She’ll be making the rounds of TV shows and malls to promote the album and single, which has already gained significant airplay on about five or six FM radio stations.

Right now, aside from putting the finishing touches to the album, she is also attending workshops and taking lessons in order to become an even better singer. So it won’t be long before we see this girl’s name in lights. Count on it.