Jessica Sanchez breaks down new 'Szn' album, reflects on Filipina-Latina identity

4 weeks ago 24

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Jessica Sanchez waves to members of the press after a media conference for her upcoming May 16 concert at the Big Dome

Philstar.com / Kristofer Purnell

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino-American singer Jessica Sanchez is basking in the joy of her current phase in life, both as an artist and as a mother.

The "American Idol" Season 11 runner-up made a stellar comeback to the spotlight by winning the 20th season of "America's Got Talent," two decades after reaching the semifinals as a child during the show's debut season.

Making the victory more memorable was the fact that she competed while pregnant and gave birth just a few weeks after being proclaimed the winner.

Jessica has now released a new album, "Szn," and is set to hold a one-night only concert at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday, May 16. She will not be alone onstage, as Regine Velasquez, Gary Valenciano, Martin Nievera, James Reid, Morissette Amon, Darren Espanto and Vice Ganda are also joining the show.

During a media conference last May 11 for her upcoming performance, Jessica was asked about "Szn," her first album since her 2013 debut, "Me, You & the Music."

The singer explained that the album is made up of "pieces of the seasons she's gone through and the season she's in right now."

She recalled telling loved ones during her victorious "America's Got Talent" run that she felt blessed to claim her time to shine.

"Before [that], I kind of was giving up on music — I've been doing this for such a long time, as you guys know," Jessica admitted.

Prayers led to not only a golden redemption on "America's Got Talent," but also to becoming a mother to her daughter, Eliana, further affirming her belief that this is truly her season.

"That's why this album is so special to me, because [while] it does talk about different seasons of my life, 'season' is a word that really stuck to me last year," she added.

Our time to shine

Jessica also took time to reflect on her journey as an artist, recalling how overwhelmed she gets whenever someone approaches her to say she is a representation of Pinoy pride.

"It just shocks me because I feel like I'm just this girl from Texas, a new mom," the singer continued. "But when people share that with me, it really hits me [deeply]."

She reiterated how much of her life has been documented on the internet, but pointed out that most people do not see the phone calls behind the scenes or the conversation where she was told what she was incapable of achieving as a woman of mixed ethnicity.

The family of Jessica's mom, Edith, hails from Samal, Bataan, while her father Gilbert is a Mexican-American and former a Navy reservist.

Jessica also pointed out how the music industry in the United States is predominantly made up of White and Black artists, making it difficult for Filipinos to get a break.

"I feel now we're getting our chance there, we're shining and showing everybody around the world that we Filipinos got talent in every area," the singer said, listing down other skills like dancing, acting, and sports.

All those experiences combined have made Jessica even prouder of her culture and heritage, and she said it feels especially meaningful to user her platform to provide representation for others.

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