It has been six years since Jona transferred to ABS-CBN from GMA-7.
Jona, who started as Jonalyn Viray, was the winner of GMA-7’s Pinoy Pop Superstar in 2005. She transferred to ABS-CBN in 2016, and changed her screen name to Jona.
In her PEP Spotlight interview aired on February 1, 2022, Jona says that a lot of things have changed since she became a Kapamilya.
She tells PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal), “I think isa sa mga changes na iyon is iyong maturity ko bilang music artist. Parang pakiramdam ko mas lumalim iyong appreciation ko sa music. And siyempre, the way I also sing, parang mas disciplined, mas controlled.
“Also, feeling ko lang naman ano, parang mas nabibigyan ko ng taste and emotions. And also, masuwerte rin ako kasi iyon nga, nakakapag-collaborate din ako sa mga prime artists ng ABS-CBN.
“Nabibigyan din ako ng chance to go worldwide ba, to appear in a major global platform.
“So ayun, parang iyon iyong isa sa magagandang changes for me, parang mas naging malawak, mas maraming puwedeng gawin.”
But what Jona really considers as a milestone in her career in ABS-CBN was when her first solo album Jona (2017) went platinum.
Jona recalls, “Simula noong gumawa kami ng album sa Star Music, ang ganda ng feedback ng audience sa album na iyon, so it became platinum.
“Parang first time ko nagkaroon ng platinum album!”
She had previously shared the milestone of going platinum in 2005, when the official album of Pinoy Pop Superstar finalists achieved this distinction.
Adding to her career highlights, Jona recalls the time three of her songs made it to the Billboard Philippines chart all at once, and when she won seven awards in the 2018 Awit Awards.
NO BRIDGES BURNED IN GMA-7
Despite these good changes in Jona’s career, Jona remains grateful to her first home, GMA-7.
In fact, Jona made sure that she did not burn any bridges with her former network.
She says, “Actually! Kasi bago kami siyempre officially nag-appear sa ABS-CBN, siyempre, nakipag-usap muna kami sa mga bosses namin sa GMA na naging mga kaibigan din namin.
“Sinabi namin na ganito iyong plan namin, ganito ganyan. Nagkataon din naman kasi during that time, kinailangan ko na rin talaga mag-take ng risk. Kasi siyempre, that time, sampung taon na ako sa industry.”
Jona thought long and hard about why she needed to take a risk when it comes to her career.
She continues, “So parang I felt the need to take a risk na kasi, may kasabihan naman tayo na kapag hindi ka nag-take ng risk, hindi mo malalaman kung anong resulta kaya mas mabuti na mag-take ka ng risk kaysa regret.
“Kaysa mag-regret ka na hindi mo ginawa. And we’re very happy naman with our decision, with everything.
“Basta sa lahat ng mga pinagdaanan ko mula noong simula, sobrang nagpapasalamat ako doon.
"And nagpapasalamat din ako sa GMA for understanding, for allowing me and for all the support din nila sa akin noong mga panahon na iyon.
“Thankful din naman ako sa ABS din noong simula na iyon kasi in-open din nila iyong door para sa akin.”
Currently, Jona has just returned to ASAP Natin 'To after taking a short hiatus from show business.
Watch Jona's full PEP Spotlight interview here: