Read about the winner J03m and the talented musicians he competed against.
Ten young musicians competed in the finals of Globe’s GoJAM On Stage Talent Search last April 23, 2022. Ahead of the finale, they spent time in a boot camp, where they had a chance to learn from the who’s who of the music industry.
Brian Lotho, December Avenue’s Zel Bautista, and Thryo Alfaro mentored them. Kroma Entertainment CEO Ian Monsod also shared pearls of wisdom with the contestants.
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Joshua Emerson Manzanares aka J03m claimed the title. Meet him and the other finalists in this FreebieMNL exclusive.
The talent search champion
Joshua Emerson Manzanares (J03m)
This guy counts his father, who turned him on to glam rock, among his biggest influences. J03m’s own material is a fusion of acoustic, indie, and R&B.
The 16-year-old multi-instrumentalist from Davao first got into music when he was 10. Demotivation is his number-one enemy. He shares that he has a lot of unfinished songs in his files. He’ll only flesh out a song if he likes it enough.
He wants to spend the next five years pursuing a career in music. His goal is to ensure that his fans will be able to relate to the stories he tells. In case music doesn’t pan out, his backup plan is to become a pilot.
J03m is thankful for the support of his friends, mentors, and parents. On Facebook, he wrote, ” I’m very late on posting this but yeah I’m really happy I won this contest. Finally got to showcase my songs and especially myself. I’m really excited to be signed by a record label because of my efforts. Thankful for all the people that supported me. xoxo.”
The boys
Alpha Yang
Alpha Yang started doing electronic dance music (EDM) remixes when he was young. This bedroom-pop DJ has over 1M streams on Spotify. It’s hard for him to share his music with the world because he’s an introvert. But he promises to fight that so he can collaborate with others and keep doing what he loves.
John Lloyd Reyes aka Jelry
This 23-year-old is a multi-instrumentalist whose songwriting secret is humming. When writer’s block hits him, he tries to feel others’ feelings so he can write about them. Although he shares a name with a famous actor, he wants people to call him “Jelry” moving forward.
Gem Matthew Largo
For Gem Matthew Largo, the best part of the GoJAM talent search was meeting other artists. Hailing from Imus, Cavite, he wants to combine new sounds with his home genre, pop-punk. Gem idolizes Ed Sheeran because the multi-awarded singer started from the bottom.
Miguel Justin Segismundo
Diversity defines Miguel Justin Segismundo. Bob Dylan and Paul Mccartney are the musical heroes of this 23-year-old from Parañaque City. Miguel doesn’t know what’s next for him. But in case he makes it, he wants to top the charts and tour.
Owen Grayson
For Owen Grayson from Pasay City, songwriting is like figuring out a puzzle. This 24-year-old starts by creating a beat and melody. His main technique is to mumble lines to come up with lyrics. An old soul, Owen wants to release more synthwave songs in the future.
The girls
Athena Gail Obre
Athena doesn’t limit herself to one genre. She does indie, jazz, pop, and R&B. Her technical knowledge of music helped her survive the competition. Athena says GoJAM opened her eyes and showed her what she needs to improve on.
Jan Christine Quiambao
This Pagadian city local almost never joined the competition. But with the help of her sister, she was able to build the confidence to share her talent with everyone. She plans to keep making music after the competition, saying that she “can’t stop after GoJAM .”
Pauline Rose Tan
Pauline dreamed of becoming a star after watching American Idol as a kid. For this 25-year-old, music should bring people “good vibes.” An aspiring songwriter, she’s currently delving deeper into music production. But no matter where she ends up, she’ll always be writing books and songs.
Serene La Madrid
Serene La Madrid writes songs that make people dance. This law student from Angeles, Pampanga writes political songs. Her music covers catcalling and extrajudicial killings. Being part of GoJAM made this 24-year-old’s life brighter despite the ongoing pandemic.
We’re sure these talented musicians will push the OPM scene forward in the coming days. Mabuhay ang musikang Pilipino!
Featured Image Daniella Sison
