Jayesslee compliments K-Pop in recent Manila visit
YouTube sensations Janice and Sonia Lee, better known to their thousands of subscribers as Jayesslee, paid homage to the pop music of their Korean heritage at the press conference and concert held during their recent visit to Manila.
"K-Pop is taking over the world," Sonia said, grinning. "It really is. I think it's so catchy, their music. A lot of our fans request K-Pop covers."
Known for their exquisite harmonies and girl-next-door looks, Janice and Sonia have covered a few K-Pop tracks, giving their own acoustic flavor to songs like "Nobody" by the Wonder Girls and "Lonely" by 2NE1. The sisters admitted, though, that it wasn't easy selecting songs to cover.
'Songs reflect our heart'
Asked how they choose songs, the Jayesslee twins playfully replied, "We do not choose songs, they choose us!"
Turning serious, Sonia said, "Song choice is very important to us because the song affects our hearts as well. If it's something that reflects our hearts, something that we can relate to, that's the song that we do."
Janice said that it normally takes them a whole day to record a video.
Sang a few K-op songs
During their intimate concert at the Robinson's Forum, Jayesslee performed a total of 13 songs including "Jet Lag," "I Won't Give Up," "Safe and Sound," "Coming Home," "Just the Way You Are," "Breakeven," "Goodbye Baby," Payphone," "Nobody," "Failure in Disguise," "Dare You to Move" and "Price Tag."
Of the 13 songs, the girls sang three Korean songs, namely "Goodbye, Baby" (by miss A), Nobody" (by The Wonder Girls), and a Korean worship song which came after they sang their original song, "Failure in Disguise."
Insert Jayesslee in Manila.jpg (Caption: Jayesslee onstage in Manila. Photo courtesy of Becca Music)
Insert Sonia.jpg (Caption: Sonia and her guitar. Photo courtesy of Becca Music)
Insert Janice.jpg (Caption: Janice dances during the Jayesslee concert in Manila. Photo courtesy of Becca Music)
Fans who witnessed the talent and warmth of the Jayesslee twins know the duo has a deeper message to share.
Saw Mom's long bout with cancer
Before the end of their show, Sonia and Janice told the heartwrenching story of how they witnessed their mother's long bout with cancer when they were just children.
Openly Christian, the Jayesslee twins said how God healed and restored them when they lost their beloved mother. It was difficult not to cry when they honored their mother by singing the Korean worship song she sang during her last moments on earth.
For those who wish to experience more of Jayesslee, subscribe to their very popular YouTube channel (Link: http://www.youtube.com/user/Jayesslee). Here are some of the Korean songs covered by Jayesslee.
Nobody
God is our Protector
A Long Long Time Ago
Catherine Deen blogs for Yahoo! Philippines OMG! She lives, eats and breathes Korean music, cuisine, telenovelas and pop culture. Follow her on Twitter @cathsdeen.