Jessica Sanchez made her long-awaited return to the Philippine stage with a renewed sense of purpose, dedicating her concert to Filipino fans who stood by her through every chapter of her journey.

Set for 16 May at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, “Jessica Sanchez: Live in Manila” marked more than just a comeback performance for the singer-songwriter. It also represented a celebration of resilience, motherhood, faith and rediscovered passion after years of personal and professional transformation.

“It’s a very special night. It’s an opportunity for me to give back to everybody that supported me throughout the years,” Sanchez shared during a media conference. “Also the release of my album Szn and my song ‘Stronger Than Before’ with Morissette.”

The concert featured an all-star lineup of OPM icons and performers, including Regine Velasquez, Gary Valenciano, Martin Nievera, Morissette Amon, James Reid and Darren Espanto.

“I have a whole list of people whom I really, really wanted to be guests on the show and my whole list got approved and it happened. This is gonna be amazing,” she said.

Sanchez also revealed that she planned to perform Tagalog songs during the concert as a tribute to her Filipino supporters.

“For this concert, I will be singing Tagalog. I have to because I’m here in the Philippines and it is for all the Filipino people who have supported me,” she said.

Faith and a song collab with Morissette

The singer recently released “Stronger Than Before,” a collaboration with Morissette Amon that became especially meaningful because of their shared spirituality and personal experiences.

“I reached out to Morissette. I always, always admire her talent and her voice as well as her as a person because she is the sweetest,” Sanchez recalled. “I really, really wanted to work with her so I chatted with her and I asked her if she wanted to do a song together and she said yes.”

She added that both artists wanted the song to reflect their faith.

“One of the things that she really wanted to do is to make sure that the song will center into our faith because we shared the same faith and I said I’m so down for that,” Sanchez shared. “I feel like we have gone through so many things and we put ourselves into this song.”

For Sanchez, the message behind the song mirrors the realities she has endured both as an artist and a mother.

“There are plenty of things I can talk about that made me stronger than before. Becoming a mom and going through what I went through as a Filipino woman in this industry, so many things that really built me to who I am today, and I give credit to Jesus,” she said.

Emotional journey in song

Her new eight-track album, Szn, captures the emotional highs and lows of the past few years, including a period when she nearly walked away from music altogether.

“The whole idea of ‘Szn’ is kind of the pieces I have gone through, the season that I am in right now,” she explained.

Before eventually winning America’s Got Talent Season 20, Sanchez admitted she had begun questioning her future in the industry.

“I felt like the Lord has been telling me this is my season, my time,” she said. “Before trying out for AGT the 20th season, I was kind of giving up on music. I asked, ‘Lord is this what you want for me?’ I felt like I step forward then take 10 steps back.”

Her eventual victory became even more meaningful because she experienced it while preparing to become a mother.

“The talent show, well I was nine months pregnant, so that was very stressful,” she recalled. “My stomach was kind of big, so I kind of taught myself how to sing with my diaphragm and everything. That was a challenge in itself.”

Sanchez shared that motherhood ultimately changed the way she viewed herself beyond her career.

“I felt like the Lord was giving me a chance to shift my identity from just being music to now just being Jessica, being a mother, a wife, a friend and a sister,” she said. “It wasn’t just about ‘Oh I’m just a singer.’”

The singer also revealed that she began working on “Szn” just days before giving birth to her daughter, Eliana Mae, making the project one of the most personal works of her career.

“I literally started maybe a couple days before giving birth, I went to the studio and started creating the album,” she shared. “It’s very special for me and the title of the album reflects what I have been in the past years. I hope everyone gets inspired by it.”

Among the songs closest to her heart is “Golden Hour,” which she associated with moments spent with her daughter during pregnancy.

“My daughter, when I was pregnant, and I was performing it, she would kick a lot to that song,” Sanchez said. “And now, when she cries, and I play that song, she’ll just stop and stare.”

Tagalog song in the works

Beyond her current music era, Sanchez also confirmed that she is working on a Tagalog EP inspired by her growing connection to the Filipino language and culture.

“I’m learning Tagalog with my daughter right now with the flashcards and everything,” she revealed. “I also plan on collaborating in Tagalog with other Filipino artists.”

While keeping details under wraps, the singer hinted that the project is already in development.

“We are working heavily on that. I’m very excited that it’s gonna be coming out,” she said. “For the Tagalog EP, you guys have to wait just a little bit.”

Sanchez also expressed openness to exploring theater in the future, saying she wants to continue challenging herself artistically instead of limiting herself to one genre.

“I feel like I don’t want to put myself into a box because I’m a singer who just wants to sing different kinds of things,” she said. “I’m always open to trying new things.”