It is evident how the pandemic changed how people live in this generation. The entertainment industry, of course, is no exception. In this era of uncertainty, the fast-paced industry, as we know it, became one of the most hard-hit—forced to abruptly halt operations and quickly adapt to the many changes it did not see coming.
But in the midst of all these unforeseen impact to the world of entertainment, Patrick Quiroz, young actor and singer/songwriter on the up, is ready to embrace the change, and is geared up to go all in.
Like any other young person living amid the pandemic, Quiroz shares how he had to take on the “new normal” not just as an actor who had just started a very promising career before abruptly transitioning to do his job online and as a typical young person in his 20s, with a life of endless possibilities seemingly cut short because of the world’s terrifying situation, “A lot of adjustments for sure [but] we just had to keep safe first nung una but then I am very glad and fortunate that there’s work during the pandemic, even if it’s just all online,” he tells Rank Magazine.
Despite adjusting to the circumstances, it’s his youthful spirit and verve, surrounded by all the right people, that allowed him to look at the unprecedented situation with hope. “It was really humbling to be with your family most of the time and to be [able to] work habang nasa bahay ka. Not everyone got to do what they wanted to do and for that I am always going to be grateful.”
Even as entertainment media adapted to the times and made the necessary shift into the terrains of cyberspace, there are certain things and activities people truly miss doing after being in quarantine restrictions and lockdowns for two years now.
Blazer, Edwin Tan. Top, Adam Pereyra. Elephant denim trousers, Proudrace.
For Quiroz, it’s the spirit of live performances and the power of connection made with an onsite audience especially now with his eyes firmly set on rebuilding his road to continuing making music that makes him look forward to a future of new beginnings, post-pandemic, “Performing onstage live with a lot of audience, and of course, my singing also, I miss that. Going to mall shows and going around town after town, mga festivals, fiesta, you get invited to perform sa town nila and be part of their celebrations,” he recalls. “Iba padin ‘yung presence of the crowd. You feed off their energies.”
Two long years in the pandemic and the young celebrity’s beginnings in the industry now seems to have commenced eons of years ago, taking on roles in commercials before landing acting stints on television and on the digital sphere with the iWant series Spirits Reawaken back in 2018.
It was in the early onset of 2020, right before the big pause brought by the COVID-19 virus, when he took on a role in A Soldier’s Heart opposite bigwigs like Gerald Anderson, Carlo Aquino, and veteran actors Ariel Rivera, Irma Adlawan, Sid Lucero, and Raymond Bagatsing. But not long after, with the dawn of more productions moving to online channels, he would soon again take his acting chops to the online space in the series Hello Stranger, where an army of fans rallied behind him and onscreen partner Vivoree Esclito.
Jacket, Proudrace. Trousers, Adam Pereyra. Embroidered shirt (worn inside), Kelvin Morales.
Fast forward to 2022, following a move to a new home in Cornerstone Entertainment the year before, Quiroz is showing no signs of slowing down, with a growing repertoire of achievements to his name, not to mention a string of roles in the midst of the new normal of lock-in tapings and online engagements in exchange for live guestings with audiences cheering in applause.
Of note, earlier this month, prior to turning 22, he took home the championship trophy from award-winning TV5 show Sing-Galing, a revival of an early 2000s music reality competition of the same title—a timely win that reopened talks about his jab at a music career, with the aim of beefing up his discography of songs years back like “Paano Ba Naman” and “Ikaw Pa Rin” in 2018, “Lullaby” in 2019 and “Love Love Love” in 2020.
In the course of the varying levels of quarantines and lockdowns, Quiroz shares exploring more the art of songwriting and honing his writing skills. He says, “I started songwriting when I was in quarantine, nasa hotel ako, I didn’t have anything to do, so sabi ko [I can] be productive at the same time so I tried songwriting and then I made about four to five songs. It was fun. It was a good learning experience, especially for starting artists like me. [In] songwriting, it’s [a] different vibe and skill to do, talagang iba yung emotion. You have to put all the emotions and all your hard work kung ano man ‘yung pinanggalingan mo and pinaghuhugutan mo.”
Part of what inspires Quiroz as a musician, as with every artist around, are the music icons he looks up to, finding inspiration from the iconic Gary Valenciano to contemporary global superstar Bruno Mars. “Si Mr. Gary V., talagang one of the greatest [performers]. The way he performs, there’s just so much emotion, and his vocals are really nice also.” He adds, “I really look up to Bruno Mars, sobrang idol. Most Filipinos naman know he’s part Filipino also, but not just because of that, his skills bring inspiration to people. He is insanely good.”
Striped button-down shirt and repurposed cape (used as seat draping), Proudrace. Trousers, Adam Pereyra.
When it comes to the genres he sets his eyes (and ears) to, he mentions R&B and serenading style of hitmakers of young contemporaries making a killing in the music scene these days, “I am trying to go where I’m comfortable at, maybe R&B, kind of slow type of music. ‘Yung mga heartfelt music like the ones I look up to like Arthur Nery and Zack Tabudlo.”
With a track underway and a body of work he looks at sharing to his audience in the next few months, Quiroz’ hand in music will soon be put to the test. “This summer, I’ll be [releasing it]. ‘Yung mga sinulat kong songs, we’re releasing a single muna and then hopefully makapunta tayo doon sa album.”
While a growing enthusiasm on music is evident, Quiroz continues to be a player in the new wave actors we are seeing on the scene. After He’s Into Her, and the recently released Niña, Niño his future endeavors in the acting industry are looking brighter and limitless than ever.
He seeks to dive deeper in heavy drama and looks forward to exploring horror/thriller genres in the future. “I am a really emotional person in general eh, so I feel like I can portray, and hopefully pull out ‘yung mga dramatic scenes, yung mga sobrang hagulgol. But I also like doing horror movies ‘yung mga intense scenes we love,” he shares with a smile.
“Hopefully if given the opportunity to do both music and acting, I would. If there’s a lot of open doors, oo naman. I mean work is work right now, bakit naman hindi natin tatanggapin. Especially for a starting artist like me, [if] given the opportunity to do acting and singing at the same time, why not?’’
In waiting for the next big role on his acting belt, he expressed his admiration towards the “Star for all Seasons” Ms. Vilma Santos-Recto. “Sobrang galing niya. I’ve seen most of her movies and series growing up, [she is] a really great actress, and to be working with her, it would be an honor.”
Pullover (worn inside), Proudrace.
“I am not expecting anything, for me naman it’s just to inspire people through my work, my music hopefully, and I’m not expecting anything big. But for me, especially now that we see the importance of the platform given me, to give people entertainment to make them happy is fulfilling,” he divulges on his thoughts turning a year older.
And with age playing a factor in his development both as an artist and a human being, he teases taking on new things to explore apart from what the industry has already seen as his most promising strengths. “I wanna be a dancer. I wanna learn how to dance. Given the opportunity to do other stuff bakit hindi diba, why would we stop [learning]?” he jests looking at his handler Austin de Guzman mid-sentence, before ending with a boyish laugh.
In the middle of it all, front and center of his growing career and an ever-evolving sense of self is his family, which for Quiroz serves as a solid support system throughout his career and his individuality.
In the end, we ask, “Why do you do what you do?” With sincerity and childlike wonder, he responds, “I do what I do because I love what I’m doing. Inspiring people and reaching people with the talent that God has given me, to make people happy through my music. I do it for the sake of happiness.”
Produced by Cornestone Entertainment for Rank Magazine
Creative direction, styling, and additional text by LEO BALANTE
Photography by JERICK SANCHEZ
Hair and makeup by NADYNNE ESGUERRA
Interview by LEO BALANTE, RONI MAE SERRANO and ANDREA YSABEL ANDRES
Styling associate ISAIAH BAILON
Videography by EMILIO SANTIAGO
Shoot associate PATRICK DALE ALOG
Fashion by Proudrace, Adam Pereyra
Shot on location at CS Studios
With acknowledgments to Austin De Guzman, Erickson Raymundo, and Jeff Vadillo at Cornerstone Entertainment