After taking a break, singer-songwriter Jason Marvin is now back and ready to explore exciting new chapters in his music.
In an exclusive interview with PUSH ABS-CBN, he opened up about how taking time off and finding peace in El Nido, Palawan, helped him heal and reflect.
“Three years ago, I moved to El Nido. Doon ako nagsimula ulit. Doon ako nag-heal. Nagkaroon ako ng small business in the airport, food business. Nagbebenta kami ng lugaw, ng rice bowls. Sobrang simple lang na business. And then now, I'm building my house for Airbnb sa El Nido,” he openly shared.
Jason also shared how a mentor supported him and helped him find the strength to start over in the province.
“I have this mentor and kuya, pangalan si Kuya James Aquino. One of the best guys I know, talagang siya yung sumalo sa akin when I was down. Sabi niya, ‘Punta ka dito sa El Nido. Dito ka magsimula ulit. Pahinga ka dito,” he recalled.
He also expressed how he felt that they were instrumental in helping him rise up again: “Nagpadala rin si God ng mga tamang tao at the right time na talagang tutulong sa'yo para bumangon ka ulit. Sobrang grace na lang ni Lord na He sent the right people.”
Meanwhile, the man behind iconic hits like "Paubaya" and "Ikaw at Ako" reveals that, for now, he will focus on creating gospel songs.
“Hindi naman sa I'm stopping na from writing secular, performing secular songs. But ngayon, parang mas gusto ko magfocus on gospel songs. So, if I'm performing my own songs, it would be gospel songs. Ito yung mga binigay sa akin ni God na inspiration by the Holy Spirit the past two years,” he shared.
Jason continued, sharing that he believes his personal journey, including the challenges he faced, can serve as a source of inspiration for others who may feel lost.
“I believe yung nangyari sa akin, it could be a guiding light for a lot of guys, for a lot of people na nawawala din sa landas nila. So, if my life would say one message, it would be, I hope na it would be na pag nagkamali ka, you can always stand up. Hindi yun yung ending mo,” the singer-songwriter said.
He added that, for him, people always have the chance to change for the better.
“Di ba may sinasabi na ‘Once a cheater, always a cheater?’ I don't believe that. I believe na you can change. I believe na you can learn, I believe you can stand up again,” he expressed.
In the meantime, Jason is currently working on his upcoming gospel album.
“Right now, every other month, I release a gospel song. Yung ginagawa ko kasing gospel album, it's a 12-track album na bawat track is based on a Bible character,” he explained.
He went on to share the inspiration for his previous tracks: “Yung nalabas kong first two is 'Panghahawakan' and 'Bulong.' Yung 'Panghahawakan,' it's based on the life of the tax collector, Matthew. Yung 'Bulong,' kay Elijah. Gusto na niya sumuko, pero nakay-God yung huling salita.”
His upcoming track is also set to be the carrier single for his album of the same title.
“Itong third na ilalabas ko it's called 'After Your Heart.' It's based sa life ni King David. Ito yung career single,” he said.
The full album is set for release in 2025. In the meantime, “Panghahawakan” and “Bulong” are now available on streaming platforms.