Award-winning singer and songwriter Josh Groban is thrilled to return to the Philippine stage for his upcoming "Gems World Tour" concert at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Feb. 18. The event will be presented by Willbros Live.

This will be Groban's third performance in the country, following his highly successful Bridges Tour in February 2019.

During an online interview, Groban recounted his first concert visit to the Philippines in 2007.

"I remember my very first time there. And, you know, for a kid from Los Angeles who'd not done much traveling, to go so far away from home and to, you know, I was a little bit 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 to an incredible club.

"I went to some great restaurants. I got to know new friends whom 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," Groban said.

Performing in another country and being away from home was difficult for Groban, but the warm welcome from his fans made the tour enjoyable.

"It was a really interesting time in my career because everything was so new, and it was so hard. But 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 at all.

"Landing there and feeling that embrace that is so synonymous with the people of the Philippines, the feeling that that connection immediately really made what was a nerve-wracking thing for me to travel feel like a home away from home was," he added.

After a decade away from the concert stage, the five-time Grammy-nominated singer revealed that he had been exploring music and pursuing a career in theater.

"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 kinds of side things. I've done acting, I've done writing."

"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," Groban said.

Aside from traveling for his world tour, Groban mentioned that his Filipino fans hold a special place in his heart.

"And 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 day one.

"Anytime I visit the Philippines, I try to make a set list 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 also my expression of my love for music in the Philippines and for the talent and for the love in the Philippines as well," Groban said.

Josh, recognized for his impressive career in both music and theater, made a successful return to Broadway in 2023. He starred as the vengeful title character in the acclaimed revival of Stephen Sondheim’s "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street."

Groban shared how he balances his two passions in theater.

"I think that each one of them feeds the other. I think that to have the chance to tap into different things, you know, I think there was a time in my career where I thought that to do that would be a distraction from my main course.

"But more and more, I've realized that saying yes to things that excite me, even if they're not the main street, actually just nourishes that thing even more.

"Also, I think people want to see all sides now. I think the business has also changed since I started, when you had to be very careful about your brand. You know, I think people want to see all the things that make you weird and different, the funny, goofy, and serious things, all wrapped up into one.

"I think that I've been very lucky to have been able to do a lot of different things in this industry that have been able to basically say kind of who I am," Groban said.

Tickets for the "Gems World Tour" are 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).