Jinky Vidal not allowed to sing Freestyle songs, reacts to possible reunion

MANILA, Philippines — Jinky Vidal, one of the original singers of iconic '90s band from Davao, Freestyle, is in the Philippines for her ongoing "Homecoming" bar tour.

At her tour's recent stop in Hard Rock Cafe Manila, Jinky shared to Philstar.com and select content creators her life as a solo artist free from Freestyle.

"Mas may freedom ka eh," she began, "You get to choose who you want to talk with, how else you want to experiment in terms of songwriting, collaborations. Parang ganu'n."

As a solo artist, Jinky hopes to come up with more original songs that would eventually lead to an album.

Jinky left Freestyle in 2011 following her estrangement from former husband Tat Suzara, the band's founder and former guitarist. Tat's cousin, Top Suzara, was Jinky's fellow vocalist and Freestyle's main composer. The band became known for their hits such as "Before I Let You Go," "So Slow," "This Time," "Till I Found You," "Para Sa 'Yo," "Once in a Lifetime," and their version of "Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang?" with Pops Fernandez.

Seventeen years since leaving the band in 2005 to pursue a solo career, Top returned to fronting the band in 2022. He and Jinky also had a reunion concert 2013.

Jinky, however, cannot sing Freestyle songs as a solo artist.

When asked by Philstar.com if another reunion concert would be possible, but this time with Freestyle, now that Top has returned to the band, Jinky said: 

"I don't know, depende," she said, "I can't tell. Marami ngang nagtatanong eh. 

"Pero siguro not soon. Maybe in the future, kasi sila rin may mga plano rin sila... They just have acquired name again. Siguro may mga gusto rin silang gawin. So myself, ganu'n din. Marami rin akong gustong i-explore. Maybe in the future," she enthused.

Jinky will be back to perform in Hard Rock Cafe Manila on May 15 and 29 as part of the restaurant-bar's "I Love OPM Live!" May campaign, which aims to promote Filipino artists and music in time for National Heritage Month. — Videos by Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo, editing by Martin Ramos