Jaeya's Experience

Hi there! My name is Jaeya Bayani. I am 20 years old, a sophomore, and a proud Filipina from the Bay Area, CA — the home of hyphy music. I am pursuing a major in Music Business and a minor in Hip-Hop Studies. My background in music is as a lifelong vocalist, being in choral programs all from elementary through high school. Outside of school, I have performed at various Asian/Filipino artist-focused open mics and showcases, such as Pistahan Parade and Festival, Kearny Street Workshop, and South of Market Community Action Network (SOMCAN). I also claim verified singer-songwriter profiles on both Spotify and Apple Music. My songwriting is inspired by various aspects of my life — whether it’s my relationships, the genres I grew up with, critical thinking about the world around me, and/or self-empowerment as a Pinay womxn. The main focus of my artistry is to make music I love, with hope that the authenticity I imbue it with reaches others. I grew up with a deep appreciation for Hip-Hop and its pillars, having gone to cyphers with my dad as young kid. My father, Jonathan “BionicMan” Bayani is a legendary dancer of his era in the popping community, and a former Battle of the Year champion with Rockforce Crew. He taught me what it means to respect and deeply study the craft, as a guest to Hip-Hop culture. The music he grew up with and imparted to me (funk, R&B, and the emceeing pillar of Hip-Hop) fostered my love for those genres — not to mention their noticeable influence in my own songwriting. I share my father’s dancing spirit, along with our family name, which means “Hero”; I hope to incorporate this legacy into my future artistry. I proudly work as an Operations Assistant for Christina Luna, Founder/CEO of Traverse Music Group, LLC, and a fellow Filipina. She is an entertainment events and artist management veteran in the Asian/Asian American sector of the music industry; her management repertoire has included numerous Filipinx artists and groups, such as Gabe Bondoc, AJ Rafael, Melissa Polinar, Immij, Ramiele Malubay, etc. Currently, I assist her with Traverse Music Group (an independent distribution label under The Orchard) and her other company, The Zion Agency (an artist management group). I help with distributing music releases, managing release-based requests from artist clients, preparing deliverables for promotion/events, facilitating correspondence between supervisor teams and clients, as well as handling general administrative tasks. Our distribution roster of artist clients include Mikara, Lowhi, Alan Z & Jason Chu (Face Value), Ragamuffs, and One Vo1ce. We’ve also frequently collaborated with Kiana V, Jocelyn Enriquez, and Ruby Ibarra. Prior to my work with TLC, I was featured as an extra in Ruby’s music video for the Filipina-empowerment anthem, “US” (with fellow emcees Rocky Rivera, Klassy, and Faith Santilla). I am grateful to work for a company that uplifts artists I genuinely believe in, love, and identify with. This position enables me to do what I am truly passionate, and that is advocating for a more diverse platform of Filipino/Asian voices. My ultimate creative goal is to run my own label or firm that caters to the protection and empowerment of women of color artists in the music industry. Though I love making music for myself, it is evident in my career choices that I aim to reach beyond that — empowering representation, solidarity, and longevity among the untold stories of independent, black and brown creatives everywhere.