Singer-songwriter Jazza Torres had given up on her dream of making it as a musician. But that changed when Charlie Puth began teaching a class in Pop Songwriting and Production on the website Monthly.
It was because of that class that Jazza was able to write her new single, the euphoric Pop/R&B ballad “You Love Me.” She released it on February 25, and it debuted at No. 6 on iTunes Philippines, giving Jazza her first-ever Top 10 hit.
“It’s about falling in love with the right person,” Jazza says of the song. “The right person loves you no matter what. In spite of your insecurities, in spite of your past, they see the beauty in you.”
According to Jazza, she got her money’s worth and then some from the Grammy Award-winner’s class.
“As a teacher, Charlie was really fun. He was as passionate about sharing his knowledge with us as he is about the craft. I learned so much about producing and writing from him. He even shared a lot of tips he got from his colleagues and friends in the industry, so I actually think I got a lot more than what I paid for.”
Jazza wrote “You Love Me” after the “Light Switch” hitmaker challenged her and her classmates to write a song that makes them uncomfortable.
“I’m more comfortable writing about heartbreak, so I decided to write a happy love song. It took a lot out of me. I was so uncomfortable writing about being in love, which is why it took me so long to finish. I submitted my song on the day of the deadline,” she shares.
After she finished “You Love Me,” Jazza set it aside. She didn’t plan on releasing it but did so at the encouragement of a friend, who convinced her to use it to begin a new phase in her career.
Jazza sees herself as more of a storyteller than a belter, so she’s happy with the current state of the OPM scene.
“Filipinos are embracing different kinds of music again. These days, the music scene is less about singing high notes. It’s more about storytelling now,” she says.
It wasn’t too long ago that Jazza almost quit music because she felt like her career had hit a wall. Now, buoyed by the success of “You Love Me,” she’s planning to drop more songs over the next several months. She has a lot of material ready because she spent most of the pandemic writing her insecurities away.
She’s very thankful to everyone who gave her the strength to keep going. “I’m so lucky to have you guys in my life. You’re the reason why I do what I do. I can’t wait for you to hear what I’ve been working on.”
