Gary Valenciano shouts for joy

You can come in now," his handlers told me. "In" was through the master’s bedroom and into the dressing room of the Makati Shangri-La’s Presidential Suite, the venue for what fashion stylist Michael Salientes dubbed a "fantasy shoot" with Mr. Pure Energy.

After successfully maneuvering past a secretary, a road manager, a personal assistant, a hair dresser and a makeup artist, I found Gary Valenciano (or GV now, to those in his circle) seated on a chair, serene and solitary. He was facing the big vanity mirror, comfortably ensconced on a boudoir chair, peaceful, as if in a meditative pose. He had just come from a consultation with his doctor to discuss the matter of his voice, which had gone hoarse the previous night, rendering Gary almost inaudible since then. He did look a little under the weather. So I walked on eggshells a bit as I approached him.

"Hi," I said, breaking the silence. And a most disarming smile spread across his face: still youthful at 42, unchanged by 23 years of stardom, late-night performances, stage makeup, klieg lights and, most of all, the constant struggle with juvenile diabetes – now at bay, thanks to cutting-edge medical technology.

I pulled up a stool and sat several feet behind him, off to the side. He looked at me and with his hand, motioned for me to come closer. Perfectly still and very quiet, his presence was just as electrifying as when he dances onstage. "Here," he said to me, his labored speech coming out almost in a whisper. He pointed to a spot a mere three feet away from him. I pulled my chair much closer. Wow, I thought, considering the distance between our chairs now. A lot has happened between two people seated much farther apart. This unexpected proximity was precarious. If I leaned forward a little bit and stretched my right arm I could have touched his shoulder with my extended pointer finger. But naaah… I had to continuously fight that impulse for the entire hour or so that we could speak. Every tilt of his head, every faint movement of his hand was a reminder of the contained masculinity of this dynamic performer.

I started the interview with obligatory icebreakers, like "What do you do in your down time?" and "What are your hobbies?" This type of genial conversation flowed for several minutes but it wasn’t until we touched on his spirituality and faith that the atmosphere ignited and his eyes lit up.

He is clearly a man whose faith is so deep and actualized that he is able to convey its importance in his life without much use of words. Our conversation took an even sharper turn when we touched on things he dreams of doing – if and when he finds the time or ever stops performing, which seemed a morbid, disturbing thought, since the Philippine entertainment scene would be unimaginable without him. He was impassioned about one day taking an Alaskan cruise with his wife, or traveling to see the rest of the world, or going back to school to study sound engineering and giving back to the industry by teaching.

This is how the conversation went.

Philippine STAR: Sorry to have to put you through this now that you’re not well. What did the doctor say?

Gary Valenciano: The doctor says he’s hoping that it’s just a virus that will take its course within a few days. It’s because I push myself to the limit. I go mountain biking a lot and that’s what I did before my two-night show and now, this. I have to shoot a video tomorrow then fly to the States for some concerts the day after.

What do you perceive to be your most important role? Husband, father, entertainer?

I am a husband first. I’ve been married 22 years now.

What is the secret to your lasting marriage?

It is, in one word, God; and I’d like to say God, but some people might say that other married couples do have God in their lives but split up anyway, so I’ll say unconditional love.

How close are you to your children?

My children are very open to me. Kiana, she’s 13, she tells me everything and I tell her everything also. I go to Paulo (his oldest son) when I feel concerned about something and then we talk and it’s great. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Are you more of a friend than a father figure to them?

Well, I’m a father when decisions that will probably cause some friction need to be made – when my children are bent on doing something which I believe is not good for them. I become a brother when they’re in pain. I become a friend when it’s other things like if they want to go to a movie or go to the beach or talk about girls.

My son Gabriel, he gave up studying at the College of Saint Benilde, he was also taking music production. Then he decided to go to the Musician’s Institute in Hollywood and then he gave up the music out here and went to Bible School. And I said, "Son, help me out here, because I don’t why you’re giving up something that’s already yours." And he said something that struck me. "Dad, that’s a totally different culture. If I’m going to stay in music and if my heart’s going to be in focus I need to be spiritually prepared to face that culture." This is from an 18-year-old. In the end I said, "Go for it."

What do you do in your down time?

Most of the things I do have something to do with what I’m doing now. If I watch DVDs, I watch some of them again and again to study how the sound was put together. How the sound traveled from this speaker to the one in the rear and made me feel like I’m floating… the technical things. Because that’s what I intend to study in the near future. I’ve received so much from this industry for 23 years. It has treated me so well; the least I can do is give something back in the form of teaching or in music production. Our films are pretty much advanced, the visual aspect is very well-made. I want to take it a step further and enhance the sound. That’s probably the next thing I’ll do in the next 10 years. I don’t know how long I can keep performing but it does get tough. The sound today is the band sound. When it’s time to go I’ll still be in the music industry or in the film industry but not in the forefront.

What are you passionate about?

When I perform I see a lot of people in front of me. You are in an environment where they appreciate you. They’re willing to come up and dance and sing and even cry with you at times. Seeing people like that – that’s my passion. When I’m out in the mountains – let’s say when I’m mountain biking – they call out and say "Gary." I stop and talk to them, not about showbiz, but about life: yung "kumusta na kayo dito?" "Ay naku, yung bagyo, talagang grabe!" They talk to me that way. When I was younger, I thought that was just a side of me that had pity for people who are less fortunate but, apparently, a lot of the music I make is to reach out to those kinds of people.

Do you ever have days without music?

It’s funny you mention that because my son Paulo just told me that a while ago when he heard my voice. He said, "Dad, why don’t you rest even for just a week or two weeks?" Two weeks would be great to just get away, go to the beach, relax.

Are you able to do that – just get away?

Actually, it happens, but it is always in between heavy work. Just for a day or two. For me, that’s okay. I think anyone with a vision of this magnitude once in a while needs to step back to assess, stop, pray and then come back prepared. I think I’m going to be doing that next year pa. Maybe March because I’ll be traveling in February. Pero it’s okay din eh because I travel with friends, with family and then I hear, just when you think you’ve heard everything, pak! Ayan! You hear a story about one song that happened to play a role in that person’s life. Those are the things that… God knows I don’t have time to rest, so he makes me hear those stories and I’m energized again.

Have you ever come to a point in your career when you wanted to quit?

It happened three times: in 1988, 1997 and 2002. A lot of it had to do with my standard of excellence. Some people say "You’re such a perfectionist." For me, no eh. When you strive for excellence, whatever the situation may be, whatever you do will be excellent in the eyes of many. So if I come out and the stage doesn’t have the lights I need, then if you talk about perfection those things should be there and if they’re not they will affect your performance. I’ve had concerts where we had great sound but our lights were like a high school setup and those were the best concerts I’ve had.

How do you mentally prepare yourself before a concert?

Before I step out on stage, even if I see my repertoire and I know I’m doing the same songs I’ve done in the past for so many years, I’m always thinking of how many in the audience have never seen a concert before. How many people have to face whatever it is they need to overcome. Statistics begin to dwindle and I think maybe 400, 500, 10, one? That fires me up. If I’m able to reach out to one person, I’m okay. These rewards are reminders of all the hard work. If I have changed someone’s day or life, even to the smallest degree, then that’s okay.

How do you spend your day when you don’t have anything scheduled?

I start my day very early because I need my medication. I’m up by 7 a.m. I take breakfast at 8:30. While I’m eating I’m listening to Podcasts, working on my computer or watching television, then I go back to bed.

What TV shows do you watch?

There’s a channel called Solar Sports and that’s a basketball channel. I watch out for all the basketball channels because I’m such a frustrated basketball player. I like watching golf.

Do you play golf?

I used to… I don’t want to get involved in anything I know I can’t excel in because I don’t have the time and golf is one of those games. Unless I know I’m going to move forward, I might as well not get into it. Of course there’s my mountain biking. That gets me up at 5 a.m.

How long have you been mountain biking?

I’m in my second year. I used to do it three times a week. We ride out to Sta. Rosa doing anywhere from 22 to 44 kilometers depending on everybody’s schedules.

How do you find time with your tight schedule to worship?

I make time. Thursday mornings I wake up at 5 a.m., I go to Alabang. I live in Antipolo but my church is in Alabang. It’s called New Life Alabang Christian Fellowship. From 7 to 9 a.m., it’s just me and 12 other men who are strong in the word and that fuels a lot of what I do. Then on Sundays after my show on ASAP I go straight to Alabang and hang there until it’s time for praise and worship.

What do you think of fashion?

I like thinking of those things but I’m scared to go shopping. I have to tell someone what I need because if I don’t I’ll just get the things I want. And Michael Salientes, he’s a genius. He tells me what to buy when I go to the States. I’d rather go shopping for music equipment, keyboards, etc.

Do you get mobbed when you shop here?

My crowd has grown up with me so it’s okay. Well, in some places, if I go to Cubao, maybe. But that was before. Now there’s more respect, they come up and say hi. In Makati I can shop. I have to walk medyo fast-paced but I do walk in Glorietta. I love Greenbelt 1, 2, 3, 4 – all that.

What type of clothes do you go for?

I look at how often I can wear it: Am I going to feel good when I wear it? If I move, are the moves going to go with what I’m wearing? I’m very particular about those things.

Do you look at brands?

Not necessarily because I used to buy brand names before until I started sliding in them and then, after one use, crrraaack! Wala na! It’s gone and I don’t want what I’m wearing to limit what I can do onstage.

Do you have color preferences?

Because I sweat a lot, dark colors are better for me. I don’t like browns because for some reason I don’t think it registers well on video when the lights shine on it.

Who cuts your hair?

Nelson, of Toni and Guy. I trust them there.

What is the most expensive thing you’ve purchased for yourself?

Before, when I’d invest in something, I’d feel the pinch but when you’re able to use it in the proper way, it’s okay, sulit talaga. I’m investing in the latest Mac Pro, you know, all fully loaded up.

Do you think age alters the quality of someone’s voice?

Well, if the person stays disciplined through the years then I don’t think there’s much of an effect. But vocal chords are muscles. The older you get, the more the muscles slacken. It’s also hard to say if that happens for everyone, kasi the guy from Earth, Wind and Fire – Philip Bailey, the one with the high, high voice – he can still sing that way. Rod Stewart, Tony Bennett and Paul Anka can still sing that way.

In my case, there’s a season for things. Sometimes the range for my falsetto is really high but then my natural range becomes narrower. Now that’s what I’m struggling with. With my falsetto, I can sing really high but I have a hard time when I belt it out. Whereas before I could just switch it on. But I think it’s just a season. It will come back.

Did you have to struggle with breaking the psychological barrier of turning 40?

It was harder for me to turn 30 than it was to turn 40. I don’t know, but when they brought out the cake and the 30 was on it, I was affected. I didn’t feel good about that number.

Do you have a female fantasy?

Honestly, no, and I’m not saying it to play safe, but… There are girls that I find attractive or sexy and I find nothing wrong with that, as long as they don’t start acting out and try to come on in a very sensual type of mode. It’s a turn-off for me. Some of those I find very, very beautiful are Charlize Theron, Ashley Judd, Catherine Zeta Jones. In the local scene: Kristine Hermosa, Heart Evangelista, Donita Rose.

Do you have a favorite movie?

Awakenings with Robin Williams and Robert De Niro; I Am Sam; movies like that – they get me.

Who is your favorite actor?

I personally like Denzel Washington.

Who is your favorite singer?

Sting and Phil Collins for pop music and Michael W. Smith for inspirational music.

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The interview had to be cut short for a fashion pictorial to capture GV as himself – a transnational fashion chameleon, as fashion stylists Cecile Zamora van Straten and Michael Salientes put it. The concept of the shoot was to showcase GV in street wear as a global fashionista from the different fashion capitals of the world: Tokyo, London, Paris, New York, Helsinki, and Stockholm. The idea was that GV would be so comfortable in the outfits that Cecile and Michael had hand-picked that he would essentially look like a local from these places. He would be someone who didn’t have to explain why he dresses the way he does; he just does. He’s cool, no apologies!

Here are comments from two of the fashion industry’s premier stylists and our photographer:

Cecile Zamora van Straten: I am not a fan. I have never seen him in person before this, but after meeting him, I am now a fan! He’s so nice – like an angel, he’s the nicest guy ever. I think his best feature is his head; no, his jaw, his hair, his face… his personality. He’s down to earth, a joy to work with. A very real person.

Michael Salientes: Gary is perfect. He looks so good at 42. He looks young; he is super fit. He’s very open-minded: he’s willing to morph and reinvent himself, that’s why he’s still interesting to everyone. He is very particular about his clothes and he has a razor-sharp memory. He remembers what he wore to whatever event from way back. He’s an excellent subject because he looks like a model; he is fit like a model. I think his best feature is his shoulders; his proportion and his head… the head is perfect. You know what? He is a perfect chameleon; he looks good in any outfit. Five to 10 years from now he will still look great. He is what you call "Super Fashionne!"

This is my fantasy shoot. I’ve wanted to do this since last year because every time I style a shoot for GV it’s for a specific purpose. Now there’s creative freedom. There are no parameters and I’m happy.

Charles Lu: Gary is a great subject. He pays close attention and he pulls the poses but he also contributes his own. It becomes a give-and-take with the photographer. When I shoot him I really see that he has character; it comes out.

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Special thanks to Jappy Gonzales of Homme et Femme at Shangri-La Plaza (633-7009) and Tadi de Leon of Paul Smith Shangri-La Plaza (636-0488).