Jaya Age, Bio, Family

Her mother was Elizabeth Ramsey, a Filipina comedian and singer of Jamaican and Spanish-Filipino descent. Jaya also ventured into musical theatre, playing the role of Surpanakha in the 1999 Filipino musical Rama at Sita staged at the University of the Philippines Theater. Referred to as the country’s “Queen of Soul”, she is known for her distinctively deep voice and soulful singing style. Maria Luisa Ramsey Kagahastian (born March 21, 1970), known professionally as Jaya (/ˈdʒaɪə/), is a Filipino singer, actress, and television personality.

She released a Christmas album, entitled Kung Kailan Pasko which contained traditional carols alongside original compositions, including a jazz version of The Christmas Song. Jaya’s follow-up single, “One Kiss Per Minute”, was a minor dance hit, but failed to make the pop chart and the third single from the album failed to chart as did another non-album single in 1993. It was her third cover album, containing classic R&B and jazz khelaghor bd songs that she grew up listening to. It contains 14 love songs carefully picked and beautifully revived by the Philippine’s Queen of Soul, such as “Breathe Again” originally sung by Toni Braxton; “Old Friend” by Phyllis Hyman and “Save the Best For Last” by Vanessa Williams.

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After five years in the recording scene, she released her first greatest hits album, entitled Five featuring a duet of Habang May Buhay (While There’s Life) with Regine Velasquez and Kung Wala Na (If It Is Gone) from the Abandonada soundtrack. In 1999, Jaya released, her fifth album released in her native country since 1996, entitled Honesty originally done by Billy Joel, was also her career single. The album consists of songs taken from an earlier Jaya album, also called A Love Album, released in the United States in 1989, as well as songs recorded specifically for the 1992 Japanese release.

• She adorns Magpakailan pa Man (Up to the End), with soulful, Toni Braxton-styled flourishes, and renders the upbeat, “Together” with panache and verve.
• Jaya also ventured into musical theatre, playing the role of Surpanakha in the 1999 Filipino musical Rama at Sita staged at the University of the Philippines Theater.
• Jaya released an album under Universal Records entitled All Souled Out, a CD album containing 12 tracks of all revival songs.
• Another one is Vehnee Saturno, who wrote and produced most of Jaya’s early hits.
• After five years in the recording scene, she released her first greatest hits album, entitled Five featuring a duet of Habang May Buhay (While There’s Life) with Regine Velasquez and Kung Wala Na (If It Is Gone) from the Abandonada soundtrack.

Compilation albums

The first single was “Is It Over?” originally sung by Ronnie Milsap which received a Platinum award in 2009. Another one is Vehnee Saturno, who wrote and produced most of Jaya’s early hits. She approached her last album, 1999’s Honesty, in the refined manner that she furthered on Unleashed.

Her performance as the demon king Ravana’s sister, Soorphanaka, was memorable for her skillful treatment of risque songs and sultry dancing. She doesn’t add many soulful flourishes as before, nor does she allow herself to soar passionately to the heavens, which she often did on her previous albums. Honesty differs greatly from Jaya’s two previous major albums released in the Philippines, 1996’s Jaya and 1997’s In the Raw. A Love Album is exquisitely produced, and Jaya acquits herself well on the album’s upbeat R&B/dance-styled tunes and soulful ballads. In 1992, while touring Japan as a backup singer and keyboardist for American R&B artist Stevie B., Jaya was approached by the Japanese label Toshiba/EMI to make an album for Japanese release. Jaya is noted for being the Philippine music industry’s female record holder of a seven-times platinum album.