Jenzen Guino is no longer hitting replay—he’s writing the tracklist of his life
Once known for serenading his fans with heartfelt covers on YouTube, Jenzen Guino is finally turning up the volume on his own. In this season of rethinking his identity and passion for music, he navigates the leap from content creation to songwriting, reclaiming himself as a full-fledged singer-songwriter with stories worth singing.
When he started covering songs in 2018, Jenzen wasn’t setting out to reinvent himself; he just wanted to sing. Like many aspiring artists in the digital age, he turned to YouTube, where one of his most-watched covers, 214 by Rivermaya, racked up 1.1 million views. He also performed as part of a trio called JThree, alongside two friends doing covers. From just a thousand subscribers, Jenzen has grown his audience to over 1.12 million listeners.
Fast forward to today, the Jenzen we see is not just a content creator singing other people’s truths and emotions. He’s a singer-songwriter writing his own.
Transitioning to something new may spark fear to many, especially entering the music industry. But with a family of singers, Jenzen is a natural. “Hindi ko naman talaga iniwan (‘yung pagigingYouTuber) so parang wala akong takot na naramdaman. Hanggang ngayon, nagrerelease pa rin ako ng mga covers ‘pag may time. At the same time, mas focus ako sa original songs.”
“Every time na nakikinig ako sa mga favorite artists ko, nagkakaroon ako ng idea na, ‘Ay mukhang kaya ko rin ‘tong ganito,’” Jenzen also recalls. “Then I tried doing songwriting—kaya ko pala.” This realization marked a turning point. It was no longer enough to cover songs that others had written because for Jenzen, the next step is his creative evolution from his own life, being in love, and the heartbreaks behind it. He shaped them into songs that felt real and raw, and entirely his.
But reimagining yourself isn’t always as simple and easy as sleeping overnight. For someone who built an audience around covering songs, the transition to original music still came with its share of doubts. “May doubt ako sa sarili ko na, tatanggapin ba ng tao ‘to? Papakinggan ba nila?” he admits. “Ang hirap mag-jump to original songs kasi parang kinalakihan na ng viewers ko ‘yung covers.”
Still, he pressed on. What started as tentative, challenging steps into songwriting soon turned into full creative forces. His lyrics—some sparked mid-shower, some inspired by friends’ stories—began resonating with his fans. And nothing proved that more than the moment he heard and witnessed firsthand his audience sing back the lyrics of his newly released debut single, Rosas, during his cafe tour last month. “Wala akong ibang emosyon noon kundi tuwa,” he beams.
As he stepped further into this new era, Jenzen also realized that creating original music unlocked a deeper connection to himself. Covers already had their artists and lyrics, but songwriting allowed him to express variations of emotions that never quite made it into content creation. “Pagdating kasi sa mga covers at contents, hindi ko nailalabas nang todo ‘yung emotions ko. Or hindi ako nagiging masyado expressive. Pero nung nagstart ako (ng) songwriting, mas naging expressive (ako).”
Of course, the transition hasn’t been undemanding without growing pains. When asked about a major aspect shaping his music today, Jenzen looked back at his struggles. The pandemic, a period of profound isolation and introspection for many, became a significant crossroads for him. “Nahirapan din akong kumilos nung time na ‘yun. Sumasabay din ‘yung paghahanap ko sa sarili ko, paghahanap ko sa music.”
May doubt ako sa sarili ko na, tatanggapin ba ng tao ‘to? Papakinggan ba nila? Ang hirap mag-jump to original songs kasi parang kinalakihan na ng viewers ko ‘yung covers.
Now under the wing of a supportive record label, Jenzen’s not only crafting his original songs but building a career with intention and a burning fire for his passion. When the conversation shifted to what lyric would describe his new chapter, “Today my life begins,” he said, quoting Bruno Mars. “Nung nag-start na ako sa management ko ngayon, naging madali na para sa akin tsaka nagkaroon ako ng mga katulong, marami na rin sila nabibigay na ideas. Hindi lang sa music, kundi sa pagiging artist or pagiging songwriter ko.”
From someone who used to do everything solo and with a group back in his YouTube days, music has opened up space for Jenzen with more growth, more ideas, and yes, definitely a lot more stories to tell.
When asked what advice he’d give to young creators boxed in by the identities they first became known for, Jenzen is quick to encourage curiosity. “Keep doing what you’re doing. Hindi madali pero magiging worth it ang lahat.” And if there’s one thing he’d say to his younger self as 15-year-old Jenzen nervously uploading his first song cover, it would be this: “Malayo na, pero malayo pa.”
With Jenzen’s heart full of songs to tell and a head full of dreams, he is nowhere near the end of his story. In fact, he is just starting to become other people’s favorite artist, where fans now cover his songs, making it a full circle moment for him.
It’s a reminder that reinvention isn’t about rejection. It’s about expansion. Jenzen didn’t have to let go of being a YouTuber to become a singer-songwriter. He simply grew. He regenerated. And for the first time, he’s the one holding the pen.
