Jamie Rivera is proud of the exciting new chapter in her music career. Recently, she beautifully interpreted the Jubilee 2025 theme, “Ningas Ng Pag-Asa,” alongside 92AD and Fabio Santos, further enriching her journey in the music industry.

Highlights of Jamie’s career

She has made a name for herself as a singer and has blossomed as a composer. Jamie considered being part of Miss Saigon the highlight of her showbiz career, even though she was only 24.

“Through that, I experienced a twist of fate. Before that, I thought I was just a singer. The stage was still an unexplored arena. Somehow because of Miss Saigon my status was elevated,” she disclosed in a previous exclusive interview.

From that experience, Jamie learned pointers on confidence, stage acting, independence, humility, and punctuality.

Jamie Rivera had a memorable lesson about punctuality during her first rehearsal. The stage director emphasized, “You need to be in the theater exactly at 10 AM.” When Jamie arrived at about 10:05, he remarked, “Miss Jamie Rivera, you’re now in London, and when I say 10 o’clock, you need to be here about five minutes early.”

In addition to her role in Miss Saigon, Jamie had another notable performance in the musical Bogis Street, where she played the female lead in a cast of 22. She performed opposite Singaporean theater actor George Chan. The musical was staged in the Kallang Theater in Singapore, as well as in Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur.

Jamie shared her experience of being treated like a star after her debut album, “Hey, It’s Me,” achieved gold status in such a short time.

“I was overwhelmed during that time,” she recalled. “My family misunderstood my intentions and attitude because I became so busy. It’s important to remain as normal as everyone else. While being a star does give you a certain edge over other artists, it’s essential to be humble since people look up to you as a role model.”

Lucrative profession

Jamie believes that singing can be a lucrative profession, but she acknowledges that it’s not always stable. “We don’t have a regular income, so it’s important to have a backup plan,” she explained. She encourages other singers to complete their education so they have an option to fall back on. (In her case, she graduated with a degree in Commerce, majoring in Economics, from the University of Santo Tomas.) Additionally, she is assisting her husband in his real estate business.

She has learned to accept that there’s a lean and peak season in everyone’s career. “You shouldn’t be frustrated. You learn through your experiences,” she quipped.

Jamie’s musical taste is more on the classical. She loves Broadway, cartoons, and orchestra songs. “But when I write songs it should be commercial,” she said.  “Because what I want is different from what other people want. What I give is what people want. Because when I like what I do, people won’t buy it,” she explained.

What makes a good singer?

“A good singer should have a distinct quality of voice and proper packaging. I consider Lea Salonga a good singer because of her flawless voice. Of course, there’s Regine Velasquez, Kuh Ledesma, Barbra Streisand, Zsa-Zsa Padilla, and Pops Fernandez,” she shared.

Inherent Talent

Jamie Rivera, whose real name is Mary Jane Cruz Mendoza, comes from a musically inclined family, although she is the only one who has pursued a professional singing career. Jamie decided to follow her passion for music after winning the Yamaha Music Mate Girl Contest in 1986 while she was still majoring in A.B. Economics at the University of Santo Tomas (UST).

Her formal training began during her early years with the Metropolitan Theater, where she held her first major concert, titled “Hey, It’s Me, Jamie.” Shortly after, she recorded her debut album, and the rest, as they say, is history.

In 2021, she launched the inspirational song “We Give Our Yes,” the official mission song of the year-long 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines celebration.

Father Carlo Magno Marcelo wrote the song and produced it by ABS-CBN music creative director Jonathan Manalo.

Lessons learned

In her profession, the most important lesson she learned is the importance of being politically correct. “Otherwise, you’ll easily make enemies,” she explained.

“Another crucial lesson is to prioritize your family. Everything else will fade away, but not your family; nobody can take them away from you. Additionally, your past actions will reflect on your future. While you’re still young, strive to be a good person and keep your feet on the ground.”

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Photo courtesy of Jamie Rivera FB Page