Sitti: 2011 a year of learning experiences

MANILA, Philippines - Sitti assessed 2011 as a year of learning experiences — but not so much in relation to her career, but more of the personal side.

It will be remembered that the 27-year-old bossa nova singer, whose real name is Sitti Katrina Baydin, met for the first time her father early this year, in April. It also gave her the chance to trace and get acquainted with her Mapun (Muslim tribe) roots in Tawi-Tawi. That fateful reunion will be repeated in September.

Unfortunately, opportunities to be with each other have been cut short, as her father passed away last month due to heart failure.

“Ganun lang siya kabilis,” said Sitti, turning emotional in an interview yesterday at Sir Boy’s Food Republique.

Sitti wasn’t able to rush to Tawi-Tawi to make it to the burial because as in Muslim tradition, the dead is buried immediately. “So, ang nakita ko nalang ay ang grave niya,” she said, wiping away tears.

Nevertheless, how short-lived the time she spent with her father, the lessons, particularly on love, came aplenty. “Marami akong learnings tungkol sa pag-ibig,” she shared.

While she never harbored any resentment towards her father, she admitted feeling indifference. Prior to their meeting, there were attempts to contact Sitti. One sibling from her father located her through Friendster, while her other relatives first saw her via a guesting on ABS-CBN’s now defunct show Sharon.

But she said that, for some weird reason after all these years, it was only last year that she decided to meet with her father this year. “Yun pala (he’s going to pass away).”

She shared, “I grew up without him. But when I met him, I realized, wow, tatay ko ‘to. May tatay ako. At the same time, given the past, I thought hindi ako magiging warm towards him, but when I saw him, the past dissolved. It didn’t matter.

“He made me realize that you can love someone without knowing that you love him. Malalaman mo nalang na everything else — like the past — doesn’t matter anymore. It’s possible pala.”

And for that, Sitti is very grateful for 2011.

She’s also very much upbeat about the incoming year. She will be returning to the stage to be part of Nine the musical for Atlantis Productions.

As for romantic love, Sitti said that she was single by choice for the entire 2011, but she plans to try the dating pool for the coming year, and perhaps, enter into a relationship in the following year.

Fans will be very glad to know that she will also do a new bossa nova album with Warner Music. What happens now to that plan of hers, which she said in a previous interview, that she intends to experiment and take a breather from bossa? “I already did that with my previous concert and album (where I composed and co-produced songs). Lahat ng gusto kong gawin na iba, nagawa ko,” said Sitti, referring to a self-titled album she released mid of this year that largely featured non-bossa but still easy-listening tracks as well as her first all-OPM concert Sitti… Ang Aking Awitin last September.  

As if to reinforce her word to continue performing the genre that has catapulted her music career 10 years ago — even earning her the distinction as the country’s queen of bossa — Sitti is going to close the year on a high note, bossa-style, with a concert titled M.R.S. (Most Requested Sitti) at the Music Museum on Dec. 29, Thursday, at 8 p.m.

Special guests are Brigada, Duncan Ramos and Martin Nievera.

She will be performing her most requested songs from her string of best-selling bossa nova albums such as Café Bossa, Sitti Live!, Sitti In The Mix, My Bossa Nova, Contagious and Sitti Sessions. Ticket prices at P800, P1,200 and P1,500 are available at Ticketworld (tel. no. 891-9999), Music Museum (721-0635) and Backroom Office (435-1098). The concert is also a fund-raising effort to benefit the flood victims in Mindanao. Sitti is a Backroom artist. For details, call Backroom at 435-1108 and 435-1120 or e-mail at [email protected].