From Texas, the Philippines and Beyond, JONAVI Finds an International Audience

For the past 10 years, DFW-based singer-songwriter JONAVI has been on a journey of personal discovery through music, and recently she has picked up a growing number of fans worldwide joining in that journey.

The newest single from the pop artist, whose full name is Jojo Villagonzalo, is titled “If Only We Knew,” recently sat on Spotify’s editorial “Fresh Finds Pop” playlist for three weeks. Paired with a delicate music video directed by Lucy (@ganlu), the track builds upon themes of vulnerability, generational trauma and the difficulties of love.

While JONAVI didn’t always plan to pursue a music career, music played a large role in her Filipino household. Born in Cebu, Philippines, JONAVI grew listening to her parents sing.

“They met in choir, which is how their love story started,” she says. “We did a lot of karaoke. We love listening [to] ballads. My dad would play Barry Manilow.”

It wasn’t until college, however, that she decided to become JONAVI. The family moved to the States and eventually to Texas in 2011, where she studied accounting and finance, but her passion for music allowed JONAVI the rare opportunity for a non-music major to perform in the music program’s showcases.

“Technically, you can only be a part of [the showcase] if you’re in the music program,” she says.

When the program’s evaluators told her they would make an exception for her, it gave her added encouragement to record and release her own music.

Her first track came in 2015, though her debut EP, Blue Hour, wasn’t released until nearly a decade later in 2023. The delay came about through a process of distillation, as she wanted to make sure to “feel it was true to my own kind of sound.” Shedding her resistance to making music that might seem “too pop” was a years-long process, but she says it allowed her to find her true identity as an artist.

Since then, JONAVI has been preparing for her second EP, releasing a set of singles intermittently, as well as booking steady live performances.

“Over the last two years, [live shows] have been pretty consistent,” she says. “I think I perform at least like, 10 to 15 times a year.”

Beyond the forthcoming release, JONAVI also has her sights set on exploring other creative endeavors to come.

“Aside from the album, I really want to write and help produce [and] direct a short film,” she says.

At the root of all of her creative expression, though, is pride in her heritage. Partnerships with local Asian American organizations have allowed her to grow as an artist. Groups like the Dallas Asian American Art Club and mHart, an Asian American-forward label from Austin, have helped cultivate her career across the state. It’s this support from Texas’ Asian-American community that has been critical to her success, but she says the support is a two-way exchange.

“I love being Filipino,” she says. “So whenever I can, I try to support the Filipino community.”