‘Sa Gitna’: Jennylyn Mercado bares the song she wants to teach her children

In an increasingly uncertain world, there is one song that Jennylyn Mercado wants her children — her daughter Dylan, in particular — to hear, it would be a track from her new album, “Jen Deluxe.”

“Sa Gitna” is part of the eight-track expanded album which she recorded under ABS-CBN’s Star Music. The song speaks of hope in moments of uncertainty and doubt, encouraging the listener to slow down and catch their breath when life gets tough. 

“Yung message ng song na yon, tungkol sa pangarap ng isang tao na gusto nyang maabot, di sya sumusuko,” she said during the media launch of her album and music video. “Kumbaga, times are tough, times are very hard. Pero pagka hindi mo sinukuan ang buhay, sa dulo, matutupad ang lahat ng gusto mo mangyari sa buhay.”

Article continues after this advertisement

Mercado said that as much as possible she would want to prepare her children for the future by cautioning them about getting used to the things that they enjoy now.

FEATURED STORIES

ENTERTAINMENT

ENTERTAINMENT

ENTERTAINMENT

“Kaya yung mga bata, ngayon pa lang tinuturuan ko na sila na, ‘Hey, hindi pwede lahat ng gusto nyo, nandyan. Kailangan natin silang turuan na mabuhay ng normal na tao. Na matutong ma-experience kung gaano kahirap yung [mabuhay] sa mundo,” she said.

As a mother, she said she found the world to be more worrisome for her kids, especially her daughter, who might be exposed to violence while outside their home, among others.

“Lalo na nung nagkaroon ako ng girl (Dylan). Talagang yung pagka praning ko nadoble. Parang ang hirap, kase andaming nangyayari sa mundo. Like sa school pa lang e, may nagbabarilan, parang pano ka magkakaron ng peace of mind? Na ihahatid mo sa pangalawang bahay (school), tapos ganun yung mangyayari sa eskwelahan. Nagiging cause ng depression, may mga pambubully, mga nagbabarilan. So as much as possible, importante kung papano mo pinapalaki yung mga bata, maramdaman nila yung hirap para alam nila kung paano haharapin,”  she said.

Aside from four-year-old Dylan, whom she shares with husband Dennis Trillo, she has a son named Alex Jazz who just recently turned 18 years old from a previous relationship.

Article continues after this advertisement

Rebirth

The album is a sort of rebirth for Mercado as a singer. While acting remains a passion, for the singer-actress, coming back to music was just as normal as breathing.

“Syempre singing talaga. Kumbaga nasa DNA ko sya, di na sya mawawala. Yun ang first love ko, parte ng buhay ko. So very passionate ako pagdating sa music,” she said when asked to choose where her passion lies between acting and music.

Article continues after this advertisement

Among the singers she would want to collaborate with are Regine Velasquez, Kyla and the bands of Freestyle and Side A. For this album, she worked with singer-songwriter Nar Cabico and record producer Jonathan Manalo, who is also the creative director for music of ABS-CBN.

Mercado previously released singles with two new and unreleased tracks that are “simply Jen,” denoting a more personal touch as she co-wrote some of the songs and was very hands-on during the production. She could not help but compare this with her past experience where she has little voice in the creative process.

“Nag enjoy ako na kasama ako sa creative process. Kase sa lahat ng mga album na ginawa ko the past few years, hindi ganito yung experience ko. Sinama nila ako sa pagbuo ng album, na napaka importante ng opinyon natin. Natutuwa ako na nabuop namin na solid yung kanta,” she said.

Other titles in the track list are the following: “Paulit Ulit Kang Pipiliin,” “Hihintayin Kita,” “Kung Nandito Ka Pa,” and “Hindi Pa Rin Sapat,” which have all been released.

The two new songs in the album are “Tutuloy Pa Ba?” and “Hindi Man Masabi.”

The album also boasts of different music genres which she said would resonate with every listener., but mostly “hugot” love songs.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.

Mercado signed a record deal under Star Music in 2024 while remaining to be a contract artist of GMA where she recorded a number of albums.