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Top 10 Facts about Jake Zyrus

Charice Pempengco sings at US Philippine expo @ Pomona, CA Photo by ezekielhouse

Zyrus was born in Cabuyao, Laguna province, as Charmaine Clarice Relucio Pempengco to a single mother, Racquel. Zyrus began entering singing contests at the age of seven to help support the family, from town fiestas in various provinces to singing competitions on TV, eventually competing in nearly a hundred such contests.
In 2005, Zyrus auditioned for Little Big Star, a Philippine talent show modeled after American Idol. Zyrus was called back as a wildcard contender after being eliminated after the first performance and eventually became one of the finalists. He went on to finish third in the finale despite being a consistent top scorer in the final rounds.
Zyrus made a few minor appearances on local television shows and commercials but fell off the radar after the talent show.

1. Zyrus made his first big break on Little Big Star

charice sings at US Philippine expo @ Pomona, CA Photo by ezekielhouse

Little Big Star is a Philippine talent show loosely modeled after American Idol.  Despite being a consistent top scorer in the final rounds, he finished third in the final. Jake made a few minor appearances on local television shows and commercials after Little Big Star, but then quickly faded from view. Only in 2007 did Zyrus achieve worldwide acclaim after an ardent fan, ‘false voice,’ began posting a series of performances on YouTube. This made him become an Internet sensation after the videos received over 15 million views.

2. Zyrus gender identity was always a subject of public interest

Charice!! – 118th Philippine Independence Day Photo by Enrique Guadiz

The Philippine Star published a story on Zyrus’ 21st birthday party, which was described as a “coming out of sorts” on May 28. During an interview with Boy Abunda at The Buzz in the Philippines on June 2, 2013, Zyrus stated that he identified as a lesbian at the time, mentioning previous relationships with other women in the industry. Zyrus debuted a new “boyish” look nine months later, in March 2014, with much shorter hair and more tattoos. Zyrus stated in a 2014 interview with Oprah Winfrey that she has been attracted to girls since childhood and that “basically, my soul is male,” but she denied plans to pursue gender transition at the time.

3. Zyrus was the name he adopted after gender conversion

Symbool van biseksuele transgender personen Photo by Possibleuseful

On Twitter and Instagram in June 2017, Zyrus announced the adoption of his current name and the discontinuation of his previous name, Charice. Zyrus later revealed that he had both breasts removed in March and had begun testosterone shots in April. He stated in an interview with Papermag: “I will be eternally grateful for the life of Charice that I witnessed and the music that I shared, but that obviously belongs to her and not to me. I’m going to let her go and be free.”

4. Jake rose to fame under the tutelage of Oprah and David Forster

2011: Oprah at The Cable Show Photo by INTX: The Internet & Television Expo

Following Charice’s massive success (it went platinum in 2009), Zyrus was invited to perform on The Oprah Winfrey Show for the episode titled “World’s Smartest Kids,” in which she belted out Houston’s “I Have Nothing.”
“One of the things I admire most about Charice is that no matter how many challenges she’s faced in her life, she’s never given up on her dream of something better,” Oprah said at the time.
Following the taping of the episode, Oprah made a phone call to Grammy-winning record producer David Foster, which changed the course of Zyrus’ career. Instead of flying back to the Philippines, Oprah producers escorted Zyrus to Harpo Studios, where Oprah and Foster discussed how they could help launch a new singing sensation.

5. Jake was featured in the hit series, Glee

Zyrus, 19, played Sunshine Corazon on Glee’s second season (which aired in September 2010), a talented young singer and foreign exchange student who joins New Directions and quickly develops a rivalry with Rachel Berry (Lea Michele). Corazon appeared in three episodes of the show before transferring to rival glee club Vocal Adrenaline (and then back to New Directions). “Telephone,” “Listen,” and “All By Myself” were among the covers. Zyrus’ character appeared in the season finale of Glee, where Sunshine and Rachel reconciled their feud.

6. Zyrus’ mother was a former vocalist and musical influence

In 2010, Zyrus stated that his mother, a former pop vocalist, was a major musical influence on him. He begged her for singing lessons when he was four years old. Growing up, the family listened to a wide range of music, particularly that of Celine Dion, Whitney Huston, Mariah Carey, and Destiny Child. Zyrus has also praised Lady Gaga and Beyoncé for their attitude, fashion, and vocal style. She also stated that she hoped to work with both of them someday. Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake were also fans of Zyrus.

7. Jake has a unique ability to mimic people’s voices

Prior to his transition, when he was known as Charice, Zyrus received praise for his vocal abilities. In an ABC News interview, David Forster mentioned Zyrus’ ability to mimic other people’s voices, which he believes is a sign of a good singer. John Groban stated in a separate interview that Zyrus’ voice is one of the most beautiful he has heard in a long time. “When that girl opens her mouth, angels fly out,” said Ryan Murphy, executive music producer of the hit television show Glee.

8. He is the first Asian singer to crack the billboard 200

In 2010, Zyrus released his self-titled album, which was supported by the singers “note to God” and “crescent moon.” The album made a big impression in the United States, where it peaked at number eight on the Billboard 200, making him the first Asian-American singer to reach the top ten on the solo charts. He  was also the first Asian singer to have a song in the UK’s top 20 with “pyramid.”

9. His father lost his life after a mysterious stabbing incident

Zyrus’ father, Ricky Pempengco, was stabbed to death in the Philippines in 2011 while shopping in San Pedro township, where he met Angel Capili, who allegedly stabbed Pembengco in the chest and back with an ice pick. He was 43.
In an interview with Oprah in 2008, Zyrus recalled threats and violence between family members, particularly when she was three years old and an argument broke out and Ricky pointed a shotgun at her mother, Raquel. “My father was about to shoot my mother, and there was nothing I could do,” Zyrus explained to Oprah.

Charice and Raquel fled as a result of the incident. “After we left, I never saw my father again, and I don’t want to see him,” Zyrus explained. However, he canceled a scheduled performance in Singapore after learning of his death in order to return to the Philippines and be with his family in the aftermath of the tragedy.

10. He wrote a successful memoir in 2018

‘I am Jake,’ the tell-all, is divided into eight chapters and delves into the artist’s closely followed aspects of his life, such as his abusive relationship with his mother, his father’s tragic death, his grueling days as a kontesera-slash-breadwinner for their family, and his sudden catapult into stardom.
But this is no ordinary celebrity memoir, as Zyrus is candid about his journey to self-acceptance. Readers gain access to the rarely documented transmasculine experience, from which Zyrus hopes to gain a deeper understanding of the agony of performing an identity that contradicts how one truly sees themselves, as well as the enormous obstacles that transgender people must overcome.