Jay R was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, and grew up in a musically inclined household, which led him to pursue music at an early age—singing with a prominent Top 40’s band called The Howlers across LA in the late 90s, and then eventually joining a boy band called First Impression soon after. He began producing original music for local artists in LA as a teenager, which led to him completing his own full-length album and pursuing his solo career. He caught the attention of industry executives from the Philippines and was offered a recording contract with Universal Records Philippines, and a network contract with one of the country’s leading TV stations, GMA 7 Network.
Upon moving to the Philippines, Jay R released his debut album called Gameface, which garnered numerous accolades, with the record hitting double platinum, winning multiple awards, establishing a timeless hit song entitled, “Bakit Pa Ba” among other hits (“Design For Love”, “Kung Mahal Ko Siya”), which solidified his place in the OPM industry, which then earned him the title of the “Philippines’ King of R&B”. He has since embarked on multiple tours across the globe, performing for Filipino audiences internationally.
Today, Jay R continues to produce, write, release, and perform his original music and can often be seen performing on TV shows. He continues to help elevate the Philippine music industry through his own independent record label, Homeworkz Entertainment Services, where he produces, distributes and promotes original music from his own roster of uniquely talented Filipino artists.
The Filharmonic
The Filharmonic, an LA-based a cappella group of Filipino-Americans who were featured in NBC’s hit musical competition, The Sing-Off, has much to sing about. After the show the 5-piece vocal group kept the momentum rolling with countless national and international shows, they were featured in the Universal Pictures hit movie, Pitch Perfect 2, and set off a viral sensation with their Late Late Show appearances. They have performed with artists like John Legend, Shawn Mendes, and many more. The Filharmonic brings their unique blend of hip hop, pop, and R&B to stages everywhere and can be found on YouTube and all music streaming platforms. You can also check them out on social media @thefilharmonic. They consist of vocalists Vj Rosales, Joe Caigoy, Trace Gaynor, Vocal Bass Jules Cruz, And Beat Boxer Niko Del Rey. “A cappella masterpiece” - JUST JARED “Absolutely fun and entertaining and grabbing from the firstnote” - TV GUIDE “The Filharmonic style mixes hip-hop sound with 90’s nostalgia...linking their passion for a wide variety of performance styles”- HOLLYWOOD REPORTER “The Filharmonic wow audiences with their almost superhumana cappella abilities” - SOULTRAIN “The Filharmonic knows how to put on an effortless performance,dancing and just having a party” - ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
