Rey Valera on how to write chart-toppers: Be more empathetic, less judgmental of others

Valera (Bagatsing) wrote some of the hit songs of the late Rico J. Puno (right, played by Eric Nicolas).

“He has shown great maturity as an actor,” singer-composer Rey Valera said of the performance of RK Bagatsing, who portrayed him in the musical biopic “Kahit Maputi na ang Buhok Ko.”

Valera’s life journey and musicality are reflected in the 90-minute film by Joven Tan. The film is based on Valera’s yet-to-be-published life story that he started writing in 2020. It centers on the inspirations behind 10 of his chart-topping songs. It is an official entry to the 1st Summer Metro Manila Film Festival, which runs from April 8 to April 18.

“His acting is perfect. RK was able to show the personality of a guy who describes himself as subdued and a nerd. I know that RK has a lot to offer as an actor, but he knew his limits. His character is not an alpha, ‘di siya epal or kumakain ng eksena. To be able to understand and reflect this onscreen requires maturity,” he pointed out. Valera also said he was glad the role was given to Bagatsing. He even predicted that Bagatsing’s performance would eventually change the trajectory of his acting career. “In our lives, we always encounter instances when we make decisions without really knowing the implications,” he began.

RK Bagatsing as Rey Valera

“An example was the time I said ‘yes’ to Direk Joven. That decision started all these, and then RK came along. He has yet to fully grasp the impact of his decision to join this project. If he was looking at being a character actor as a possible career path, this project will surely change the trajectory of his career. That’s my prediction. People like me are good at that, just like when we know the kind of song that is suited for a particular artist and will eventually become a hit,” Valera explained to Inquirer Entertainment.

Filled with emotion

He also said that had Tan not been the kind of director who also composes songs, the movie would have come out very different. “I’m quite sure that if he was a TV director, particularly of ‘ASAP,’ then this might not have worked well,” Valera explained, adding that aside from his manuscript, Tan based the story on their nine-hour recorded interview.

“The film is very emotional. Direk Joven was able to masterfully connect all the songs. He was also able to achieve balance using visuals to help describe the music and vice versa,” said Valera. “He also made sure that RK’s performance did not look forced, but one so filled with emotion that it slowly penetrates your heart.”

Rey Valera

He continued: “When Direk Joven spoke to me about his plan to do a film, I was already done with the manuscript, so I offered for him to read it. After that, he already knew how to proceed. It was good that he was able to get the important points of the manuscript. This musical biopic is a first in the country, so I guess this means it’s a big deal. I really hope that the local audience will be able to watch it.”

Becoming successful

Toward the end of our 30-minute Zoom interview—punctuated by Valera’s off-the-record green jokes featuring his good friends and fellow OPM Hitmakers Marco Sison, Hajji Alejandro, Nonoy Zuñiga and the late Rico J. Puno—we got to ask him for tips on how aspiring singer-composers can become successful, as well.

To this, Valera replied: “If you are entering this business thinking that you will eventually become rich like Rey Valera, then you’re on the wrong track. If your would-be colleagues feel that you’re only in it for the money, they will brand you as a fake. “Also, if you sometimes feel that you’re already running out of ideas on what to write, try to detach yourself from the situation. I only recently found the more appropriate word for it—empathy. Before that, I would just describe myself as the observer. I’d look at people commuting in Monumento and imagine what’s going through their minds and how they are feeling. If you put yourself in someone else’s shoes, you become that person and so his experiences and feelings become yours, too. That way, you become less judgmental and finally get to understand where he is coming from. I wrote, ‘Mamahalin kita, maging sino ka man … ’ because I imagined myself pacifying a woman with a dark past. You probably have not met someone like her in your life, but you are able to think of a new subject matter, one that’s not about you.”

“Kahit Maputi na ang Buhok Ko: The Music of Rey Valera,” by Saranggola Media Productions, also features Meg Imperial, Ariel Rivera, Gelli de Belen, Christopher de Leon and Eric Nicolas. INQ