Sitti launches Bossa Love album in Museum concert

MANILA, Philippines - After more than six years with Warner Music, Sitti has moved to MCA Music, Inc. which is releasing her first album (Bossa Love) for the company at a concert set for tomorrow night, Jan. 18, at the Music Museum.

“I would say that my transfer to MCA was put on hold,” Sitti told Funfare, and she pushed through with it only after Ricky Ilacad moved ahead to MCA from Warner. “So parang na-udlot lang yung relasyon ko with MCA.”

Bossa Love marks Sitti’s return to her signature bossa sound after she tried a bit of pop in her previous albums. Produced by Marvin Quesada, the album carries nine “cover” tracks from between the late ‘90s and late 2000’s, namely Sunday Morning (the carrier single), a cover of a Maroon 5 song, Shaggy’s It Wasn’t Me, Pussycat Dolls’ Stickwithu, John Mayer’s Back To You, Santana’s Smooth, New Radicals’ Someday We’ll Know, Sheryl Crow’s My Favorite Mistake, Backstreet Boys’ I Want It That Way, Coldplay’s Yellow, Robin Thicke’s Lost Without You, Norah Jones’ Don’t Know Why, Kenny Lattimore’s For You, TLC’s Waterfalls and Dido’s Thank You.

“I would call this album ‘Sitti-fied,’” added Sitti, the country’s undisputed Queen of Bossa Nova. “It’s the sound my fans have grown to love. When I was starting in the business, I would always say ‘Spread the bossa love’ in my concerts, so I thought it’s a fitting title for my album.”

According to Sitti, bossa love is a kind of love that sets you free and that’s exactly the kind of love that she colors her life with.

Her Music Museum concert was planned last year but was also postponed because of Supertyphoon Yolanda. Included in her repertoire are songs from her new album as well as her previous hits. She will have as special guests fellow MCA artist Nyoy Volante and Jett Pangan.

Looking back, Sitti recalled that when she was starting, she would perform at a practically empty venue.

“Walang masyadong nanonood sa mga bars at lounges, siguro mga dalawa o tatlo lang,” said Sitti. “But I would do my best just the same.”

Times have changed. Sitti now enjoys her own legion of fans who are following her pitch to “spread the bossa nova love.”

“Makarating lang sa akin via Twitter and word of mouth that people enjoy my music, masaya na ako.”

(Note: Tickets to Sitti’s concert are priced at P1,600 for orchestra and P1,000 for balcony. Call SM Tickets at 470-2222, Music Museum Ticketron at 721-6726 or Ticketworld at 891-9999.)