Maria Luisa Ramsey was born on March 21, 1970, in Manila. She is known professionally by the mononym Jaya. Her mother was Elizabeth Ramsey, a Filipina comedian and singer of Jamaican and Spanish-Filipino descent. Jaya's father is Reynaldo Kagahastian, a Filipino. She is Filipino Soul Music, Singer, Record Producer, TV host, and Occasional Actress of African American parentage and she is dubbed as the Soul Diva or The Philippine's Queen of Soul and considered as The 5th Philippines Best-selling Female Artist of All Time. Jaya is the second Filipino recording artist to chart in the United States with her debut single If You Leave Me Now peaking at number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.