Photo from @jarrengarcia_

Pinoy Big Brother: Gen 11 alum Jarren Garcia is booked and busy. He's preparing to leave for the Kapamilya Kalayaan Karavan in Dubai this coming June 1. But before he leaves, he graced the JBL Experience launch, where the brand's latest party speakers and portable audio essentials were unveiled. At the said event, we chatted with Jarren about music, hosting, acting, and his pairing with Kai Montinola, who's joining him at the Dubai event. 

While it may not be his first time in Dubai, as he's visited the city years ago, this trip will mark his first time performing abroad. Jarren shared that he will be staying there for five days and has some activities lined up to make the most of the trip. 

"It will be a super fun show to just celebrate the Kalayaan festival in Dubai, with our fans abroad, which is absolutely insane for me to say—having fans abroad, especially in Dubai. But it will be a fun show," Jarren told Metro.Style, teasing that he will have performances with Kai, his fellow PBB: Gen 11 alum. 

Kai and Jarren have appeared in many shows together. Both of them are now dabbling in music. Jarren launched his album, That Boy, Jarren, in February, while Kai is scheduled to launch hers on June 28, 2025, with a fan meet. 

We asked what it's like working with Kai, and Jarren replied, "Working with Kai, it just happens so naturally. Because we're the same age. We both love singing and performing. Our voices sound so good together. So I feel like it was just inevitable for me and Kai to be working together and performing together."

Record label StarPop recently teased an upcoming collaboration between Jarren and Kai. Captioning a photo of the two in the recording studio, StarPop teased, "Recording something."

"We are working on music together," Jarren quipped.

Aside from music, Jarren was also announced as one of the new VJs for the music channel MYX, a stint that will allow him to sharpen his hosting skills. Hosting is an aspect of his craft in showbiz that he also considers his area of focus. 

While he waits for his MYX VJ work to begin, Jarren said he's been trying to train himself to think on his feet and embraces a happy disposition; he thinks he will deliver better as a host when he's equipped with these qualities.  

As he was born and raised in London, Jarren has also made it a significant part of his training to learn the Filipino language. "My Tagalog is getting a lot better," he said. "I'm learning more and more every day."

Music, hosting, and performing may be Jarren's focus now, but he's also looking forward to acting opportunities. "I'm willing to take on anything," he shared, giving us a glimpse of his willingness to take risks in pushing his rising career to the next level.

Jarren added, "My mom always told me, 'Don't do things that you are comfortable with. Try to do things that will push you more out of your comfort zone, which is why I'd be happy to accept any acting role."

It's a joy to watch this boy, Jarren, grow and get better in his craft, one project (or two) at a time. 

Lead photos by Karl King