20 years of Jay R, ‘King of R&B’

In late 2020, right in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, Jay R (real name: Gaudencio Sillona III) and his wife Mica Javier had to fly out to the United States to be with his family in Los Angeles, California, where he grew up. His father, Gaudencio "Jun" Sillona Jr., fell seriously ill and had "six months na lang to live." But in a happy twist of fate, he went on to live for two more years.

"So, every day was a blessing," Jay R said about his dad's final years. "I was just there visiting him. I was able to spend time with him before he left. Kaya it was a blessing in disguise talaga."

Sillona Jr. passed away on 12 August. "Love you dad. See you again on the other side," his musically gifted son said in an Instagram post.

Less than two weeks later, when Jay R had gone back to the Philippines, the R&B singer-songwriter spoke to reporters in a press conference promoting his reunion concert with perennial singing partner, Kyla. Their concert, titled Back In Time, takes place on Saturday night, 2 September, at the New Frontier Theater in Cubao, Quezon City.

Jay R recalled starting out in the music scene in 2003 with the release of his debut album, Gameface, and being told to abandon singing with heavy R&B inflections (or kulot) for the more popular birit (belting) way of performing. But he stuck to his guns and persisted on doing his brand of music.

Around that time, he joined GMA 7's then popular Sunday afternoon musical program SOP and got "paired right away" with Kyla, who was already making waves as a performer who could do both kulot and birit songs with equal ease and excellence. The pairing gave birth to the JayLa "love team" that gained a lot of followers and made them the Philippines' King and Queen of R&B.

'Magical' chemistry

"We didn't really have chemistry when it comes to the love team," Jay R clarified at the presscon, in response to the question asked by DAILY TRIBUNE. "It was always chemistry through singing, music. Pero siyempre dito, pag love team ka na, you have to get into acting, and that was the most awkward pa, the acting. We didn't really have that chemistry because we're not really actors.

"When we were together sa set, nagagalit na ang mga directors kasi we were just looking at each other and we would start laughing and it's a serious scene… Direk would be yelling at us. From there, we had to behave and learn the chemistry. With the director yelling, doon kami naging disciplined. That's how we developed chemistry na hindi kumakanta."

"But when it comes to singing, very natural lang," he added. "When we're onstage, we speak the same language pagkanta, 'yung mga kulot namin, pag-harmonize namin. Hindi na kami mag-uusap."

Twenty years down the line, Jay R happily noted, "the chemistry musically is still there. Parang it's very natural to us. It resonates talaga sa audiences, sa fans. Parang, 'wow, when you put these two together, it's magical.' It's not something manufactured. I think that's the word for it. It's very magical."

For Back In Time, Jay R said they would be performing together close to 30 songs, including medleys. "We want to make sure this show is very sulit sa mga fans, especially kasi this is the 20-year reunion after so long."

The title of their concert, he added, is actually a song he wrote and produced for Kyla back in 2008.

Jay R is also celebrating his own 20th anniversary in the music industry, starting with the release of the first cut from his new album, Blessed, on 1 September. Then, he flies back to the US for a concert tour that will take him to Orlando, Florida (16 September); Falls Church, Virginia (7 October); LA, California (November); and Kauai, Hawaii (December).

There are bigger goals for him to achieve, now that Fil-Am rappers are getting attention, like Ez Mil, who's just been signed up by superstars Eminem and Dr. Dre's label, Shady Aftermath.

"It only gives me more inspiration to keep going," Jay R said. "We can do it, we can do it! It's [been] proved already with Ez Mil. I'm still dreaming, and I feel I can do it still and [will] keep going to make the Philippines proud."