A Colloquy with “Mr. Pure Energy.”

“You create a community with music, not just at concerts but by talking about it with your friends.” — David Byrne

You know a force from heaven when you hear his voice. You know something that God has made when that voice is beautiful. And Gary Valenciano is a gift from God. When it comes to expressing oneself through song, there is no one who can touch him. He is the reason why Filipinos want to sing and dance.

For 39 years, Gary V. has been a source of inspiration to millions of fans all over the world. Since his official breakthrough on May 13, 1983, he has written, arranged, produced and recorded some of the most iconic songs that have defined an era. With such hits as “Di Na Natuto,” “Natutulog Ba Ang Diyos?” “Narito” and “Di Bale Na Lang,” he is the voice of the most well-loved primetime “tele-seryes” as well as movie theme songs that have touched the lives of countless of Pinoy fans, here and around the world.

A multi-awarded artist — a TOYM Philippines: The Outstanding Young Men Awards honoree for Music in 2002 and an eleven-time Awit Awards recipient — his incredible talent and passion of his work is evident in his songs, which have undoubtedly been included on the soundtracks of many lives. His vocal dexterity, power, and voice clarity remain unmatched and with numerous sold-out concerts and dozens of Platinum awards, the longevity of Gary V.’s career remains powerful for the last 35 years. With 3.8 million followers on Twitter, 301,000 followers on Instagram, and 669,877 followers on his official Facebook Page, Gary Valenciano Official has cemented a legacy as one of the most successful Filipino recording artists of all time. That legacy, of course, includes his vast catalog of hits from a total 49 albums — five of which reached Platinum, four double-Platinum, three triple-Platinum, and two sextuple Platinum — which have been covered by just about every Filipino singer across generations.

In a rare conversation with “Mr. Pure Energy” in 2018, back when I still headed the Alumni Association of Xavier School which organized his “comeback” concert, he offered a lot of personal revelations about him that many still do not know about. For one, he never thought that singing and dancing in front of audiences would be something he would do as a professional. “My dream [growing up] was everything I am not today,” he acknowledged. “I wanted to be the typical – doctor, architect. Those were the top two.”

Despite this, he knew he could sing even at a young age. “When I was a kid, my mom already said that I was singing kasi kumakanta ako sa bahay kapag may mga taong pumupunta,” he said. “Maybe I was seven years old and the first song that I ever sang in front of her was the song ‘I Believe.’ She heard it. My mom said, ‘He’s probably going to end up in entertainment.’ That’s when I found out I could sing. Pero I never ever thought, never in my life ko naisip na aabot ako sa ganito,” he continued.

It was in high school when Valenciano discovered that he could dance. “When I was a kid, hindi ko masasabi na dancer ako but I could move. When I was in high school, Michael Jackson did the moonwalk and I remember every day pumupunta ako sa studio and I would be practicing the moonwalk all the time until one of my classmates saw it. From that time on, sa akin binibigay ’yung mga dance moves.”

It was also during that time that he had his first televised performance, but not yet as a solo artist. He performed with his high school singing group Kundirana.

“I was in senior year in high school, Tita Pilita Corales and Jackie Lou Blanco, may television show sila. Inimbita ’yung Kundirana to perform. After that performance, lumapit si Tita Pilita. I think it was my sister na sinabihan niya, ‘You think your brother can come back to the show but as a soloist?’ Sabi ko okay.”

Still, that wasn’t the time he thought performing would be his passion. Sharing when he experienced a turning point, he said: “What happened was I came to Immaculate Concepcion Academy (ICA) and in this school, hindi ako nilagay sa start ng show and hindi rin sa dulo.”

“So nandoon ako, ‘Gary, you’re going to sing at this part because it’s going to fit the whole program.’ Para sa akin, program, program, basta lalabas ako doon, kakanta ako. But this time they were really saying, ‘This is the concept of the show.’ I stood out there. At that point, walang sumisigaw pero merong mga naririnig [sa tenga ko]. I am actually able to speak in the form of something harmonious, in the form of something melodious and there I was creating an impact that I never thought I could do.”

To this day, Valenciano vividly remembers how the crowd applauded after his performance, and that was the start of everything. “I remember talking to my sister saying I think this is what I want to do, being a solo performer. Kasi may mga offers din na maging part ng band. Dapat ako, si Randy Santiago and Juan Miguel Salvador. But that event in ICA changed my whole perspective.” And the rest, as they say, is history.