Between Cities, Kiana V Goes Her Own Way

After releasing her third album, I Know Better, in October, the next thing on Kiana Valenciano’s agenda is a set at the PLUS63 Music & Arts FestivalFestivalA multi-act music event, often held over several days, where many artists perform across different stages. Festivals combine live music, food, art, and community, and they give audiences a chanceGo to Festival Glossary on November 28. The festival will see Valenciano — who also just goes by Kiana V — take the stage at the Aseana City Concert Grounds alongside local and international acts such as Khalid, Wolf Alice, SHNTI, and more.

“I haven’t performed my own music in the Philippines at this scale before,” she tells Rolling Stone Philippines.

Still, Valenciano isn’t new to large crowds, having joined her father, Gary V, on several shows over the years. “I used to struggle with crazy, crazy stage fright,” she says. “I would stick to one area with both hands on the mic, just standing there, and you could see him moving me from one side of the stage to the other.”

Gary V is a different kind of performer, not only to his daughter but to the rest of OPMOPMShort for Original Pilipino Music, the broad body of songs written and performed by Filipino artists, from kundiman and folk ballads to rock, pop, and hip-hop. OPM is a cornerstoneGo to OPM Glossary. The first time I watched him live was at my brother’s school fair, where he, aged 60, danced, jumped, and sang as if he could never run out of breath. When I tell Valenciano this, she acknowledges that she isn’t the same beast onstage: “I’m like, ‘Whatever that is, it’s not me, but I love that for you.’”

This isn’t to say her music doesn’t make you want to dance; the first two tracks of I Know Better are charged with the electricity of a KAYTRANADA house cut, and “Got Away” is so catchy that it was recently named one of Apple Music Philippines’ Best Songs of 2026. But apart from being the daughter of Mr. Pure Energy, Valenciano is moving on a wavelength of her own.

“I wanted to go for a sound that felt authentic to where I am today,” she says of I Know Better. And where she is currently is between the megacities of Los Angeles and Manila, two places that she says have their own pros and cons. “One setback is that the moment I feel like I’m gaining momentum in one city, I’m already leaving for the next one. But in a way, it keeps me on my toes,” says Valenciano.

Ahead of the PLUS3 FestivalFestivalA multi-act music event, often held over several days, where many artists perform across different stages. Festivals combine live music, food, art, and community, and they give audiences a chanceGo to Festival Glossary, the “Does She Know” hitmaker sat down with Rolling Stone Philippines to talk about her latest album, being an independent artist, and how moving between cities inspires her.

What inspired the sound of I Know Better?

Being in L.A., surrounded by artists and musicians all running toward the same dream, it’s easy to be inspired by watching artists live and getting to know all these artists. So I led with my intuition. I wanted to go for a sound that felt authentic to where I am today. I don’t spend as much time in the club as I do in a jazz lounge, or I will step out to watch a specific DJ, so I want upbeat music that matches my lifestyle. I still want to lean into the R&B that raised me, naturally, but also experiment with some popPopShort for popular music, a broad genre built on catchy melodies, clear hooks, and polished production that aims to reach a wide audience. Pop constantly borrows from other styles, andGo to Pop Glossary inflections as well.

I’m glad you mentioned L.A., because you move between there and Manila quite a lot. Do you find all that moving to be a detriment to the creative process? Or do you find the transience inspiring?

It is inspiring. One setback is that the moment I feel like I’m gaining momentum in one city, I’m already leaving for the next one. But in a way, it keeps me on my toes. I have to actively engage to keep up with the pulse of each city.

You said a while ago that being around other artists and like-minded people inspires you. What do L.A. and Manila offer you as an artist?

I think that the beauty and the curse of starting from scratch in L.A. is that I get to reintroduce myself and tell my own story. The beauty of that is I call the shots. I can show up as I am, and the right people are gonna stick around, and the wrong people are just naturally going to move away. The curse of that is it’s hard to form deeper connections where we can just sit in silence and feel comfortable.

Those are the things I have here in Manila that have been harder or have taken more time to replicate [in L.A.]. Not to say that I haven’t found my people [there]; it’s just very different. And I think it’s just something that I have to accept: that there is a wholeness that only a few people are going to ever really experience from me.

Most people experience just half of who I really am now because it’s part of the story of someone who leaves home to build a different life. You leave half of yourself in each city. Over here, I can feel comfortable and be around my people, and there’s beauty in that, but there is also a ceiling that I’m only able to break through when I’m elsewhere.

Your father is Gary V, so there’s this assumption that you have this whole machinery behind you that can push your music career. But throughout most of that, you’ve worked independently or with small labels. I’m curious: what do you like about being independent?

I find that there are so many things in life that feel manufactured and curated, and working with smaller groups just fosters this space for them to really get to know who I am. And like I said earlier, the right people stick around, and the wrong people just tend to break away. The people who have stuck around understand my vision for myself. And it’s one of the blessings of this life that my parents have passed down to me the option to choose my path. I’m forever grateful to them for that.

Ultimately, I am drawn to just moving with intention and protecting my values, not just as an artist, but as a human. And having people on my team who understand that is very important.

In the decade that you’ve been making music, has your idea of success ever changed?

Yeah, drastically. I think that I’m the type of person who really tries to compartmentalize things. Sometimes you’re really successful in your career, and you’re not as successful at home, and your friendships are kind of struggling. And sometimes the friendships are great and the career’s taking the back seat, and home is amazing.

The way I used to view success was just forever up and up. And now I’ve accepted that life kind of just ebbs and flows. And I think you can deem yourself successful if you’re really able to adapt to those ebbs and flows without becoming — pardon my French — an asshole, or cynical.

It’s hard because in the music industry, success is so tied to visibility, external validation, and that upward movement. But I think with so much time in the industry and meeting so many people from so many different walks of life, the way I see success has evolved.

What do you like about performing your music live?

To be honest, I black out sometimes, because if not, then I overthink everything and become too rigid. But I like performing the music because I feel like I’m able to just tell the story through body language and through engaging with the audience. I get to talk about where my head was when I was writing the songs, or how different I feel about each song now. Ultimately, it’s about connection and communication and engagement with an audience. Those are the things that I really, really love.

What are you looking forward to the most at PLUS63 and what can we expect from your set?

I’m hearing it might be an afternoon set, which is what I was hoping for because I do love performing when the sun’s up. I’m looking forward to reconnecting with my listeners who may be coming. And you can expect a good mix of new music and the classics, and just good energy all around.

Pie Gonzaga

Culture Writer

Pie Gonzaga is the Culture Writer of Rolling Stone Philippines, primarily covering film, TV, food, and internet culture.

Gonzaga has worked on a range of stories for print and digital formats, from an interview with Cardinal Ambo David to features on queer party organizers such as CHURCH and Club Euphoria. Her work as the magazine’s former State of Affairs Writer includes news updates on pressing issues like the flood control scandal and the missing sabungeros, and covering rallies. Under Culture, she’s written episode recaps for hit shows, film reviews, and features on restaurants and the people who run them.

Before working with Rolling Stone Philippines, she contributed lifestyle and entertainment stories for a digital news platform.

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• In This Article:
• I Know Better
• Kiana V
• PLUS63 Music & Arts Festival