Kiana Valenciano: I don’t need to be like my Papa

Kiana Valenciano

Being the daughter of a local music icon has admittedly helped open many doors for Kiana Valenciano—she has access to some of the industry’s most talented composers and artists, she gets to share the stage with her father, Gary, in his shows and, when she’s in need of career advice, she need not look very far.

But like most children of popular celebrities, the challenge for Kiana, now 23, is forging her own identity.

“There will always be the pressure of me being compared to my parents, especially to my Papa. People tend to expect a lot from me. Good thing he always reminds me that I’m not him, and I don’t need to be him,” she told the Inquirer in an interview. “He always tells us that we don’t have to fly for them—we need to fly with them.”

Kiana, who started dabbling in music when she was just 6 years old, recently released a digital single, “Circles,” which she wrote with Gary. The song has an ambient electronic beat, an unhurried pop-R&B melody and an obvious indie influence. In terms of sound, it’s different from the kind of material that her father or brother Paolo puts out.

What was it like collaborating with your father?  Most of the time when we work together, the focus is on his music. So it was exciting being able to do my own material with him. “Circles” is the kind of music that represents me as an artist.

What was the inspiration? My Papa let me hear the music for the song, and the words just came to me. I wrote it because I really wanted to write my own stuff.

How would you describe your style?  My music has a chill, laid-back vibe.

What got you into indie music? Most of the music I listen to these days isn’t mainstream. I was influenced by the indie artists I met in London. Their sound and style were very different. I believe they suit my style. Also, I’ve been singing and performing mainstream music since I was young, so this is a cool change.

Who are your influences? Artists like Kehlani, Kiiara and Jhené Aiko epitomize the kind of music I love—a mixture of R&B, pop, soul and electronic.

What’s next for you? I’m working on new tracks with Papa. We hope to release an EP later this year. I’m also planning to collaborate with other singer-songwriters such as Keiko Necesario, Moira dela Torre, Thyro and Yumi, Jess Connelly and Dane Hipolito.