Juan Karlos Labajo facts for kids

Juan Karlos Labajo Stolz (born February 5, 2001) is a talented Filipino singer, musician, and actor. He became famous at 13 years old after finishing third in the first season of The Voice Kids in 2014.

Juan Karlos is also the leader and main songwriter of his band, Juan Karlos. As a solo artist, he has released two studio albums. With his band, he has also released two studio albums.

Beyond music, he has acted in several TV shows like Hawak-Kamay (2014), Pangako Sa 'Yo (2015–16), A Love to Last (2017), and Senior High (2023–24). He was also a housemate in the reality show Pinoy Big Brother: Lucky 7 (2016). In movies, he was nominated for an award for his role in Blue Room (2022). He also played Senator Ninoy Aquino in the movie Ako si Ninoy (2023).

Early Life and Challenges

Juan Karlos Labajo was born on February 5, 2001, in Consolacion, Cebu. He was raised by his mother, Maylinda Labajo. His father left when he was very young. Sadly, his mother passed away on November 17, 2013, when he was twelve years old. He now lives in Metro Manila with his uncle Jovanni and grandmother Linda.

Growing up, Juan Karlos faced bullying at school. He was often teased because of his looks. Even though he looked like his family was rich, they actually had financial difficulties. He later shared that his grandmother asked for help from the Cebu governor when he reached the semi-finals of The Voice Kids. He was very thankful for the support he received.

His Journey to Stardom

2014: The Voice Kids Breakthrough

Juan Karlos first appeared on TV in The Voice Kids season 1. He sang "Grow Old With You" by Adam Sandler during his blind audition on June 7, 2014. Both coaches Sarah Geronimo and Bamboo Mañalac wanted him on their teams. Sarah praised his storytelling, but he chose Bamboo as his coach. Bamboo called him "the funniest kid I have ever met."

Juan Karlos made it to the four-person finals. He sang "Sway" in the semi-finals. He got the third-highest public votes, after Lyca Gairanod and Darren Espanto. In the finals, he sang "Yesterday" by The Beatles and "Runaway Baby" by Bruno Mars. Coach Lea Salonga told him he had "the looks, the charm, and the heart." Bamboo also said he saw "a singer, an artist, and possibly an actor." For the final round, he sang a duet with Gary Valenciano, "Eto Na Naman." He finished third in the competition.

After The Voice Kids, Juan Karlos and other finalists joined Star Magic. This is ABS-CBN's training and management center. His first acting role was in the TV series Hawak-Kamay in August 2014. He also appeared in the drama show Maalaala Mo Kaya, playing himself in his own life story episode.

2015: Pangako Sa 'Yo and First Album

Juan Karlos continued his acting career in the ABS-CBN TV series Ipaglaban Mo: Sa Dulo ng Daan in May 2015. He also joined the cast of "Pangako Sa 'Yo" as "Amboy Mobido." Amboy is a friend of the main character, Yna.

In August 2015, Juan Karlos released his first album, titled "JK." It has 8 songs, including a band version of "Para Sa 'Yo." A special song on the album, "Di Ka Man Lang Nagpaalam," is dedicated to his late mother. In October, he was the MYX Celebrity VJ, which means he hosted music videos for a month.

2016: We Love OPM and Pinoy Big Brother

In May 2016, Juan Karlos was a contestant on the music show We Love OPM. He was part of a team called "Voice Next Door" with Kyle Echarri and Bailey May. They performed many popular Filipino songs. Juan Karlos was absent from some episodes because he joined Pinoy Big Brother: Lucky 7. His team was eliminated in the semi-finals of We Love OPM.

Juan Karlos joined Pinoy Big Brother: Lucky 7 in July 2016. He was one of the first celebrity housemates. He even traveled to Vietnam for the show. Inside the house, he sometimes felt ignored because he was the youngest. He talked to "Kuya" (Big Brother) about his feelings. Kuya advised him to be more open with his housemates.

He also shared emotional stories about his past and his mother. He expressed regret for not spending more time with her. Kuya told him his mother would be proud. During a challenge, his younger half-brother Louie Stephan Labajo visited him. Juan Karlos admitted he wasn't close with his half-brothers and wished for a closer sibling bond. He was later evicted from the house.

2017: A Love to Last and Film Debut

Juan Karlos started 2017 as the MYX Celebrity VJ again. On January 9, 2017, his new TV series, A Love to Last, premiered. He played Lucas Noble, the son of the main character. His first solo concert, "JKL Live," was planned for February 2017 but was postponed.

On February 6, 2017, his second album, "JKL," was released. It has 8 songs, including three he wrote himself: "Demonyo," "Forever," and "Move On." His first movie appearance was in the indie film "Tatlong Bibe." He played James, the grandson of Eddie Garcia, and was paired with Sharlene San Pedro.

His role in A Love to Last helped him improve his acting. He said he was flattered when people complimented his acting. He also mentioned that he planned to take acting workshops. He felt blessed to work with experienced actors like Ian Veneracion, Iza Calzado, and Bea Alonzo.

2018–Present: The Juan Karlos Band

In 2018, Juan Karlos announced he was forming a band named after himself. He released one of his most famous songs, "Buwan" (which means "moon" in English), in June 2018.

In 2024, Juan Karlos shared that he was moving on from making "sad boy music." He released an album called "Sad Songs and Bulls**t Part 2." In October, he announced his first major concert, "Juan Karlos LIVE," for November 29 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. He remembered his grandmother Linda when he launched the concert.

Personal Life

On May 30, 2017, Juan Karlos began a relationship with actress and model Maureen Wroblewitz. They were together until June 10, 2022. They even starred in his 2018 music video for "Buwan."

Juan Karlos is currently dating singer and model Dia Maté. She represented Cavite in the Miss Universe Philippines 2024 pageant. They have also worked together on a song called "Ocean of Emotion."

Filmography

Movies

Key

Denotes films that have not yet been released

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref.
2017	Tatlong Bibe	James	Supporting Cast
2022	Blue Room	Anton	Lead Cast
2023	Ako si Ninoy	Benigno Aquino Jr.	Lead Cast
	When This Is All Over	The Guy	Lead Role
2024	Lolo and the Kid	Adult Kid	Special Participation
2025	Ex Ex Lovers		Supporting role

TV Drama Series

Reality and Variety Shows

Music Releases

Studio Albums

Singles

As Lead Artist

As Featured Artist

Other Song Appearances

Concerts and Performances

Awards and Recognitions

Juan Karlos has received many awards and nominations for his singing and acting. Here are some of them:

See also

In Spanish: Juan Karlos Labajo para niños