Pop and R&B artist Jake Zyrus has announced his upcoming EP, Roots, out this November. The reflective project will feature re-recordings of songs from his earlier career more than 15 years ago. Among these is the breakout hit “Pyramid,” originally released under his former name. Revisiting these songs marks a full-circle moment for Zyrus, who has spent the past decade redefining his identity as a trans artist. The EP’s title alone signals a deep return to the foundation of his music, a way of reclaiming his past while celebrating the freedom of his present.
In a 2019 interview with Billboard, Zyrus spoke openly about his transition and how it shaped his approach to music. “I wasn’t scared at all. I knew that a lot of people would make fun of it, but I didn’t care because in the back of my mind I was like, fuck it,” he says. “I’m so glad that [I experienced] all the struggles, the challenges, the pain that I felt. When I came out as a trans man, I was so proud. It was the opposite of everything that I felt before.”
Zyrus’ story has long been tied to visibility. His global success in the early 2010s, which included charting with “Pyramid” and a recurring role on Glee as Sunshine Corazon, placing a Filipino voice in international pop culture.
