Dingdong Avanzado’s daughter Jayda is opening act for The Vamps

As the director of his wife Jessa Zaragoza’s solo concert I Am Me next year, Dingdong Avanzado admitted he wants to focus more on his family after he ends his term as Siquijor Vice Governor in June 2016. "Kasi sa totoo lang very private kami pagdating sa buhay namin. Gusto namin yung we spend more time together. Pero kasi siyempre nung naging public official ako, I was taken away from that, yung pagiging private namin talagang naging more public and I kept traveling. I kept going back and forth to Siquijor. So siguro after three years nagawa ko naman yung gusto ko gawin for Siquijor for now, yung makilala ang Siquijor na hindi lang yung dating image ng Siquijor. So I want to move on to other things for now specially now that our daughter is growing up. So gusto ko mag-focus on that. Especially itong pasok ng new chapter sa buhay ng anak namin,” he shared during the I Am Me concert presscon held last December 2 at Jet7 Bistro in Timog Avenue, Quezon City.

Dingdong admitted that their only daughter Jayda is showing her passion for music even at an early age. "That's why we're thankful and we appreciate the fact na hindi namin ito pinilit sa kanya. Siya lang kaya yun. Nung ninth birthday ni Jayda ang rinequest niya sa amin was to do a concert for her birthday. A live concert with a live band. That was three years ago sa Metro bar. She did a show. Sabi, 'Seryoso ka ba diyan anak?' Pero seryoso siya, naglabas pa siya sa akin ng playlist niya. 'Dad, ito yung kakantahin ko.' Andun yung mga close friends namin sila Bitoy and nakitaan talaga nila na may potential yung bata. Si Jayda ang bilis maka-pick up ng tone. sabi nung guitar teacher niya baka perfect pitch nga si Jayda,” he recalled.

With their daughter also set to give a special performance in the I Am Me concert, Dingdong hopes to nurture her love for the arts. "We're open to anything right now. Possibility of someone handling her. But we're very concerned kung papaano siya iha-handle. Tweens eh so it's a different thing pag bata pa di ba? But she's communicated to us na gusto talaga niya music eh. Hindi naman niya sinasabing ayaw niya mag-artista pero music talaga dun niya gustong makapag-make ng name for herself as an artist and a musician. Right now at an early age marami siyang nagagawa na nung time namin hindi namin nagagawa like she plays the guitar and the piano. She does her own recording at 12 years old ha. Yung mga ganun ba. Even her repertoire, her song choices. Kaya nga sabi namin pag nakitaan mo ng ganun ang anak mo, paano mo ba namang hindi mo susuportahan?” he said.

With the younger generation looking up to music idols like Ariana Grande and Miley Cyrus, Dingdong hopes his daughter will strive for originality. "Basta ang importante sa akin age appropriate at pangalawa I keep telling Jayda that her originality is important. Kasi siyempre pag bata ka your very impressionable so yung influences mo diyan mo pa lang na-de-develop yan eh. But as you get older, when you find your identity, you have to showcase something that's original. While it's good that you can be inspired by Ariana Grande. She is and a lot of people have been telling her na she does somewhat look like Ariana. Pero even siya alam niya, kapag naririnig niya si Ariana she does things na tini-tweak niya para hindi nangagaya lang siya kay Ariana. The important thing for her is that alam niya yung concept of being original di ba? Kasi dun ka mag-sa-stand out. Kung gagaya ka lang, you'll probably reach a certain level of success but you have to be original like her mom. Basta what's important is something that will represent her and her generation at saka importante she's having fun while she's doing it. Nakakatuwa lang pag ino-observe mo siya and the way she communicates for her age nakikita mo talaga yung creativity nung bata nandun eh,” he shared.

The singer-turned-politician says they don’t want their daughter to grow up too fast. "Si Miley Cyrus naman ngayon lang siya naging ganyan pero when she started noon wholesome si Miley. Yun nga kasi you’re dominated by the Arianas of the world now but honestly how old is Ariana? She's 22, 23, something like that and Jayda is only 12. So I told her, 'It's nice to hear you sing Ariana but remember your only 12 years old.' It's cute to see her kasi a 12 year old and she's singing like that. It's good but when your going to come out with your own music already, you have to fit ano yung age mo,” he admitted.

Apart from her mom’s concert, Dingdong said Jayda is already excited about being chosen as the opening act for the US boy band The Vamps who are arriving end of January. “Preparing for The Vamps gig, involved siya sa kung paano areglo nung kanta, kung papaano yung labas niya, ganun siya ka-metikoloso. She knows what she wants and what to choose from. She asks us pero alam niya ang gusto niya. She can sing. She can dance. She can play the guitar and the piano,” he said.

With both her parents being OPM artists, Dingdong said their daughter is aware of the expectations the industry might have from her. "Alam niya yung pressure involved eh kasi bata pa lang siya nakita niya yun eh. Sa states pa lang when we were going on tour, going around, taking pictures, ganyan. Alam niya yun. At saka alam din niya yung expectations na attached to that,” he said.

Watch I Am Me the major solo concert of Jessa Zaragoza on January 15, 2016, 8:30 pm at the Music Museum in Greenhills, San Juan. Special appearance by Jayda Avanzado as well as other surprise guests. Musical direction by Elmer Blancaflor with concept and direction by Dingdong Avanzado. Produced by Phenomenal Entertainment.