King of RnB Jay-R chalked up another musical milestone when Elevated recently turned gold.
The awarding ceremony, presided over by PARI Chairman Atty. Marivic Benedicto and Homeworkz Ad Prom Officer Perry McDonald, was held at ABS-CBN’s Sunday noontime show A.S.A.P. on Jan. 22.
The album, released October 2014, sold more than 7,500 units, based on both digital and physical sales, according to data compiled by PARI and the Optical Media Board.
The former Your Face Sounds Familiar finalist feels a deep sense of fulfillment and vindication with his recent feat.
He exclaimed, “I feel great about receiving a gold record under my own label. All the hard work I put into the project really paid off. It was passion that kept my drive and spirit high. I’m passionate about spreading original music. I think originality and creativity is more important than statistics and numbers.”
The award, he said, feels even more rewarding because of the challenges faced by most indie music labels.
He explains, “Yes, it is harder. Being and independent label, you don’t have the major label budget to work with. You don’t have the connections of the major. You really have to start from the bottom up as far as distribution, promotion, recording, mixing, mastering, photo shoots, music video shoots, paperwork, permits, etc.”
Jay-R’s earlier works were also certified bestsellers. Gameface (2003) turned double platinum, Soul In Love (2008) earned platinum, and Jay-R Sings OPM Love Classics (2010) also turned gold.
He also feels equally proud of the accolades bestowed upon other artists in his Homeworkz label, most recent of which was Glaiza de Castro’s Synthesis album, which turned gold in 2016.
For Jay-R, the most fulfilling reward comes from knowing that original Filipino music has a bright future in the country.
He says, “I expect my fellow artists to realize that original music does sell. You don’t have to do remakes to sell music. It’s proven here at homework that our music lovers are looking for new creations. Classic songs will always be classic. But new songs are the future of OPM.”
Though still far off, it’s only a matter of time before Elevated eases into platinum status.
“I would love to hit platinum status! I will be promoting Elevated at the same time as my new release of the new album this year. If I keep at it, I’m hoping I will reach the next level,” he says, fingers crossed.
In the meantime, the OPM advocate is taking his much-needed break.
He admits, “I need to take a vocal rest. I’ve been going non-stop. One of the few flaws of doing what you love is you never want it to end. Of course, I realize it will end if I keep going.”
In closing, the Pinoy RnB icon gives due credit to his Homeworkz team as well as Pinoy music fans.
He says, “I want to point out that my special handpicked Homeworkz team is solid. It’s really a team effort. I couldn’t have done it without them. I would also like to thank all the music connoisseurs out there for keeping our OPM industry alive. We make music for your ears, hearts and souls. Thank you for allowing us music artists to have the best job in the world.”