Music speaks volumes to those still figuring things out. It holds the space between who we were and who we’re becoming. For Gen Zs and Millennials, it’s not just background noise. It’s the soundtrack of self-discovery, late-night overthinking, and healing wounds we didn’t know we had. Music is how we narrate our coming-of-age story.
It has the power to feel, heal, and connect, cutting through timelines, heartbreaks, and generational shifts. It’s a language of emotion, where words sometimes fail and melodies take over. It’s soul-deep storytelling: relatable, raw, and sometimes painful. The kind that hits you mid-walk, mid-cry, mid-healing. The kind that doesn’t ask permission to be felt.
And if life feels like a movie sometimes, music is what gives it that main character feels. From the slow intros of self-doubt to plot twists of heartbreak to crescendos of self-love and growth, we all crave a soundtrack that mirrors our story.
Jayda knows this feeling all too well—and she’s turning that cinematic emotional ride into songs that speak, resonate, and hit exactly where it hurts (and heals). Here, the young artist shares how she found the voice to narrate stories, one that is relatable, honest, and deeply connected to her generation and beyond.
‘Music is My First Love’
Every generation has an anthem, a melody, a verse that mirrors their messiest, most honest moments. And Jayda’s music is quickly becoming that for her. Already writing songs at the age of 12, she has long been driven by that immense passion to create music, to make a purpose out of it. “Music has always been really what’s in my heart. I really want to be able to connect to people through my craft and art.” For Jayda, it was never about just following a path carved by her celebrity parents, singer Jessa Zaragoza and musician Dingdong Avanzado. It was about writing her own.
She could’ve easily taken the acting route, but her heart had always been in songwriting and performing. “I’ve always known what I wanted to do, and I always knew that I was going to enter the entertainment industry. It was always gonna be as a singer first.” And with such a clear vision of what and who she wanted to be, by 14, Jayda had already released her debut single, Text, which she wrote herself. But even before that, she’d already performed as a front act for major international artists—including The Vamps at 12 and Niall Horan of One Direction in 2018. “It was such a surreal moment for me as a fan,” she shares, still very much a Directioner at heart.
Jayda lights up most when she talks about performing live. It’s where she feels the deepest kind of connection. “I love seeing the impact that I can create on people.” For her, there’s really something deeper with being able to connect and being seen through the music she makes.
In 2023, she expanded her reach into acting through Teen Clash, an iWantTFC original about young musicians navigating emotional highs and lows through music. It was a meaningful experience, but it only confirmed what she already knew.
“It was a pretty big moment for me, but like I said, at the end of the day, no matter what I end up doing, music is always going to be my first love.”
Music wasn’t forced upon her—it was embedded in her world, a natural part of growing up. “With my parents, like, they went on tour. They would take me with them. So, it was really natural for me to enter the industry. No one forced me to. I just found that it was my calling.”
‘To Make an Impact and Connect with People through Music’
Jayda may have grown up around the spotlight, but she’s no stranger to its sharp edges. Her parents always kept it real with her: that the entertainment industry can be unforgiving. You won’t survive by talent alone. You need to be resilient.
“You kind of sacrifice your private life, your personal life, to an extent. But of course, that’s on you to create the boundaries.” Jayda values openness, sharing glimpses of her life with fans, believing in the power of vulnerability. But she also knows the cost.
“People often feel like they can say whatever about you. Sometimes, to a point where they just kind of forget that there’s actually a human being behind this whole persona that you’ve created for yourself.”
Despite the noise, Jayda focuses on her why. She circles back to the intention behind her music: to connect, to make people feel less alone. “The positivity overpowers any negativity that might come with being in the industry.” And this is something her parents have been so transparent about when she decided to join the industry: that it is a cutthroat industry. As her mom puts it, “Handa ka na ba sa walang katapusang pagpapatunay sa sarili mo?”
However, even in moments of doubt, Jayda grounds herself in her purpose. “It’s all about bringing people together. I really like creating sad music. I don’t know why, because generally I’m a very happy person. And maybe that’s my gift: knowing what exactly how I feel and knowing how to say it. And hopefully, it helps people realize how they feel and help them process their emotions.”
For her, the goal is simple yet powerful: that someone, somewhere, listens to her music and feels understood. That they can say, “That’s exactly how I feel”—even if they didn’t know what and how to say it.
‘Something Painful or Melancholic Can Also Be Turned into Something Beautiful’
Jayda’s latest single, Bida, is a cinematic love letter to every Gen Z who’s ever felt like the main character, only to realize they weren’t.
It’s about the emotional whiplash of falling in love, thinking you’re the center of someone’s universe, only to find out they’re in love with someone else.
“With ‘Bida,’ I specifically detail the realization of knowing that you are actually not the main character of the person that you love. And you realize that they’re in love with somebody else.”
It’s unrequited love in 3 minutes and 20 seconds. And it hits hard.
But that’s what makes Jayda’s music so special. It transforms the ache into art. “It’s really amazing how so many people are able to come together over something that feels so painful and melancholic, but it’s able to turn into something beautiful.”
Jayda takes inspiration from observation—of watching how people move through love and life, tuning into moments often left unspoken. She’s noticed how the artist-fan dynamic has changed, especially with social media. “Back then, there was a lot more mystery around artists. There was a clear distinction between artists and people and fans. In this generation and in this time, it’s really a lot more about relatability and coming to a certain level where you meet in the middle.” She feels like artists have become more accessible—and for the better.
She sees this shift not as a challenge, but as an opportunity. It brings her closer to the people she’s creating for.
“I love keeping that in mind when I create music. I truly do believe that when it comes to artists, we always, to a certain degree, we care about what our audience thinks and what people say.”
Still, she’s aware of the pressure. With the rise of AI, constant connectivity, and the overwhelming expectations placed on young artists, Jayda stays grounded by surrounding herself with people who really support her. “These are challenges that come with the job.” But she stays rooted in her truth, letting music be her anchor.
And Bida is only the beginning. She’s excited to explore more genres, more stories, more sides of herself—maybe even acting again if the right role comes. But whatever direction she takes, storytelling through music will always be her home.
In a world that constantly asks us to prove ourselves, perform, and package our worth, Jayda chooses to stay real. Through lyrics that ache, verses that comfort, and melodies that speak, she reminds us that there’s power in feeling deeply, in telling the truth, and in writing your story, your way.
To anyone navigating heartbreak, uncertainty, or that quiet in-between stage of life, Jayda’s music says: you are not alone. And maybe that’s what it means to be the main character—not exactly getting the happy ending right away, but knowing your story is still worth telling.
Creative Direction & Photographed by Em Baun
Photographed at: Midnight Dream Studio
Makeup: Jims Oga
Hair: Charlie Manapat
Stylist: Van Mercado
Sheer Dress by: Ron Ramiro
Special Acknowledgement to UMG Philippines
Video: Mary Jane Manglicmot
Shoot assisted by: Junko Bartolo, Stephen Singson
Overall Coordination: Angel Altura | Niccole Mendoza
