Meet Jaeya Bayani

We were lucky to catch up with Jaeya Bayani recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jaeya, thanks for taking the time to share your lessons with our community today. So, let’s jump right in – one of the most essential skills for unlocking our potential is self-discipline. Where does your self-discipline come from?

My self-discipline is rooted in the hard work and deep personal investment that both of my parents have contributed to their careers. My dad is a professional dancer who has toured 50+ countries and is on the path to becoming an RN. My mom has been an RN for 20+ years, working her way from bedside to patient care management to nursing professional development. Observing their commitment and possessing the independence of an only child, I formed a strong internal compass early on.

I figured out that I wanted to be a performer and businesswoman early on, leading me to channel all my energy — whether it was positive, negative, or somewhere in between — toward those goals. This inner awareness helps this discipline feel intuitive rather than forced, especially when I’m prioritizing my many roles in my personal life and work.

Being a Hip-Hop practitioner has also reinforced this proactiveness. Professionally and personally, I understand that the individual never truly ceases in their journey as a student. I continue to learn something new as an artist, creative operations professional, and future law student everyday. What I’m working on now is balancing self-discipline and rigor with remaining present and building community. My goal is to shift from a place of criticism to compassion–filling my own cup, too.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am a Filipinx singer-songwriter, dancer, rapper, and music industry professional from the Bay Area, CA. I graduated summa cum laude from Columbia College Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Business: Recorded Music and Publishing and a Double-Minor in Hip-Hop Studies and Pre-Law Studies. I’m a GrammyU Ambassador, BMI member, and the 2024 recipient of the CCC Parker Lee Williams Award for Hip-Hop Excellence. For 5 years, I’ve established a space in the global Filipino music industry dedicated to uplifting underrepresented creatives through her roles as an Operations Assistant at The Luna Company, LLC (Traverse Music Group & Zion Agency), an Operations Director for Quilt Magazine. I recently transitioned into a Creative Operations Coordinator role for Supervillain, after a wonderful term as Music Publishing Administration Coordinator for Thizzler on the Roof.

With my events, marketing, and talent management expertise, I co-created and co-produced my first Fil-Am event with peer and friend Cali Castillo — Kapwa Chicago Vol. I — at the Rizal Center on April 27th. During this, I secured my first sync deal for “510” and “Believe Me” in Episode ONE of “No Room For Love” by Malou and Randal Kamradt. I’ve been featured in multiple blogs, articles, campaigns, and podcasts — not to mention the podcast I’ve cohosted, Movement, Body, & Soul. I practice movement to connect with her music; I’ve studied the funk style, popping, for more than four years, crediting my mentors with the knowledge I’ve received.

I released my freshman EP, BAYANI, in June 2023, and have led the lineup for Bay Area, Chicago, + ATX shows. My recent career highlights include headlining Darwin’s Piano Bar @ SXSW (03/13/2024) and APAture’s 25th Anniversary Music Showcase @ DNA Lounge by Kearny Street Workshop (10/13/2024). Having studied in the Bay Area and Chicago, I am a Filipinx-American practitioner of Hip-Hop culture. I blend my consumption of unapologetic, informative flows inspired by local Fil-Am emcees with my lifelong training as an R&B vocalist. My ultimate goal is to take my music dreams beyond myself, by pursuing a law degree to serve local Filipino/Filipino-American artists who lack adequate legal representation or resources. Stream my latest single, “illuminate,” with Acari on all platforms!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Resilience + Adaptability:
Even with my clear passion for music performance, I pivoted toward a music business degree that gave me practical skills to pursue both my artistry and behind-the-scenes roles in creative administration, operation, project management, events, and music publishing. When I was ready to transition from my previous positions, I embraced new and recurring opportunities–like my current roles in Creative Operations for Supervillain and Christina Luna. Finding different pathways to stick with my craft while exploring new skills has helped me maintain creativity as an artist and versatility as a professional.

No Job Is Too Big or Too Small:
Growing up with parents and grandparents who were essential workers and regular volunteers taught me the value of not just acts of service as an act of love, but also the importance of giving back to your community and leading through initiative. My parents exposed me to corporate and entertainment-based environments early–I’d tag along to their offices or be backstage at shows, helping with administrative tasks or observing event production etiquette. This help me learn to engage with and respect folks of all communities and backgrounds. It created a familiarity with professional conduct and collaboration that proved invaluable for entry-level roles. Understanding that no task is beneath you (within healthy boundaries for all parties involved) has been crucial to my success as creative professional.

Filipino-American, Funk, + Hip-Hop Culture in the Bay Area
The intersection of these cultures are the foundation for my pursuit of law, music, writing, and dance as a craft and a career. My parents–both with great taste in music–raised me to respect the Black and Brown pioneers of R&B, Hip-Hop, Funk, Soul, and Jazz. My dad, a dancer, taught me how to be a guest to Hip-Hop culture. My Hip-Hop Studies minor is one my best college experiences. It connected me with my dance mentors Torrence “Tea-Buggz” Griffin, and Kelsa Rieger-Haywood, Amina Norman-Hawkins, and Bravemonk; as well as my peers in the Electric Minds crew. Whether they know it or not, they challenged me to utilize my lineage meaningfully and address the anti-Blackness and racism that exists in Filipino-American and Asian-American communities more broadly. This work now informs the research I’m currently doing on Black and Filipino-American solidarity throughout history, Hip-Hop, and Funk culture.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

I’m eager to continue collaborating with fellow Filipina-Americans and women/femmes of color in the global music industry and dance community. I’ve had the honor of working with incredibly talented, hardworking industry creatives like Lil MC, Acari, Color., Elena Leon, Cecilia Egidi, Calei Castillo, Driana Tan, and many more. These folks constantly inspired me. I’m especially interested in connecting with women/femmes working in events, operations, legal, DJing, graffiti, dance, or music production/engineering. If you’d like to collaborate, please reach out to: [email protected].

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jaeyabayani.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaeyabayani/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaeyabayani/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jaeyabayani
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/11Jq7ZP1ia6aEjQ4OEQoOL

  https://music.apple.com/us/artist/jaeya/1474931580

Image Credits

1.
2. Driana Tan + Jocelyn Canales
3. @nowwah__
4. @snbjrrecords