Jonalyn Viray
Viray after the mall tour live at StarMall EDSA-Shaw
Background information
Birth name	Jonalyn Roxas Viray
Also known as	The Philippines "Soul Princess"
Born	(1989-11-15) November 15, 1989 (age 23)[1]
Origin	San Mateo,Rizal, Philippines[1]
Genres	Pop
Occupations	Singer
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2005–present
Labels	GMA Records

Jonalyn Roxas Viray (born November 15, 1989^[1] in Marikina City, Philippines^[1]) is a Filipina singer and an occasional

actress.^[2] She was the first ever Pinoy Pop Superstar Grand Champion.^[3] She also received five gold medals and three

plaques at the 2006 World Championships of Performing Arts.^[4]She is a member of a trio named La Diva, along

with Maricris Garcia and Aicelle Santos, in which she sings as a soprano. She is also a current cast member of the weekly

variety show Party Pilipinas.

Early life

Born on November 15, 1989,^[5] Jonalyn is the eldest of 4 kids from Marikina.^[5] She started joining singing contest on an    early age.^[6] She has won first runner-up in "Birit Bulilit" of IBC-13 as a child^[6] and in "MTB Teen Pop Star"^[6] wherein her    winning piece was Mariah Carey���s Never Too Far.^[6] Growing up, Jonalyn, much like any aspiring singer, admired                 Mariah Carey, Regine Velasquez, Whitney Houston, Kyla, and Beyoncé.^[5][7] Viray cites Kyla as another idol saying

she "inspired [her] to get up there and do what [she] did."

Education

       She studied at Valeriano E. Fugoso Memorial School then finished her secondary education at Jose P. Laurel Sr. High School. She then took Bachelor of Music from the Conservatory of Music of the 400-year old Spanish-built

 University of Santo Tomas, majoring in Classical Voice with minor in piano.

Voice

Viray singing at Greenhills Center

             Viray has been noted for her soulful voice, belting prowess, and stunning high notes since her first win in     

            Pinoy Pop Superstar.^[8] Viray is also noted for her ability to sing in the whistle register as influenced by Mariah  Carey  which she has been vocal about being a fan of.^[9]Aside from pop music, she has also been singing

      classical music, adding operatic verses to pop songs and singing some opera arias, taking the roles for soprano (for which she performed Nightwish's version of The Phantom of the Opera (song)), and coloratura soprano

      roles, best seen on her performance of Il dolce suono the incipit of the recitativo of a ���scena ed aria��� taken from

 Act III scene 2, Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti, which is basically a role for a Dramatic Coloratura Soprano.

She has been vocal that her most admired singers and vocal influences are Mariah Carey and Regine Velasquez,^[5]

while Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Kelly Clarkson, and Beyoncé are also among the list.^[5]Viray's extensive

   vocal range extends from C#3(C# below middle C) ^[9] and extends up to B6(3rd B above middle C).^[9] She has also been noted for having an astounding upper chest range extending to B5 (2nd B above middle C).^[9] She currently

sings the soprano role in the trio La Diva with Aicelle Santos as alto and Maricris Garcia as Mezzo-soprano.^[5]

Achievements

World Championships of Performing Arts

Viray, with Brenan Espartinez, went on to Hollywood, California on 2006 to join the World Championships of Performing Arts, where they both bagged awards. Viray got five gold medals and three plaque from that competition.^[4]

Solo Awards

Group Awards with Brenan Espartinez

Pinoy Pop Superstar

Viray was 15 years of age back then when she competed at the singing competition Pinoy Pop Superstar held by the

local television station GMA 7. She emerged as the weekly champion after singing a Whitney Houston hit song Run to You. She also sang Reflection, I Have Nothing and Never Too Far on the consecutive weeks, and after four consecutive weeks of being weekly champion, she then qualified to the grand finals.

On the grand finals, the eight grand contenders wore identical attires the men, in black suits with red shirts; and the women, in red gowns. They sang their own respective songs as the UP Concert Chorus, dressed in black, and carrying lighted white balloons, provided the background. MC Monterola and Jonalyn Viray had a back-to-back performance, MC singing "Through the Fire," and Jonalyn "It Might Be You." Kristel Astor sang "If You Dont Know Me By Now," Philbert de Torres did "Once There was a Love," Sheila Ferreri gave an impressive rendition of Eva Eugenios "Tukso," Charmaine

Piamonte sang "I Believe," Brenan Espartinez sang "Home" and Michael Garcia, "If Youre Not the One."

From the eight were chosen the Top Four: Jonalyn Viray, Michael Garcia, Charmaine Piamonte and Brenan Espartinez. Michael was as cool, smooth and confident in singing "Shes Out of My Life," and Charmaine was equally at ease and

cool in singing her song. Jonalyn was in her best elements as she sang "Run to You" by Whitney Houston. Brenan, was also confident and remarkable as he sang his song "Careless Whisper."

From the Top Four, Michael and Charmaine were eliminated to give way to the Top Two, Jonalyn and Brenan who then

delivered their own versions of the Pinoy Pop Superstar theme song "The Miracle." Jonalyn then beat Espartinez and

was declared the first ever grand champion of Pinoy Pop Superstar.

For winning the title of "Pinoy Pop Superstar", Jonalyn won 1 million pesos in cash and became the owner of a Futura

Classic house and lot developed by Filinvest and a brand-new Toyota Innova. She also won an exclusive one-year

contract with GMA Records, the recording arm of GMA Network, and received 100,000 pesos worth of Belo Medical services, plus gift certificates worth 50,000 pesos from Gandang Ricky Reyes.^[11]

Global Pinoy

"Global Pinoy", Literally Meaning World-Class Filipino, by SM Supermalls, awarded Viray the

Global Pinoy Award for bringing such a pride for the country when she bagged gold medals and plaque at the

     World Championships of Performing Arts at Hollywood, and for singing the Philippine National Anthem at Pacquiao-Cotto Fight at Las Vegas, Nevada. She is on that awardee list amongst world-famous broadway superstar Lea Salonga, prima ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde and Romi Garduce, one of the first Filipinos to reach the peak of Mount Everest.^[12]

La Diva

         In May 2008, it was confirmed that GMA Artist Center would be forming a female music trio called La Diva. With its

    ���Three of a Kind��� segment, the musical variety show gets ready to introduce a new generation of divas.

Member Jonalyn Viray notes that a meeting for the creation of La Diva was held in January that year, with the

      stipulation that each member of the group would still keep their own identity, and their solo career. While the three

   ladies of La Diva are uncertain of how the group was formed, the combining factor is that each of them came from

  the singing competition, Pinoy Pop Superstar. Jonalyn Viray and Maricris Garcia were the Grand Champions of the first

   and third seasons respectively, and Aicelle Santos was the runner-up of the second season. She is currently

performing regularly with the group at Party Pilipinas and had a self-titled album and concerts.

Discography

Studio Albums

Singles

Television Appearances

Other TV Appearances

• Unang hirit^[10]
• SIS^[10]
• Extra Challenge^[10]
• Eat Bulaga^[10]
• Sweet Life^[10]
• Full Time Moms^[10]
• Showbiz Central^[10]
• S Files^[10]
• Kapuso Mo, Jessica Sojo^[10]
• Celebrity Duets^[10]
• Protégé: The Battle For The Big Break