Kiana Valenciano catches up with MEGA Entertainment on turning new pages in her life and music, but still sticking with a story on self-love
Calling life a paradox is already a broken record, but it is our reality. An ending is also a beginning. Finishing a day is starting another. For Kiana V, leaving her known home is also an eventual arrival to a peaceful place within herself.
RELATED: Kiana Valenciano Opens Up About What Lies Beneath Her Cool And Collected Surface
In an exclusive interview with MEGA Entertainment, the singer-songwriter opens up on how living life and making music meet halfway through constant change, growth, and learning how to love and take care of yourself.
Looking back, then ahead
When you hear Kiana’s name, at least here in the country, it is enough to register that she is from a prominent family before coming to the conclusion that she, herself, has a name of her own. Over the years, it has become something that she doesn’t run away from, but a truth that she chooses to grow from. “I think part of this struggle stems from my upbringing, where concerns about how others would perceive my embrace of creative freedom ultimately cast a shadow over my creative process. However, nobody knows me here [in Los Angeles]. I’m free to make my own mistakes and pave my own way,” she opened up.
It is a shared story by those who belong in a lineage of talents. Do you keep yourself in the equation and work around the established success of your family or step away and create your own formula of achievement? In Kiana’s case, she keeps it both. While she honors the music running through her bloodline, her veins, she calls the shot on her own sound.
When she packed her bags in February of 2020 to start anew in California, it was pure Kiana energy this time around. She explains, “Starting from scratch, it’s as if I became a blank canvas. There are moments when I feel invisible, and oddly enough, I find solace in that feeling. I’m learning to recognize which experiences no longer serve me and which ones are deserving of my time and energy. The best part is I don’t feel the need to apologize for any of it!”
She added, “If someone had told me six years ago that, in my mid-20s, just as my career was beginning to stabilize, I’d be uprooting my life and moving to a new city, I would have dismissed it as something that couldn’t possibly happen to me. Yet, here I am.”
Growing outside, then within
With much introspection from the 30-year-old artist, she did not shy away from what it meant to live your personal growth. As time passes by for Kiana, it also does for her loved ones. “Every time I come home, I notice the subtle changes—everyone is just a little bit older, forming connections with unfamiliar faces, reminiscing about the best moments from gatherings I missed or making plans for the next weekend when I know I’ll be elsewhere. It’s a unique challenge feeling like I’m always on the outside looking in.
“I must admit, I really don’t have it all figured out, and the truth is, I often find myself really missing home. But I wouldn’t trade this period of self-discovery for anything in the world.”
Kiana’s grip of her decided path was also a story of slowly but surely growing roots to where she has chosen to build her own foundation. “When I first arrived here, I had to summon the courage to put myself out there, drowning out my inner critic to build new friendships and muster the confidence to collaborate with strangers. I distinctly remember one studio session where I struggled to produce anything more than a single phrase. It felt like the worst case of writer’s block and I was so embarrassed!” she confessed. Now, I’ve accepted that those days are unavoidable and part of the process. Through it all, I’ve learned self-sufficiency and gained a heightened awareness of my weaknesses that need improvement.”
Making music in the mind, then for others
For Kiana V, the homage to her music history and heritage will always be there. Just because she chooses a more intimate audience or a slower, steadier sound doesn’t mean that her effect is any less impactful. “Ultimately, I felt like I had hit my ceiling back home,” she said with much honesty. “I can vividly recall the year 2018, a time when I felt this growing need for some breathing room and a break from my own life. Coincidentally, it was during this time that I started connecting with a couple artists from LA and their approach to creativity left a lasting impression on me. ”
Today, the musician continues to explore around pop, R&B, acoustic, and EDM. She is just grooving with the music without that determined pressure from a specific genre or style. With her craft as another breathing and living form of herself, there is much anticipation for her new sound, especially with the new beginnings in her life. Cue, the engagement ring on her finger. “My music naturally evolves as I do. I’ve been able to reminisce and reflect on my life with appreciation and understanding instead of resentment. It’s also been really interesting to craft stories purely from imagination. You’ll hear all of this in my upcoming releases.”
Even when we are not listening to her singing her reflections in life, Kiana is equally deserving to be heard when it comes to starting again. “I believe the first step is recognizing that inner feeling that tells you it’s time for something new. It’s that inner voice or nudge that you feel deep down in your gut. Trust it! Take a step back, dive inward, and truly understand your goals and values. And remember, you’re on your own timeline! There’s no need to rush into drastic changes. You’re free to start with baby steps.”
Photography KIERAN PUNAY
Art Direction BRIE VENTURA
Fashion Direction CARYLL CABUHAT and SEAN CASTELO
Beauty Direction MARA GO
Styling RYUJI SHIOMITSU, assisted by KURT ABONAL
Makeup JASON DELOS REYES
Hair PATTY CRISTOBAL
Nails NIKA PASCUA
Sittings Editor PEACHES GARCIA
