What a hectic, momentous year it’s been for Mr. Pure Energy! After staging several concerts in the Philippines and around the world, an 8-night Music Museum series “HIS LOVE” - capped by his spectacular two-night 25th anniversary thanksgiving show “LIVE AT 25” at the Araneta Coliseum on November 14 and 15 – the year just ain’t over for Gary V.
On December 22, barely 3 weeks after flying in from Dubai, Oman and Bahrain and where he performed for an audience of more than 10,800 in Qatar the biggest ever for a pop concert in the country. Gary flies next to Davao City for a show at the Holy Cross Gym. Just like his anniversary show, Live at 25, Gary will feature children Paolo, 24, Gabriel, 20, and Kiana, who turns 16 on the 21st, as his special guests.
His final concert in Davao is especially meaningful because it shows that being back in home turf also means being physically accessible to fans in areas outside his Metro Manila base. During his anniversary year especially, it goes to the heart of his vaunted desire to pay it forward.
In October, he renewed his commitment to UNICEF as its National Ambassador of Goodwill in the Philippines, a post he has held for the last 10 years. “My vision as an ambassador for UNICEF for the next 10 years is hopefully to encourage efforts to know more about UNICEF and unite our efforts for the rights of all children,” he said. “We have seen great progress and I’m sure together we can achieve a lot for children here in the Philippines.”
Gary also quietly but actively visited campuses throughout Metro Manila to promote Y-Power, a leadership development youth forum in partnership with the TOYM Foundation. (Gary was an awardee in 2001.)
He also celebrated his 30th year as a juvenile diabetic, a milestone that led his doctor to call him a “living miracle.” Appropriately enough, his 25th anniversary concert coincided with World Diabetes Day, with Gary an inspiring example and living proof of triumph over debilitation.
And there was more giving for his fans. This year, three new CDs were also released under his name. The first, Rebirth, out earlier this year, is Gary’s interpretation of songs especially meaningful to him. The second, GV25, was produced for ABS-CBN’s Star Records and features 25 artists including Sharon Cuneta, Martin Nievera, Jericho Rosales, Sarah Geronimo, Rachel Ann Go, Piolo Pascual, his son Paolo, and Kuh Ledesma interpreting 25 of Gary’s biggest hits. The third, a 30-track all-time favorite hits, The Platinum Ballad Collection is under Universal Records.
And the rewards were more than equal to what he gave back. Last March, Gary was honored with the MYX Magna Award for his music and “for touching peole’s lives through his art.” It is the highest award that MYX gives to deserving artists.
In September, he was chosen to perform at the Prestige Magazine Anniversary Ball at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Singapore and again, a month later at the Hewlett Packard Partners Conference in Bali, Indonesia for HP-New Delhi!
Last November 26, Gary scored his 5th straight win at the Awit Awards for the Best Performance by a Male Recording Artist for his best-loved hit song, “Sana Maulit Muli,” which he co-wrote with wife Angeli Valenciano. He also shared the Best Performance by a Duet award with Jed Madela for the song “"Hard Habit To Break."
Apart from also being nominated in the 22nd PMPC Star Awards for Television as Best Single Performance by An Actor for his performance in ABS-CBN’s Maalaala Mo Kaya for the episode "Bag,” he also received the 2008 Anak TV Seal Awards as one of the Most Admired Male TV Personalities in a survey conducted by the Southeast Asian Foundation for Children and Television, his fourth consecutive year to be part of this distinguished list.
And to underline how much Gary V has been part of our consciousness, he joined Dolphy, Fernando Poe Jr., Sharon Cuneta, Lea Salonga and Manny Pacquiao as among one of the 12 top Pinoy icons who were immortalized on canvas at an exhibit this month by Gallery 7 at the Shangri-la Plaza Mall.
But the pop icon also counts the leading lights of the indie music scene as among his fans. During a surprise birthday party thrown by Paolo for his dad last August 20 at Magnet High Street at The Fort, Sugarfree, Rivermaya, Urbandub, Out of Body Special, Aia de Leon of Imago, and Kjwan showed up to rock Gary V’s biggest hits. A repeat of the tribute show also drew Paolo’s band Salamin, Sandwich, SpongeCola, Pedicab and Greyhoundz among others. After the show, Sandwich frontman and former Eraserhead Raymund Marasigan wrote on his e-group how he couldn’t sleep because of how inspired he was by Gary V.
Gary is also singing the theme song of the soon-to-be aired Primetime Bida teleserye, Tayong Dalawa, first popularized by Rey Valera.
“God, it’s been an awesome ride!” Gary said during his 25th anniversary show.
But, hold on to your hats because the next phase of Gary’s career is just beginning. And fans can expect nothing less than a more stellar, inspirational ride.
For more details about Gary’s schedules and other activities, log on at www.garyv.com or check out share.ovi.com/garyv for his digital diary.
