Gary V.: Still eager to expand horizons

If you were Mr. Pure Energy for a day, what would most probably come you're your mind when asked, "Are you in the point in your life when you just want to do other things?"

Having had the zeal for dancing and singing for more than two decades now, with recognition and awards knocking on his doorstep every now and then, not to mention having very talented children who's already making their own mark in industry their father's into, what more could Gary Valenciano ask for?

"I want to go into film scoring. I don't want to know how to score but how to engineer music. I want to dip into music production and sound engineering," Gary shared in an interview recently at Marriott Hotel.

And where else can he learn these things best?

"My systems are all pointing to that direction," Gary said referring to his plans of going to the United States to study and at the same time do a series of concerts and shows. He also said that he wants to share his inspiring music with fellow Filipinos and foreigners alike in the States.

Coincidentally, JIL or Jesus Is Lord church, which is self-sufficient and located all over the globe, offered Gary a two-year 45-city worldwide tour. Which would be good, according to him, because in this way, promoters and producers would be able to see him perform because of the number of churches JIL have.

Goodbye For Good?

Just like any artists who are in synch with their own craft, Gary wanted to inspire people through every word and beat in his music. In fact, Gary admits to having been in tears for a number of times already in the past months, saying that he will definitely miss the industry that he

"The world has gotten so much smaller. The problem now actually is how do you 'go' into to the world," Gary shared of his plans to leave the country, which would be quite some time.

With his career plans evidently heading towards that direction, it does not necessarily mean that he would leave the country and his other commitments for good. He would still be with Shining Light Foundation and Genesis Artists Management if his time and schedule permit.

Staying Relevant

It was a low-key free show, owing of course to the fact that it was staged for free, the first time he did in Cebu. What really amazed Mr. Pure Energy was when he saw people still coming in from all directions when he had a mini-concert last week at Ayala Center Cebu.

"He cried while performing one of the songs. His performance should be the most special one he ever had here in Cebu," Gary's wife Angeli Pangilinan said.

When Gary's pictures for his new album, "Relevance," Angeli was asked how her husband remained relevant after 23 years in the industry.

She spontaneously replied, "I do not know." But deep inside her, she said she knew that just by being an inspiring performer, Gary remained to be relevant.

The album "Relevance" contains a mixture of ballads and Gary's signature dance tunes, some of which he wrote years ago, but were just waiting for the right time to be released. The album's carrier single is "Wait Forever."

The new tracks have the "banda" beat which is most preferred by the younger generation today. But that doesn't mean that we'll see him banging his head and rocking with a guitar while performing onstage one of these days. How then can he execute his power dance moves with a guitar dangling from his torso?

Other cuts include the ballads Even for a While, Sana Bukas, In Another Lifetime, Only a Friend, You Gave Me a Reason, and You Are, a duet with Joni Villanueva, daughter of preacher Eddie Villanueva.

The upbeat tunes are (I Know) What You Want, Shake It Off, and a 2006 version of Wag Mo Na Sanang Isipin with daughter Kiana on vocals.

The album also boasts of Jude Gitamondoc, a Cebuano songwriter and composer, who's behind a number of songs in the album, including Wait Forever.