Jaya
Jaya: Filipino Freestyler
Who is Jaya?
Jaya, AKA Maria Luisa Ramsey, is the Freestyle diva known for “If You Leave Me Now,” a duet she sang with Stevie B.
I love her voice. Please tell me about it.
Jaya is known for her big, dark voice. She is classified as a dramatic soprano, and can sing as much as Ab5 in her remake of “Through the Fire”.
So how did she get the name Jaya?
An American producer gave her that moniker when he signed her to a record deal in 1989.
What was her early life like?
She was born as Maria Luisa Ramsey in the Philippines. Her mother, Elizabeth Ramsey, was a locally famous comedienne and actress of Afro-Jamaican descent. Her parents separated after 7 years, so Maria barely knew her father. As a girl with three siblings, Ike, Anna, and Susan, she enjoyed listening to and admired great singers such as Pilita Corrales. When Ms. Corrales immigrated to the United States for more opportunities, so did Jaya’s family, in 1985.
How did her mom affect her career?
She started in show business at ten years old, dancing back-up for her mother. She danced solo starting in 1982. Even though she earned high grades in school and was elected class president, her busy stage lifestyle prevented her from graduating high school. In the US, she had a conflict-filled relationship with her mother, and she ran away from her in California in 1988 to New York. In the Big Apple, she worked hard doing back-up vocals for Stevie B. and MC Hammer. Her big break came in 1989 with the help of Stevie B. and the song, “If You Leave Me Now.” She released a self-titled album produced by Glenn Gutierrez, who had also produced Jocelyn Enriquez.
What did “If You Leave me Now” do for her career?
It gave Jaya the opportunity to work with top artists like Stevie B, MC Hammer, the Jets, James Ingram, and Milli Vanilli, among others.
What happened next?
She toured Japan in 1992, as a backup singer and keyboardist for Stevie B. The Japanese label Toshiba/EMI asked her to make an album for Japanese release. The result was her sophomore album, “A Love Album,” which was released in Japan in conjunction with Jaya’s American label, LMR Records. In 1999, PolyMax Records, a label of then-PolyGram Records Philippines, released another album of the same title, which included songs from the Japanese release and from the U.S. album.
Was that the end of Jaya’s Pilita Corrales connection?
Not at all! Pilita Corrales opened another door for Jaya. Ms. Corrales and Carmen Soriano, another long-time friend of her mother, heard Jaya sing and were so impressed, they brought Jaya home to the Philippines. From there on, Jaya has gone on to win many music awards due to her talent and powerful voice.
Is she still singing Freestyle songs?
Sadly for us, no, but her albums released in the Philippines continue to be blockbusters. She is known in the Philippines as the Queen of Soul. She married Gary Gotidoc and the couple have a daughter named Sabriya.
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