Rey Valera to release book after biopic
MANILA, Philippines — OPM icon Rey Valera has penned a book about his life and one of the expected highlights is the real story of why, at the height of his music career in the ‘80s, he quit singing.
The book served as the basis of the recently-released biopic about the singer-songwriter, titled after his hit song Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko, an entry to the first Summer Metro Manila Film Festival (starring RK Bagatsing as Rey). This dark period of his life, wherein he had an imposter that made him turn his back on performing for several years, was one of the things he really wanted shown in the musical film directed by Joven Tan.
“Ang ibig ko lang makita dun, compared sa libro, yung kung bakit ako huminto bilang isang showbiz personality. Kasi meron nag-imposter sa akin at yung imposter na yun, ang daming pinakasalan na babae, lima siguro. ‘Di naman ako. Sana ako nga (laughs),” Rey could now joke about it during an interview with The STAR.
“This was in the ‘80s. Can you imagine? One woman was a daughter of a mayor, another of a governor. ‘Di ko sasabihin yung iba. At saka radyo lang nuon,” he added, referring to the lack of platforms to verify information.
“Ang kinatatakutan ko noon at para siya mahinto at matigil, imagine mo kasi pwede kang patayin sa dami mong atraso na ‘di mo naman alam bakit. Bakit ako? Pero siya yung gumagamit ng pangalan ko nung kasikatan.”
At that time, Rey felt the only way to make the imposter stop was for him to “sacrifice” his career. He almost “succeeded” in disappearing, but he said fate had a way of bringing him back to the music scene. “That’s why I’m still here,” he said.
The book is finished but Rey said he’s just waiting for the right timing for its release. Its title, as you might have guessed, is Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko.
“That’s the theme song of my life now. Parang what I mean by that, I’m in the twilight of my life. You’re saying goodbye in a sense. But I’m still offering my life in a way.
“Figuratively speaking, the final act that you can do as an artist is to offer your life — your life story if needed. Hopefully, someone will be inspired.”
With the film, he finally found a reason to slowly offer his book, which was written over the pandemic, to the public.
“I don’t know if you believe in fate or lady luck, etc., but I’m a believer in that. Only in due time. Ang tagal-tagal na ng libro ko na yun. I was making that during pandemic time because you had nothing else to do.
“I told myself, ‘How can I promote this and bring this out to the world?’ (Then you have questions in your head) ‘Dahil? Bakit, sino ka ba? (Because? Why? Who are you anyway?). You know, the demons in your mind, yung kokontrahin ka, bakit ilalabas mo yan, sino ka ba?
“And then direk Joven came. So now, I have a reason to introduce it slowly. Maybe there are lessons that can be learned.”
That people would be able to learn something was also one of the reasons he agreed for direk Joven to bring his life story to the big screen through the lens of his discography.
In case you don’t know or have forgotten, Rey performed or composed many of the most enduring Filipino songs to date, such as Maging Sino Ka Man, Tayong Dalawa, Kung Kailangan Mo Ako, Ako Si Superman, Naaalala Ka, Pangako, Sinasamba Kita, Walang Kapalit, Kung Sakaling Iibigin Muli and Kung Tayo’y Magkakalayo, among others.
“Iniisip ko, hindi lang naman si Asiong Salonga or si Ben Tumbling ang may karapatan na magkaroon ng pelikula ang buhay nila… Hopefully, it inspires young people or people younger than me. It’s a big deal for me — the word inspire — because in the past, I was also inspired by certain people,” he said.
A lot of times, Rey couldn’t believe how much impact his music has.
“Sa akin talaga, ito ay maliit na bagay lang sa kalakihang mundo nating ginagalawan. Minsan minamaliit ko siya pero ‘pag kinakausap ko ang mga tao, naiisip mo ang laki na rin.”
He has encountered people, from senior citizens to couples, telling him how his songs have become a soundtrack of their lives.
“Maliit na bagay yun sayo, pero sa kanila big deal. I really cannot quantify ano yung contribution (ko) kasi para sa ibang tao, ‘di ka naman kilala, pero kilala nila kanta mo. At naging part na ng buhay nila yung kanta mo.
“May mga kwento ka pang naririnig, alam mo Sir, yung kanta mo na yan, favorite namin ni misis, nagawa nga yung anak kong ‘to dahil sa kanta mo (laughs). ‘Pag inisip mo, ‘di ka naman gumagawa ng kanta para maging ganun ang effect, but somehow it affects them.”
The film and book also include his lowest of lows and most embarrassing moments because “tanggap ko yun dahil part yun of yourself.”
“Your purpose is to tell the person who feels that way that you are not alone, we all go through the same thing,” Rey said.
“Pero kung paano mo lang ito itatrato na — it’s not all about you. It’s how you accept it and fight on. And go on. From that mindset, you can succeed. You might not get rich, but you will succeed somewhere.”
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