Ian Veneracion tries on his musical hat with ‘stephn’

Ian Veneracion just stepped into a new phase in his creative career with the release of his debut extended play (EP), "Searching for stephn." 

Ian, 51, has been known for decades as an actor. He first caught the public's attention as the child of Joey de Leon in the TV show "Joey and Son" in the early 80s. 

Many decades later, he introduces himself not as a thespian but as a singer-songwriter under the name “stephn,” derived from his real name, Stephen Ian Veneracion, dropping the “e.”

He recently shared a sneak peek of his music launch on social media. “Searching for stephn EP is now available on all major digital platforms under stephn. I hope the songs resonate with you,” he wrote.

Ian also created a new Instagram account under the username “stephn,” where fans can follow along for updates and future releases. Fans have already shared their reactions online. One Instagram user wrote, “Excited to see and explore this new side of you, stephn!!” while another commented, “Loving all your songs.”

The EP’s overall look matches its intimate feel with the cover and lyric visuals using a handwritten, sketch-like style that adds a simple yet personal touch.

Although most people know Ian mainly as an actor, music is not entirely new to him. Back in the 2017 series "A Love To Last," where he starred alongside Bea Alonzo, Ian showed glimpses of his musical side through his character Anton Nobrez. 

Singing and playing guitar and piano for Andeng (Alonzo's character) and performing songs by Jose Mari Chan, Ian gave viewers a peek at his rarely seen musical side.

The four-track EP released on April 8  features original songs written by Ian himself, titled “I Walk Alone,” “Searching for stephn,” “Tryin,” and “Lights On.”