David Pomeranz: The King of Hearts celebrates 50 years of magic

For half a century, David Pomeranz has sung of love, hope, and the quiet faith that something magical lives within every heart. His professional recording career began in the early 1970s and reached a milestone in 1975 with the release of It’s in Every One of Us under Arista Records. The record introduced a voice that was soulful and sincere, setting the tone for a career built on emotional honesty and melodic grace.

Five decades later, that same sincerity continues to define both his artistry and his enduring bond with Filipino audiences. He is loved by Filipinos everywhere – not just for his songs, but for the sincerity that makes them feel personal, wherever they are in the world.

For Filipino listeners, who have always had a soft spot for heartfelt ballads, Pomeranz is more than a visiting act. His songs have stayed – woven into everyday life, from school proms to Sunday radio shows.

From Broadway dreams to enduring ballads

Born in New York, Pomeranz grew up surrounded by Broadway and The Beatles. As a teenager, he began writing songs and performing wherever he could. By the early 1970s, he was touring with Rod Stewart, Billy Joel, and Three Dog Night, discovering how a song connects when it’s sung straight from the heart.

His debut album, It’s in Every One of Us (Arista Records, 1975), featured a collection of heartfelt originals that introduced him as both a gifted singer and songwriter. Among its standout tracks were “It’s in Every One of Us” — the title track and centerpiece of the album – “Tryin’ to Get the Feeling Again” (later covered by Barry Manilow), “If You Walked Away,” “The Hit Song of All Time,” “Ask Me to Say ‘I Do’ (And I Will),” and “The Old Songs,” which Manilow also recorded years later.

These songs established Pomeranz’s reputation for emotional honesty and lyrical grace, and this landmark album now serves as the foundation for his 50th anniversary celebration.

Finding home in the Philippines

When Pomeranz first arrived in the Philippines in 1983, he was astonished to hear an audience singing his lyrics word for word. From that moment, Manila became a recurring stop — and eventually, a second home.

His gentle demeanor and heartfelt delivery resonated deeply with the Filipino love for songs that tell stories. “Got to Believe in Magic,” originally written for the 1982 film Zapped!, became a phenomenon here. It found new life in the 2002 movie Got 2 Believe starring Rico Yan and Claudine Barretto, and again in the 2013 ABS-CBN teleserye performed by Juris Fernandez.

Through every version, the message stayed the same — belief in love, destiny, and something greater than ourselves. For many Filipinos, it remains the soundtrack to growing up, falling in love, and finding one’s way home.

A traveler of hearts

Across five decades, Pomeranz has performed on some of the world’s most iconic stages from the Hollywood Bowl, the Kennedy Center, Munich’s Olympic Stadium, and even the Kremlin. Yet nowhere does he draw energy quite like in the Philippines.

From the Folk Arts Theater and Smart Araneta Coliseum to provincial cities and community halls, his shows feel more like reunions than concerts. He sings, the crowd answers, and the line between artist and audience fades. “There’s always that moment,” he once said, “when I realize — I’m home.”

Why Filipinos keep believing

Pomeranz belongs to a small group of Western balladeers – Air Supply, Dan Hill, Michael Learns to Rock, Rick Price – who found lasting kinship with Filipino audiences. While the rest of the world chases trends, Filipinos remain loyal to songs that speak simply and sincerely about love.

That’s why “King and Queen of Hearts” and “Got to Believe in Magic” never fade. They’re more than hits, they’re emotional landmarks. His music, like the Filipino spirit itself, wears its heart proudly on its sleeve.

Still believing in magic in 2025

Now in his seventies, Pomeranz shows no sign of slowing down. Early this year, he performed in Winnipeg, Canada, followed by a charity concert in Washington, D.C. for Filipino-American Cancer Care. In July, he returned to the Philippines for a three-day engagement at KCC Convention and Event Center in Cotabato, where thousands sang along to every lyric.

He remains a steady presence on Philippine airwaves and social media, where younger artists like Morissette Amon and KZ Tandingan continue to reinterpret his songs for a new generation. Even in karaoke halls, his classics still top playlists, a sign that his music has truly become part of Filipino life.

Culmination in Los Angeles: 50 years of It’s in Every One of Us

To mark his golden milestone, David Pomeranz will close the year with a special concert on November 1, 2025, at the Colony Theatre in Burbank, California. A symbolic homecoming celebrating the 50th anniversary of It’s in Every One of Us.

As he told Asian Journal, the evening will feel “like a party in someone’s home,” with several of the original musicians from the 1975 album joining him onstage. Though intimate in scale, the concert will revisit the songs that began his journey and showcase another side of his artistry, the theatrical and inspirational works that shaped his creative voice.

For Pomeranz, the title track still captures what his career has always stood for: “It’s in every one of us – to be wise, to be kind, to believe.”

The anniversary concert isn’t a farewell; it’s a quiet reminder of the same faith that has always powered his music that connection and love remain the true magic in all of us.

A voice that still believes

Through changing decades, David Pomeranz has never chased trends or spectacle. His gift lies in quiet honesty in melodies that tell listeners they are not alone.

When he sings,  generations of Filipinos instinctively respond. Fifty years after his first album, the King of Hearts still sings about the one thing that never goes out of style – believing in love, and in the music that keeps it alive.