Fearless diva Jonalyn Viray moves on to the next chapter of her amazing and awe-inspiring career as one of the industry’s top female performers and recording artists.
Jonalyn was catapulted to mainstream prominence 10 years ago after she emerged as the first grand champion of GMA-7’s top-rating singing competition Pinoy Pop Supertsar, which was hosted by Asia’s Songbird Regine Valsquez in 2005. She eventually belted her way to the hearts of millions of Filipinos as one of the resident young divas of GMA-7’s Sunday musical variety shows SOP, Party Pilipinas, and Sunday All Stars. Jonalyn’s massive television exposure paved the way to numerous and consistent sold-out shows and concerts both here and abroad.
As a recording artist, Jonalyn recorded two full-length studio albums – On My Own in 2005 which was released by GMA Records and a self-titled album in 2013 under Creative Media Entertainment. Her successful recording career spawned such hits as “If We Just Hold On,” “Close To Where You Are,” Nakita Kang Muli,” and “Help Me Get Over You” which was part of the official soundtrack of GMA-7’s groundbreaking primetime series My Husband’s Lover, among many others.
This year, her colorful, decade-long journey as an exclusive artist of GMA-7 reached its bittersweet conclusion. “My contract with the network expired last May,” reveals Jonalyn. “I owe GMA so much I wouldn’t be who I am today if not for the nurturing of the network and its management. It really is a bittersweet feeling because GMA has been my home for 10 years and I will never forget everything they did for me, but at the same time I’m excited with what the future has in store (for me). The good thing is I could still appear in GMA shows and other networks as well. I am now officially a freelance artist and I’m looking forward to the new phase of my career.”
Today, Jonalyn recently mounted an SRO solo concert at Music Museum titled Journey Into My Heart, which chronicled her musical influences and the certified hits she recorded. She is also gearing up with the official launch of her 5-track EP titled Heart Of Glass under Creative Media Entertainment, which is set for release in 2016. The EP’s carrier single, which is also titled “Heart Of Glass,” was produced, arranged, and recorded in the US, and is now available for digital downloading.
As for the next steps of her career, Jonalyn beamed and simply smiled as she humbly said, “My management team is preparing a number of projects and I’m open for anything. One thing is certain though, I am not closing any doors. Instead, I am maintaining my past relationships and building new ones.”
For updates and more information like Jonalyn Viray Official on Facebook and follow her on Twitter and on Instagram at @jonalyn_viray.
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Ilustrado wins back-to-back
GMA’s Ilustrado, the first-ever bayaniserye on Philippine primetime TV, has been sweeping awards both here and abroad.
Alden Richards, played the role of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal in Ilustrado, which won the Silver Award for the Best Program Opening Sequence in the recently concluded PromaxBDA Asia Awards 2015 held in Singapore.
A few months ago, it was also a finalist in the PromaxBDA Global Excellence Award in New York. The groundbreaking bayaniserye, produced by GMA News and Public Affairs, utilized complex video graphics to recreate a 19th century European milieu.
Earlier this year, the historical drama series received a Certificate for Creative Excellence from the prestigious U.S. International Film and Video Festival.
Ilustrado has also earned the nod of Philippine award-giving bodies. It very recently won as Best Drama Mini Series at the 29th PMPC Star Awards for Television, with the series’ lead star winning Best Drama Actor.
The series was also recognized at the 37th Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) as the Best Drama Series/Program in November. This is the third year in a row that GMA News and Public Affairs took home the Best Drama Series Award from the CMMA. Highly-acclaimed TV miniseries Bayan Ko and Titser won the said award in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
GMA Records is set to release the DVD edition of Ilustrado this month.