How do you solve a ‘problem’ like Jake Zyrus? Just do it to be happy and free, says the transgender man.
Having transitioned from being born as Charice then coming out as a lesbian to now as a transgender man, Jake Zyrus couldn’t be happier.
Jake, the artist formerly known as Charice Pempengco, feels like being born again as he enjoys every bit of adjustment he is going through.
“Iba ’yung feeling ngayon. Kapag bibigyan ako ng schedule at kahit araw-araw, wala akong pakialam. Huwag lang ako magkakasakit. I don’t mind working kahit late pa iyan, I appreciate everything now. Lahat magaan sa akin. Alam ko na lahat ng gusto kong gawin, masarap sa feeling. You’re working hard at lahat bumabalik sa iyo,” Jake said.
He appreciates everything that has changed – from his wardrobe to song choices. The long hair has been long gone and Jake now looks manlier because of his testosterone injections.
Asked what she doesn’t miss as Charice, he said, top of mind, “(Sa pagaayos) sa damit at, siyempre, sa hair. Naalala ko pa dati na ang daming nag-aayos sa iyo. Ikaw nakatulala ka lang, may separate pang tao para maglagay ng nail polish. Dati nu’ng Charice, grabe mga binibigay sa akin, Jimmy Choos. So ang laki ng natitipid ko (ngayon). (Pero) since malaki (ang sizes) sa Men’s (section), pumupunta ako sa Boy’s. ’Yung makeup, (ngayon) less than 10 minutes, okay na.”
Now on his fourth month of testosterone injection, Jake’s physical looks and voice have changed. He likens it to a boy undergoing puberty.
Jake underwent top surgery under Dr. Manny Calayan.
“Umiyak ako, paggising ko, flat na siya (referring to her chest). Sinurprise nila ako ng birthday cake and kumanta sila ng ‘Happy Birthday.’ Pinagisipan daw talaga nila ’yung sa top surgery ko, apat na doctors daw ang gumawa,” he said.
Jake shyly admitted he has more female admirers now. Compliments, whether sincere or not, add to his confidence
“Masarap sa feeling kasi pangarap ko iyon eh. Kahit na binibiro nila ako, you know what, I’ll take it. Any compliment is still a compliment for me. Iba ’yung feeling na naba-validate kung sino ka. Mas nagiging proud ka at masaya.”
Charice was known for belting, especially in doing Whitney Houston and Celine Dion songs. Now, Jake no longer feels restricted to that genre.
“Since iyon ’yung trabaho ko, every night iyon ’yung kinakanta mo. Sa rehearsal dapat ilabas mo din 100%. Kapag nag-perform ka, extra effort pa. Hindi din naman biro ’yung pinakanta nila sa akin. Hindi ko naman hate, it’s just that, uncomfortable lang kasi you had to do it. Alam mong iyon ’yung gustong naririnig ng mga tao talaga,” he said.
Jake feels more excited than ever to sing as he experiments on various songs that would fit his range.
“Andoon ako sa parang nagbibinata, nag-a-adujust pa. Mas na-i-enjoy ko siya kasi nakakapag-experiment ako ng ibang songs. Lahat ng artists na naririnig ko, tina-try kong kantahin para alam ko kung ano ’yung nahihirapan ako or bagay sa akin. Ngayon nalalaman ko ’yung mga kanta na kumportable ako, ’yung key.”
In taking on the songs of male singers, Jake realized it is hard for him to sing Ed Sheeran’s songs but he can do the range of Erik Santos and Shawn Mendes. While Jake came out as a transman, he clarified that he still likes singing ballads.
“Para kung may gawin akong ibang kanta, alam ko na kung paano ko kukunin. Sa ballads, na-realize ko na bagay sa akin mga kanta ni Kuya Erik Santos. Since bumibirit ako, bababa siya. For example, si Kuya Erik, kung bibirit, andoon pa din ’yung range ko na maaabot ko siya. Siyempre since na-experience ko lahat iyon, alam ko ’yung feeling. Hindi naman sa ayaw ko nang bumirit. Kahit na lumalim na ang boses ko, I still like singing ballad songs. Hindi ko naman ginawa iyon dahil I want to leave that,” he said.
Now, there’s no more hiding under Charice’s image.
“Kung hindi ako transgender, like feminine na lesbian, malamang bumibirit pa din ako na as a girl. Hindi iyon dahil sa ayaw mong bumirit but it’s about telling the people na malaman nila na hindi ako iyon. Iba ’yung feeling kapag ’yung sarili mo na talaga,” he said.
Jake feels more comfortable singing any song now because he has finally revealed the kind of person that he is.
“We’re talking about who you are na naaapektuhan ka emotionally, physically. Na when you go out and when you show yourself to people, masarap sa feeling na alam mo na ikaw iyan. Alam mo sa sarili mo na wala kang tinatago,” he said.
Jake added, “As a man, kapag nagbivideoke ako, binabanatan ko ‘Just Once,’ mga kanta ni Tito Gary V (Valenciano), before, situation may schedule ako, it wasn’t fun anymore,” he said.
Jake admitted that being not able to reveal his real self affected him emotionally and how he treated other people. Now, Jake looks much happier, friendlier and more comfortable.
“Sa sobrang hindi ko gusto ’yung nakikita ko, ’yung naririnig ko, to the point na naaapektuhan na ’yung attitude ko. I’m not even gonna deny it kasi ang daming nagsasabi sa akin na masungit, mayabang. Naiintindihan ko iyon,” he said.
Does he still want to do more transformations, we asked. Well, Jake said he is not in a hurry.
“Hindi ko naman minamadali. Ngayon nag-i-inject ako ng testosterone. When you do that, dapat ready ka talaga. Matagal pa talaga iyon,” he said.
Jake is set to perform in a concert at the Music Museum on Oct. 6.
Dubbed simply “I Am Jake Zyrus,” it is obviously an introduction of sorts.
The singer herself admitted, “It’s introducing a whole new person, parang bagong artist na ini-introduce sa inyong lahat. Basta, ang sa akin lang po ay ma-ishare lang ang music na pinapakinggan ko, ’yung ma-perform ang dati pinapangarap ko lang na mga songs, mga bagay feeling amin. So, Yes, I want to be recognized as Jake Zyrus but happy ako sa lahat ng na-experience ko as Charice, lahat ng achievements niya, but hindi para sa akin ’yun as Jake.” sa
Jake become tabloid fodder again recently after portraying her life in an episode of “Maalaala Mo Kaya.”
Jake is unmoved. “I take it as a good thing na people talk about it,” she said.
“Kahit ano, good or bad. Kasi para sa akin I’m just being myself. Whether they talk badly about it or whatever, thankful ako. Thank you for talking about me. I accept that, I totally accept that.”
Her “Maalaala Mo Kaya” episode caught the ire of his mom, who thought she was depicted in a bad light.
Jake explained, “It wasn’t my intention to hurt people or para siraan sila, no, no, no. It’s about me showing na there are people out there, na hindi lang miyembro ng LGBT but ’yung iba na may sitwasyon din sa family nila. I just want to reach out and say you’re not alone. Kung anuman ang nakita nin’yo sa story, lahat ’yun ay nangyayari sa totoong buhay.”
She doesn’t want to add fuel to the fire by addressing her mom’s declarations on media.
“Siyempre, mommy ko ’yan. Alam naman niya na mahal ko siya. I just wanted to inspire other people. It’s not to make her look bad. I just shared kung ano ang napagdaanan ko.”