Marriage becomes Sitti

Since tying the knot with fiancé Joey Ramirez last May at a beautiful garden wedding in Baguio City, Bossa Nova Queen Sitti Navarro — who will soon be celebrating her 10th year in the industry — has changed a lot, and we’re not just talking about her civil status.

 In a press gathering to launch her latest album Sitti Singles: Bossa Nova Trio (the last album she recorded as a single woman), Sitti talked about her first few months of married life. 

She and Joey — a businessman and triathlete — were matched up as blind dates by the cousin of Sitti’s bestfriend who goes biking with her regularly. She thought the two would make a good match, and they did. Since then, according to Sitti, she has noticed that everything in her life has taken on a deeper, richer tone and that includes her music. “Mas may kabuluhan, mas meaningful,” she said, becoming teary-eyed.

“I had no idea that being married could give one such happiness. This is a new chapter in my life looking how they will affect me as a singer and songwriter.”

Sitti wrote Ligaya, one of the songs on her new album under the MCA Music label, for her husband. It defines her life right now, and is the most special of the songs she has ever written. “There’s just so much joy and gratefulness surrounding that song, that’s why we gave it that title, too,” she says. “Happiness is fleeting, joy runs deeper.”

Not a lot of people know that Sitti has always been a songwriter, and Singles Bossa Nova Trio (she forms a trio on this album with guitarist Erskine Basilio and percussionist Diego Martinez) is hopefully the start of an all-original release in the future. With the current state of her heart, inspiration is not in short supply. There are so many new emotions and feelings to write songs about. “I continue praying that God will breathe some more songs through me,” says Sitti.

She marks the 10th year since her first album, Café Bossa — which turned double platinum — next year. According to Sitti, she can’t believe it’s already been that long. She lets us in on her thoughts. “Top of mind siguro is disbelief (na nandito pa rin ako). And gratefulness na ‘yun nga, nandito pa rin kahit paano, may nanonood pa sa shows. People still come to the live performances.”

She says that to last this long in this industry, two things are important: One is to have at least one hit song. For her, that was Para sa Akin, which appeared on her debut album, Café Bossa, in 2006. “It has attached itself to a lot of listeners,” she says of the song. “Aside from that, it’s important as an artist to be distinct, and to have your own sound. Don’t try to sound like anyone else. Like my voice, ‘yung vibrato ko, sabi nila may sariling buhay, but it’s what makes my voice mine, and for some reason, some people still want to listen to it.”

Singles Bossa Nova Trio came as a surprise after being just a fun, last hurrah to singlehood project for Sitti. It was completed in one day, during a one-day live recording session at a house in Rizal where there were more birds than people, jokes Sitti. “What makes this album special is that the birds sang with me as well.” 

The songs on the album include well-known Sitti singles given a fresh twist like Girl From Ipanema, Tattooed on my Mind, and Para sa Akin, plus other favorites like Sunday Morning, I Want It That Way, To Forget You and La La Means I Love You, to name a few.

She’d like every music fan to join her in this exciting new journey. Only good things are ahead for Sitti, especially with her newfound passion and inspiration.