Last Sunday, June 14, the Philippines' Queen of Soul Jaya hosted the first episode of her first livestream Straight Talk With Jaya featuring her guests, her long-time friends Asia's Nightingale Lani Misalucha and Asia's Songbird Regine Velasquez-Alcasid.
During the livestream, the three iconic singers answered the question on whether there was a time in their lives that they lost their drives to continue on with their respective careers.
For Lani, she says there will come a point in people's lives where they will feel "inadequate" and "not enough."
"Siyempre, it would entail to that emotion na sinasabi nga natin na parang nawawalan na tayo ng drive," Lani said. "Siguro, kasi, siyempre, merong mga sitwasyon na nagli-lead sa ganoong pakiramdam na nawawalan ka ng drive, ayaw mo na, na 'Is it worth it to go on?'"
The singer, who is known for her heart-wrenching songs "Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin" and "Starting Over Again", admitted that she felt those exact emotions 10 years ago.
"Paano [ko] na-overcome 'yon? Parang inisip ko na lang [na] 'My gosh, I'm not actually doing this for myself.' I may have this love for music, I have this love for singing pero, siyempre, hindi lang naman 'yong sarili mo 'yong iisipin mo, eh. Marami kang sinasa-alang-alang sa buhay mo, mga mahal mo sa buhay, mga pamilya mo. So, you have to go on,” she explained.
Lani adds that there are people who believe in what you can do, keeping in mind what would happen to her fans and supporters if she would stop performing.
"Ang isang nag-drive din sa akin na I have to go and move on ay 'yong mortgage ko sa bahay. Mga jutang," she then said in jest.
When it came to Regine, she also believed she had the same feeling as Lani. She felt burned out in the midst of her stellar career as a musician.
"At that time, I was younger, I was so into my career and I had nothing else. Ni wala nga akong love life noon. Career ko 'yong love life ko," the "Araw-Gabi" and "Dadalhin" singer explained. "Umaabot ka rin sa punto na you get tired, but then...we are born with this gift. We are given this wonderful talent by God. Parang it's our responsibility to share it."
Because she believed her singing is a God-given talent, Regine believes the Higher Being would not like it if she chose not to use it anymore.
"I think that's why we are given gifts; not just to make our lives better or to make our family's lives better, but to be able to inspire a lot of people," Mrs. Alcasid went on. "I think number one naman 'yon, eh. 'Yong us being able to inspire others like singers, other young artists, so I think doon sa burnout na 'yon mas nanaig 'yon sa akin."
"Siguro, for a while, mabu-burn out ako pero I still want to be onstage, to perform because I know I'm going to be able to entertain a lot of people and, not only that, I'll be able to inspire new artists and new singers," she added.
For livestream host Jaya, she said she had countless times where she doubted her singing talent. However, when she tried to close the door, another door is opened by God.
"Every time I tried to quit, hindi siya natatapos. Merong bagong door na magbubukas," she said. "So, feeling ko talaga, like you said Mareng Reg, burnout is a factor but, then, the talent you cannot really keep it because it's meant to be shared.
Jaya, who is best known for her iconic song "Wala Na Bang Pag-Ibig", also agreed with Lani on obligations call for them to keep on what they do best.
"Sometimes, you feel like madaling magbago ng career pero, actually, hindi rin kasi mahal ko talaga 'yong pagkanta," she said.
The singer also said she felt the loss of drive a couple of months ago thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I felt like baka sabi ni Lord huwag na kumanta," she recalled telling herself. "This season, parang wala akong drive. I don't wanna sing, I don't wanna do anything, I just want to be at home."
However, it was God who moved her to keep on doing with what she does.
"When God says you're not done with anything that I've planned for you yet, hindi ka talaga matatapos and, lo and behold, there's a talk show here online that I'm doing with you guys." Jaya goes on saying."It's a continuing journey at huwag mawawalan talaga ng drive, ng focus...I'm back to loving what I do again.
Lani adds that a lot of people have felt what Jaya felt during the pandemic, saying the anxiety caught up on them.
"Marami talagang naka-experience sa atin nun, ano?" she points out. "Hindi lang ikaw, [pati] ako, especially noong [...] mga two weeks, nararamdaman mo na parang pagsubok talaga, eh. Pipilitin na subukan kung saan ka, kung ano ang kaya mo. Ganun 'yong pakiramdam na 'Oh my gosh! Heto na ba 'to? Heto na ba 'yong ibubuhos sa atin at kailangan i-prove natin 'yong sarili natin kakayanin ba natin? O ano 'yong pwede natin gawin?'"
Jaya would describe the anxiety felt in the pandemic as a "temporary blackout" after Lani pointed out that there will come a time that the clouds will clear and life will let you look into a different perspective.
"Hindi siya panghabang buhay," the Soul singer said. "So, definitely, it's one of those things na pagdadaanan and then you have to overcome and it's up to you kung paano mo siya i-o-overcome because some do it by faith, some do it by other means. But for us, the three of us, definitely walang katapusan itong ating ginagawa dahil mahal natin ang trabaho natin."
Watch the full first episode of Jaya's first live stream talkshow, Straight Talk With Jaya, on her Facebook page.
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