What’s next for Gary Valenciano after 4 decades in showbiz?

Gary Valenciano is marking his 40th year in the entertainment industry with a “more exciting” career ahead as he officially joined Star Magic, the ABS-CBN’s talent management arm.

Present with Mr. Pure Energy at the contract signing held recently at ABS-CBN’s Dolphy Theater were his wife and co-manager Angeli Pangilinan-Valenciano, ABS-CBN COO for Broadcast Cory Vidanes, Star Magic head Laurenti Dyogi and Star Magic manager Alan Real. Gary and Angeli’s children Paolo and Kiana also came to show support for their father’s latest endeavor as a Star Magic artist.

ABS-CBN chairman Mark Lopez and president and CEO Carlo Katigbak along with several Star Magic talents, gave the OPM icon a warm welcome while Jed Madela and other ASAP mainstays like Angela Ken, Khimo Gumatay, JM Yosores, and Sheena Belarmino belted out a medley of some of Gary’s iconic songs.

“It’s such an honor (that) in your 40 years in the industry, 20 years in ABS-CBN, you allowed us to be part of your journey, so humbling for us. But truly, you being with Star Magic, you’re setting such a high standard for all the artists,” said Laurenti in his message to Gary.

“You’re not o

Gary Valenciano: Being with Star Magic is one of the directions I’m supposed to head towards.

nly an icon but you are such an inspiration and you embody all the values that we want in every artist, any new artists, the ones wanting to be in the industry.

“Asahan mo, Star Magic will be behind you, supporting you all the way to 40 more years of excellence.”

Gary, in turn, recognized that artists who reach 40 years in the entertainment industry “doing the same colorful, eventful things” may come to wonder what could be next after 40 years. In his case, the award-winning performer and concert artist said,  “This is next — to be accepted into a family like Star Magic.”

He continued, “Kasi akala ko ang focus nila puro nasa mga kabataan. So tinanong ko isang beses, ‘What’s my role in this?’ But it was explained to me what my role is going to be and I’m excited to play that role for everyone.

“So, watch out for the projects that we’re going to be working on. Maybe some of the projects may not be performing but still, they will be projects that are meant to move and to make an impact on the hearts of young people, hearts of seasoned people.

“And I like that role and if that’s the role I’m supposed to play, then I’ll play it to the hilt.”

The Total Performer also affirmed that his journey as an artist continues and what Kiana said was correct — in a way. According to her, she doesn’t believe that his dad’s concert titled Pure Energy: One Last Time, happening on April 26, 27 and May 10 at the Mall of Asia Arena, will be the last time for people to see him performing on stage.

“And I know a lot of people don’t (also believe) but when you come and see the show, you’ll see why it is what it is. There’s a clear leading for me because as to where I’m supposed to go and I think being with Star Magic is one of the directions I’m supposed to head towards,” Gary said.

As a Star Magic artist, he further said that his doors are open for other artistic ventures and that includes returning to the acting scene.

“If the right project comes, I will certainly keep myself open to that,” promised Gary who topbilled the 1995 romance musical “Hataw Na” with Miss Universe 1993 Dayanara Torres. In fact, he welcomes the idea of starring in the said movie again if ever there will be a part two.

Apart from acting, Gary looks forward to inspiring more people especially the youth by mentoring them.

“Not just to mentor but to really spend time with young people, especially the students which I’ve been doing since 2018. I’ve already been to at least 58 universities, high schools, and colleges wherein there were only about 150 students in front of me but it’s really intimate where I shared about my life called Face to Face,” he said.

“I’m going to continue doing that because I’ve seen the impact not only on the faces of these young people but also in their hearts because it’s not only me who was talking. There’s an interaction talaga. So, that’s another thing I want to do.”

What about music?

“With music, I do plan to continue but I plan to do something else with my music and maybe that’s the one na  talagang makikita ng tao ‘yung reinvention. Nasanay na ‘yung mga tao sa pagiging isang mang-aawit at manunulat (ko) so that might change a bit in the coming months and years,” concluded Gary.