Top EDM artist turned PPop soloist Jace Roque wraps another impressive year in the music industry with the release of his mini album, “INFERNO”. Jace continues to share his pain and absolution from it through his songs一and because of his passion for work, he received nominations for Favorite Male Artist and New Male Artist of the Year at the recently concluded 35th Awit Awards and 7th PPop Awards, respectively.
Although he never really yearned for fame, to be recognized for the work he has done in the industry brings him joy. “Like what I always say ever since I entered the recording industry, I’m not here to replace nor compete with anybody, I just want to contribute and help lift Filipino music to greater heights.”
He also adds, “This is not only a win for me but a win for every independent artist that dreamed of making it in the industry. I want to be that beacon of hope that inspires them to keep pushing forward and to never stop believing.”
A Story of Pain, Suffering, and Redemption
With the success of his previous tracks ‘Di Para Sa’yo’, “Be Someone”, “Trust”, and “Back to the Beginning”, Jace hopes to inspire listeners to move forward and take back the power that they once lost along the way.
“The title ‘Inferno’ is inspired by Dante Alighieri’s literary work, Divine Comedy. Much like the narrative poem, the songs in my mini album tackle the hell I went through these past couple of years. Literally and figuratively, my songs are my way of purging myself from all the pain, anger, and suffering I had to endure. It symbolizes catharsis and purification.”
Although his songs range from upbeat Electronic Dance Music to mid-tempo Pop/R&B, Jace hopes that his songs spark a change and ignite topics that are considered tabooーsuch as dealing with issues like mental health and culture. “Every song I make represents an important part or chapter of my life. My story deserves to be heard and my voice needs to be heard.”
Track by Track
‘Di Para Sayo’ is an upbeat EDM track that tackles my journey to realizing my self worth. It is based on a previous relationship, one of the reasons why I abruptly went on hiatus in 2021 and the main reason why I went to therapy. It is a self-empowerment anthem. It emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries, opening your eyes to the ugly truth and choosing what’s best for your overall wellbeing.
‘Be Someone’ is a mid-tempo Pop/R&B track about my struggle to preserve my own identity while combating the unrealistic expectations from my family, friends and the entertainment industry. It talks about the negative impact of being controlled and breaking free from one’s ideology of how I should be. At the end of the day, I just want to be someone that I can be proud of.
‘Trust’ is a mid-tempo 80s Synth/Dance track which recalls the confrontation I had when I found out that I was being cheated on. During that time, writing my heartbreak into a song was the only way for me to cope. True to what people say, “trust takes months and years to build but only seconds to break.”
‘Back To The Beginning’ is an upbeat Tropical Pop/EDM track about my struggles growing up and the difficulty of meeting the insatiable demands and expectations of my parents. The double standards I had to go through and the feeling like nothing is ever good enough for them. Amidst all that pain and chaos, I just want to go back to simpler times when everything was not as complicated.
All Roads Lead to Paradise
As the year comes to a close, Jace is optimistic of things to come, especially now that he is trekking the road towards healing. Fans, fellow artists, and the like, can look forward to new things for 2023, like his debut album, ‘Paradiso’.
“I am preparing for my full length debut album, ‘Paradiso’ which is slated for 2023. The album title is also inspired by Divine Comedy. ‘Inferno’ was the prologue and ‘Paradiso’ is the main storyline that will complete the narrative of my journey. The project is years in the making so I’m excited to finally unveil it next year.”