Five-time Grammy nominee Josh Groban is thrilled to return to the Philippines for a special performance for his Filipino fans.
Presented by Wilbros Live, Josh will be staging his comeback show as part of the Gems World Tour on February 18, 2026, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
This marks Josh’s third concert in the country, following his highly successful Bridges Tour in February 2019 and his first visit back in 2007.
Josh said that returning to touring after several years has made him truly appreciate the privilege of exploring the world through music.
In his words, "It's been seven years since I've visited Manila and it's been 10 years since I've done a full world tour. And so, a lot has happened in that time period.
"We've had a global pandemic. I've been to Broadway. I've, you know, done a lot of kind of side things. I've done acting, I've done writing."
He contiued, "And so, first of all, I would say, I never take for granted the fact that, you know, in my job, to be able to travel the world through music and to be able to connect with fans through music is the luckiest thing that I ever get to do."
JOSH GROBAN'S LOVE FOR HIS FILIPINO FANS
For Josh, reconnecting with his Filipino audience after seven years is something he deeply looks forward to.
Elaborating: "I've also said many times that, you know, my fans in the Philippines have a very special place within that in my heart, because they have been there for me truly since album one, day one.
"And anytime I visit the Philippines, I try to make a setlist that represents that connection, that represents the old, the new, surprises that they may not expect, collaborations that they may not expect.
"And for it to be a combination of the music that they've loved from me, but then also my expression of my love for music in the Philippines and for the talent and for the love in the Philippines, as well.
"So, I try to make my concerts, when I had the chance to go there, really have both of those things.
"And I can't believe how fast time is flying. I didn't think it would be seven years, but I promise to make it worth the wait."
Reflecting his deep appreciation for the Philippines, Josh told PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) that he always includes Filipino fan favorites in his concert setlist.
He said: "I mean, coming up with a setlist is gonna be really fun and really challenging because having so much music now to choose from after 25 years, you really wanna find the songs that have been the most special to my fans in the Philippines.
"And you also wanna show surprises and keep things fresh and new, as well. So, I think that there's definitely songs that my Filipino fans have requested a lot.
"Songs like 'You Raise Me Up,' 'To Where You Are,' 'You Are Loved,' you know, 'February Song.'"
One song Josh never leaves out during his Manila shows is his version of “She’s Out of My Life”—a track he performs exclusively for his Filipino fans.
He said, "One song that I know I always get requests to sing in the Philippines, and only in the Philippines, is this song, 'She's Out of My Life,' which is a song that they've been asking me to sing since my very first concert.
"And I love the song, I do, but I only sing it in Manila. It's a song that I've only ever done in Manila, and I will do it again this time, and I'm always grateful they ask for it.
"When I recorded that song, I thought, 'Oh, I don't know if anybody's gonna hear this. It's such a famous Michael Jackson song, and I don't know if anybody's gonna care that I sang this.'
"And boy, it really resonated with my fans in the Philippines. And, and every time I come back, they ask for it. So, I'm gonna sing that as well."
RECALLING HIS FIRST TIME IN MANILA
With years having passed since his last visit, PEP asked Josh about his fondest memory of Manila and his Filipino fans.
He said that his very first trip to the country remains unforgettable—a surprising admission considering it’s been nearly two decades since that visit in 2007.
Josh recalled: "I remember my very first time there. And, you know, for a kid from Los Angeles who'd had not done much traveling, to go so far away from home and to, you know, be a little nervous about just traveling so far and so long to meet new fans for the first time.
"You know, I remember that first trip like it was yesterday. I went out and had some incredible times in Manila. I went out to an incredible club.
"I went to some great restaurants. I got to know new friends that I've had for a long time. I got to do a lot of meet and greets as well with some of my fans there.
"And it was a really interesting time in my career because everything was so new and it was so hard."
Despite being thousands of miles away from home, Josh felt an incredible sense of belonging when he first visited Manila.
The "You Raise Me Up" singer shared, "The thing about Manila and the Philippines was that it didn't feel hard. It was so easy. It was so welcoming, and it didn't feel like work in any way at all.
"Landing there and feeling that embrace, that is so, synonymous with the people of the Philippines... feeling that, that connection immediately, really made what was a nerve wracking thing for me to travel, felt like a home away from home."
JOSH GROBAN: MORE THAN TWO DECADES IN MUSIC
Josh’s Gems World Tour serves as the global promotion for his album Gems—a career-spanning compilation released on May 2, 2025.
The album marks his first greatest hits collection in North America and features 18 tracks, including beloved classics like “You Raise Me Up,” “To Where You Are,” and “February Song,” alongside Broadway-inspired covers such as “Pure Imagination” and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” plus two brand-new recordings.
With more than two and a half decades in the music industry, members of the press asked Josh how he stays motivated to keep creating, even during challenging times.
For him, it all comes down to one thing: finding the purpose that continues to inspire him.
He explained: "I mean, there are definitely times where, you know, you get frustrated, you are uninspired, you feel like it's maybe harder than it is rewarding.
"You know, you have to give a lot of yourself when you're in this line of work and a lot of your time. It's a lot of sacrifice that you're not with your family and people you love, and every time you try to kind of set roots down, there's another thing that grabs you.
"And so, you have to really love it, and I do really love it."
Josh continued: "The thing that keeps me excited are my live shows, seeing the connection with my fans, traveling the world and seeing what we've meant to each other.
"You know, in this life, we all try to find whatever purpose we have in this time we're given on this planet, and, you know, my purpose on this planet has been to connect through music.
"And so that reminder every time I get to experience that in front of an audience brings me right back up to where I need to be."
His fans, he said, also prompt him to always give his best.
"I think that's a big part of longevity is having the bravery to know that your fans want to go on a journey with you.
"They don't want just the same thing all the time. They want to feel your excitement and your enthusiasm. So I've tried to do that too."
Josh adds that having the passion and drive to keep learning and trying new things also motivates him to push forward in his career.
He said: "I try to stay a student. I try to stay a student. I try to stay scared and learn new things.
"And if I feel like I'm getting too stagnant or too bored with a certain thing, you know, then you have to take the risk to try something else, to try new, new endeavors, things that keep you on your edge."
This mindset also led him to revisit theater—a homecoming of sorts, as he briefly studied musical theater at Carnegie Mellon University before leaving to pursue his music career.
In 2023, Josh made a triumphant return to Broadway, starring as the vengeful title character in the acclaimed revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
For Josh, musical theater was the hidden gem he was grateful to rediscover.
"You know what's interesting is that when I, when I left my college to sign a record deal with David Foster, I really didn't think I would have the opportunity to do theater again.
"I thought that I was saying goodbye to that dream to pursue another dream.
"And so, to be welcomed back into the theatrical community, I know that I also share this with wonderful Filipino, Nicole Scherzinger, who felt...
"I know, I've talked to her, felt the exact same way going into music and always feeling like theater was maybe, maybe would be there, but maybe not....
"To have been, to have been welcomed into the theatrical community, to have been able to live my childhood dream of doing theater, has been a gem moment for me that I feel very, very grateful that I've had a chance to do that."
Tickets to Josh's Gems World Tour: Manila remain available via smtickets.com and SM Tickets outlets nationwide, with prices ranging from PHP2,200 (General Admission) to PHP33,000 (SVIP Soundcheck Experience), including tiers such as SVIP (PHP15,900), VIP (PHP13,250), Lower Box (PHP7,950–PHP9,100), and Upper Box (PHP4,800–PHP5,850).
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