Often you’d hear artists say that they don’t want to be boxed within a genre as they’d rather explore different types of music in expressing themselves. Can’t tell that to someone like Sitti who, admit it, is the first Filipino singer that comes to mind when you encounter a music niche called bossa nova.
Sitti, whose signature hit “Para Sa Akin” is proof that one big song can propel an artist to the stratosphere, deserves the bossa nova queen title to a tee. She has become an icon herself, mainly for popularizing the genre that mixes samba and jazz, and keeping it relevant in the Philippine music scene 17 years since she released her debut album.
Small wonder that for people behind Sitti’s latest recording, simply called “Sakto,” the challenge is to provide her with something that you can rightfully identify with, to quote her, “my kind of bossa nova.”
See, that’s humility from someone signed to Icons Music, a division of Widescope Entertainment Corporation that has backed her up even at the height of a music scene-paralyzing pandemic. She’s not one to claim she’s the expert, but what she knows and does resonate with Filipinos and elevate bossa nova beyond being just another Pinoy trend.
“I like ‘Sakto’ a lot; it’s so cute and beguiling and innocent and I really hope it grows on people and eventually becomes a favorite,” said Sitti whose creative team for the track includes Widescope executive producer Vic de Vera, producer Neil Gregorio (a seasoned music industry guy who clearly saw her potential early on), A&R Ebe Dancel (yeah, another icon), vocal recording supervisor Arnie Mendaros, and mixing engineer Dante Tanedo.
The track, to be dropped on digital stores Friday (August 25), is composed by Jazz Nicolas, member of legend-in-their-own-right Itchyworms, and Wally Acalola.
Sitti is the best person to describe how this ‘magnificent seven,’ along with the track’s musicians Erskine Basilio (semi-hollow guitar), Gian Vergel (drums), Gerald Flores (bass), Francis Etorma (keyboard), Archie Lacorte (ax), and Diego Martinez (percussions), made her enjoy a smooth ride as she jumped in to create a new hit.
“With every song I am blessed to perform,” she shared, “I try my best to approach and infuse it with my truth. Sometimes in the course of recording, I do depart from how it is usually sung in the demo, but with ‘Sakto,’ I think the vocal arrangement was super on point already there was no need for me to embellish. I just enjoyed the recording ride and the playfulness of the lyrics.”
Sonically that is best showcased in “Sakto’s” chorus: “Ikaw ang bida ng umaga ko/Pinawi ang lungkot pagkabato/ Hindi magbabago timpla ng araw ko/ Saktong tinamaan na sa ‘yo.”
She added, “I am so grateful for the whole Widescope and creative team. I rely on their ears so much and I trust their judgments with my whole heart. That being said, in the course of recording I appreciate it when they allow me to re-record some parts I am not confident/ satisfied with. I am thankful that the recording spirit shared by all in the booth is truly collaborative and friendly.”
To promote her new single, Sitti is appearing as a guest on FM station 103.5 K-lite on August 24 at 5:00 p.m.