Kriesha Chu, Jay Chang Channel 'Filipino Throat Chakra' in New 'Die With A Smile' Cover

As the K-pop genre becomes more accessible to neighboring countries, such as the Philippines, there is an increasing number of Filipino-blooded idols debuting in South Korea.

Among them is Jay Chang, who is currently a member of ONE PACT and the project group Boys Define Universe (B.D.U). The 23-year-old rookie's nationality is American, but it is no secret that his mother is part Filipina.

Another idol from the Philippines is Kriesha Chu. Both of her parents are Filipinos of Chinese descent. They initially lived in Manila before moving to the U.S. where she grew up.

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On Jan. 7, the Filipino K-pop community was sent into a frenzy after the two surprisingly appeared together in one video for a collab.

In particular, Jay and Kriesha released a live band version of Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga's "Die With A Smile," uploaded on Jay Chang's official YouTube account.

"We prepared a small present together for you guys. We hope your 2025 is filled with happy moments only, we hope you always stay healthy and please listen to our music a lot," introduced the two stars.

In the video, they flaunted their excellent live singing skills and showcased a wide vocal range as they belted without any struggle.

They both channeled the so-called "Filipino throat chakra," a phrase coined by fans that is used to describe the strong vocal abilities of Filipino-blooded singers. This was derived from the Hindu culture where throat chakra (Vishudda) refers to the energy center responsible for communication and self-expression, as described by Healthline.

Upon the cover, Jay and Kriesha received rave reviews on YouTube with the video raking about 30,000 videos 10 hours after uploading.

"Jay finally found a woman to duet him on this cover and they absolutely devoured," said a commenter.

"Jay Chang's and Kriesha's voices are so truly a national treasure," added another user.

"The Filipino throat chakra is insane," also wrote one fan.

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