Jao Canlas

Career

Jao Canlas first tried out for a boy band project under Viva Records in 2020. He and the other trainees went through nine months of rigorous preparation covering singing, dancing, fitness, personality growth, and acting workshops. On February 14, 2021, Canlas debuted as one of the nine members of Alamat with the multilingual track "Kbye," which featured lyrics in several Philippine languages. Within weeks of the song's release, Alamat became the second P-pop group to land on Billboard's Next Big Sound chart, entering at number two, and was noted as the fastest-rising Filipino act on that chart.

Canlas took on the roles of main dancer and sub-vocalist in the group. In October 2023, he modeled pieces by Antonina at BYS Fashion Week 2023. In April 2024, he sparked a trend by starting the hashtag "#canceljao" on X, which went viral in the Philippines from April 22 to 25; fans quickly caught on that he created it as a lighthearted joke. Later that September, he appeared on an episode of Billboard Philippines Volumes alongside other P-pop idols, with a separate photoshoot and interview featuring Franz of Vxon.

During that interview, Canlas talked about his pride in his home province and his native language, Kapampangan. On June 28, 2025, he co-hosted Lov3laban, a Pride Month event at the University of the Philippines Diliman. Canlas plays Onel Ty, the vice president of the Supreme Student Government, in the mystery horror series Hell University, set for 2026. He is also a contestant on season two of the dance competition show Stars on the Floor.

On February 11, he joined his castmates on a "More Tawa, More Saya, More Love" episode of Family Feud. In the season two premiere, he paired with Sugar Mercado for a carnival-themed dancehall performance, and he ultimately finished in second place overall with his dance duo partner, actress-singer Chanty.

Media image

In July 2024, Mega magazine included Canlas in its list of Gen Z fashion leaders. Nylon Manila described his signature as mixing style and swag, while another article called his style maximalist. On October 30, 2025, Preview magazine placed him on their best-dressed list for Manila Fashion Week 2025. Colourette Cosmetics named him their new ambassador on April 4, 2024.

Did You Know?

• Jao Canlas was born on December 26, 2002 in Magalang, Pampanga, Philippines.
• Alamat became the second P-pop group to make it on Billboard's Next Big Sound chart, debuting at number two after SB19.
• He has his own clothing line called Space Station.