Singer Jake Zyrus shut down criticism of the post-transition singing voice, responding to a comment from a netizen that claimed the singer’s voice was better as Charice Pempengco.
Zyrus emphasized the importance of hormone therapy in a transman’s journey.
The netizen also compared Zyrus’s voice to fellow singer Ice Seguerra, who hasn’t undergone hormone therapy.
“First of all, with respect to my past, keep my deadname out of your silly mouth. And darling, it’s because he hasn’t taken any hormone therapy. It’s a HUGE part of being a transman,” said Zyrus.
The singer then suggested that netizens should research the topic to gain a better understanding, noting that information is available online. Zyrus playfully pinned the comment afterward.
“I am not going to explain the rest because based on your comment you sound ignorant. Google is free my darling. I’m going to pin your comment because it seems like you love being center of attention. So let’s give it to you sweetheart. Have a nice day,” Zyrus added.
Prior to transitioning, Zyrus was known as Charice Pempengco. In 2013, the singer publicly came out as lesbian. Four years later, Zyrus embraced transgender identity and adopted the name Jake Zyrus.
In a 2021 interview, the singer revealed struggles with gender identity, even as Charice, and the difficulty of hiding this from the public.
