MY MONEY STORY

Bossa Nova Music

By Sitti as told to Excel V. Dyquiangco

Photos by Wilson Chua

Not many people know that there are a lot of underground bossa nova singers even before I burst on the scene. Eileen Sison and the Guarana Band, for example, started their repertoire way back in 2001. Touted to be the leading proponent of bossa nova music in the country, the band indeed fields in great music until now. So when Warner Music at that time took a risk and hailed me as the “Queen of Bossa Nova” as part of the marketing strategy, that tipped the scales. I had to admit there were a lot of raised eyebrows – and I mean a lot!

The thing that truly affected me was all the criticisms and flak I got off Internet blogs. I didn’t desire to be a “queen” in the first place but here in the country, I guess you need to have a title so that the public can easily remember you. But if you ask me, the real “queen” should be Brazilian Astrud Gilberto, who introduced bossa nova music to the whole world back in 1950’s. Not one, lest me, can really compare with her music.

So a couple of months and several albums released later, I got used to the setup of the whole industry – criticisms and all. I still receive a couple of “remarks” now and then, but I just look at it constructively. This is how I learn and how I grow as a singer – the process is indeed difficult, but the end result is none short of amazing.

MTV supahstar

I wasn’t your ordinary artist who joined every singing contest there was, but just occasionally sang during family reunions or flag ceremonies at school.  At that time, pop was still my favorite genre. When I graduated from high school, they were looking for singers in bars and hotels so I just tried it out. The songs they made me sing were lounge music, jazz, pop, and bossa. It was only during a Vina Morales concert in Laguna (I was 16 then) that had me thinking: wouldn’t it be great if I get to be like her?

When I turned junior in college – that was when management and I decided to concentrate on my bossa music because a lot of people were saying that this type of music complements my voice. The transition from pop to bossa was easy. A lot of singers don’t actually like the music they sing but for me, I like it because I think I have finally found my niche.

When an American Idol-inspired reality and talent-based competition started in MTV, known as the MTV Supahstar in 2004, my former manager kept on pushing me to join since it was the first MTV competition and he said that it was probably different from any other competition. So I decided to have a taste of what it was like – my first competition shown on nationwide television. That time, I was already a graduating student of the University of the Philippines in Diliman with Business Economics as my major, and even while I was in the contest, I still kept on thinking of the needed requirements at school.

In the end, seven of us won the contest. They were supposed to turn us into a group – something like the S Club 7 – but that didn’t play out. Since I was already singing bossa nova music at that time, and I had a demo CD, I let former head of Warner Music Ricky Ilacad listen to it, and the rest is history.

I can’t believe it when I signed a contract, and they promised to release the album by October 2005. When this didn’t happen, it was moved to November of that year, and then to December. I was really feeling hopeless at that time – I had thought it was one of those “frozen delight” promises. But when January of 2006 rolled around, Warner called us up for a meeting and my first album was then released.

Hostings and learnings

I got to be a beauty queen (having won the Ms. Silka pageant), have hosted for Pinoy Big Brother in Studio 23 and Wowowee, and have acted in the soap opera Ysabella. But despite all these sidelines, singing is the one thing that I would always have the hots for – my passion for my career has no boundaries or limits.  And even if I still get stage fright at times, have lost my voice in some parts of my rousing performances, got distracted in the middle of the performance, and even felt sleepy in one gig, nothing can ever come between me and my singing.

I consider myself fortunate to be a bossa nova artist because in some way, you can say that I’ll always be there. It’s difficult to have an actor’s life because the pace is fast. In our case, I still consider it stable because we still have gigs and guest appearances on television shows. I have also learned to be objective when it comes to criticisms and to focus and just enjoy every gig. When you’re not really focused, your singing, the band, and the audience get affected by your whole performance.

I feel that I have also matured as a singer. Before, I wanted to win at the Awit Awards and to have a major concert at Araneta Coliseum, but now these are not as important anymore. My focus is on staying long in this business, to improve more as a singer, and to have an album that’s totally “Sitti.” I’m not really sure what that means but when I have come up with such an album, I would know.

Eventually, I also see myself deviating from bossa to something like Beyonce’s performance level.

Save, invest, then spend

So how do I use my money? Two concepts stuck out while I was reading Francisco Colayco’s “Wealth Within Your Reach” – save before you spend and put your money into something that will earn with inflation. On my first payment as an artist, I invested on a life insurance policy because I have read that the younger you are, the more you’ll get. I also invested in mutual bonds and in shares of Ayala Land and I get quarterly dividends from them. And here what’s astounding – I have also invested in my friend’s horse importation business which has huge returns monthly. This sounds like a scam but it really isn’t, and there is such a thing. And I earn from this!

I used to have a strategy before – I save 50% of my income, give 10% to tithes, and the rest to myself. But since I recently bought a townhouse, it’s not as easy to follow but I still manage to save at least 30%. When it comes to the townhouse, my goal right now is just to shorten the paying period and settle it this year.

I also have an expense ledger to list down my monthly expenses, and have my own stylist for my clothes as it really gets too expensive when I keep on buying clothes for all of my shows.

[sidebar]

MY MONEY LESSONS

Sitting Pretty
Bossa nova queen Sitti shares her career and money strategies:

1. Ignore the critics. Promoted by her studio as the queen of bossa nova, Sitti got a lot of criticism. But the title stuck and she quickly rose to popularity. Now, she doesn’t let nasty remarks bother her and just learned to take them constructively.
2. Stay focused. Getting distracted can affect your performance. In Sitti’s case, she has learned to be focused and enjoy every gig. And she has set goals for herself as an artist, but she’s not after awards and packed crowds anymore but career longevity.
3. Save aggressively. An entertainment career can be fleeting. Although Sitti has every intention to last long in the business, she tithes 10% of her income and saves as much as half. Although with amortizations, her savings have decreased but remain a significant 30%.

MY MONEY STORY

Making Good Music

By Jaya as told to J. Randell Tiongson

Photos by Jun Navarro

People say that you are what you are because of your surroundings and your situations and I agree. When you are exposed to a negative environment, I believe there are two things that can happen – you can be crippled by it, or you overcome it; I chose the later.

Because I have a celebrity mother (Elizabeth Ramsey), many assume that I was raised in a life of plenty, a life of luxury – how I wish! In reality, I only experienced a life of financial prosperity much later in life. I have no qualms about my life growing up; my mother raised us the best as she could, something I will forever be grateful for. However, I was exposed to the realities of life at a very young age. I learned early on that if I want a better life, I need to work hard and be prudent. In my industry, money can easily be earned but unfortunately, it can also be easily lost. I have seen too many people in my environment reach a peak in their careers then wallow in financial difficulties short after. However, I am also encouraged by so many in the entertainment industry today becoming more financially responsible and manage their earnings well.

I believe in investing and I believe that I invested where it matters most, my craft. I am very passionate about music and I will always be an artist. Competition in our industry is fierce; today’s rising start can be tomorrow’s fallen star – as fast as one rises can be as fast as one getting lost in obscurity. I constantly improve my craft, study, practice, and learn from others. Regine Velasquez is my role model for her artistry – how she is so dedicated to our craft and how she reinvents herself periodically. For an artist like me, this is the sort of investment that I should focus on lest I will find myself wondering what went wrong in my career.

There are many things that I am thankful for the Lord – a God-given talent that has brought me where I am now. I am not saying that I have already reached a life of unimagined wealth but I can say that I am happy with what I already have. It is important that we know what we want and level of satisfaction we should attain. I wouldn’t want to be lost in my quest for my aspirations; I know there are more important things in my life like my relationships and my family.

Financially speaking, I must admit that I am not that savvy. I have simple views in the handling of my finances. I understand that the key to prosperity is keeping a healthy cash flow. I always moderate my spending and I purposely avoid extravagance even if at times I can afford it. I don’t think I will last this long in a very competitive industry and I understand that artists come and go and no amount of talent will guarantee that you will be where you are indefinitely.

Thankful for blessings

I am blessed that through the years, Filipinos still like me and my music. It’s by God’s wonderful grace that I am where I am right now. I am likewise blessed that my husband (Gary Gotidoc) helps me stay rooted with reality and I learn so much of practical living from him. My union with my husband allowed me to learn so much about proper financial management as my father-in-law has been mentoring us with the rudiments of money management. My husband and I relish what we learn from him in the area of finances and investments.

We believe in investing in real assets such as land but we also believe in keeping an adequate liquid position, one can never tell if there will be a financial emergency. Further, opportunities are always present for those who have ample cash. Also, it is prudent that we also have other sources of income such as business ventures. It is the combination of many things that will allow us to live a life of adequacy.

I will continue honing my craft for as long as I can but I am now preparing a life of sufficiency even without my singing career. It is still a long way to go but I choose to prepare for it day by day and well ahead of time.

My past, though impoverished, prepared me and molded me. Negative experiences are part of our lives. I just chose to learn from it and not to scar me.

* Jaya is a multi-awarded singer. She is a mainstay of the highly rating GMA shows such as SOP and All Star K. She is happily married to Gary Gotidoc and the mother of Sabriya and another baby soon. She is set to release her 11th album under GMA Records. Jaya is also part-owner of the hip place Barracks along Tomas Morato Ave in Quezon City.

[Sidebar]

MY MONEY LESSONS

Money philosophy

Jaya has had great success in the entertainment industry. But her background, experience, and lessons from her husband and father-in-law have taught her a practical view of finances. Here are some things she has learned:

1. Don’t buy anything that will require you to pay for a very long period. As I said earlier, one can never be sure how long we will be “marketable” in this industry. If I get a long-term obligation to purchase an asset, there is a good chance that I may not have a sustainable income to pay for such an obligation. When I borrowed for a property I acquired before, my loan was originally a 10-year term. However, I was able to pay it off in just three years because I was deliberate in terminating my obligation much earlier. I don’t know if I will be earning the same income through the years so I made sure that I will not have obligation when the time comes. As a personal rule, I will only get into an obligation with a maximum of two years only. If I can’t afford to pay it in two years or less, I will not make the purchase.

1)      Don’t follow the hype. My environment can be crazy with fads and trends. We are expected to be trendsetters and there is a ridiculous pressure on us to keep up. Most of the trends in my world are costly – jewelry, ultra-expensive bags, SUVs, extravagant vacations, posh homes, etc. I made a resolution early in my career that I will not bow down to such pressures. I am not bothered if people around me will think that I am not up to date with the latest trends. I’m an artist; my craft is my true possession and not what I own. I know that if I succumb to the pressures of trends and hype, I will regret it financially. My feet are planted on the ground; I do not entertain illusions of having the same lifestyle of the rich and famous.

2)      Do not live beyond your means. It may be cliché to a lot of people but I sincerely follow this very wise philosophy. Spending more than what you earn is a recipe for financial disaster and I have made a personal vow that I will avoid experiencing a life of financial ruin. It is easy to be tempted to be extravagant especially in my environment but I also know that such temptations will only cause grief and regret later. While I do not advocate living like a miser, I know that quality of life is not dictated by what we can purchase.

MY MONEY STORY

Laughter Is Her Bread And Butter

Funny girl bares her more serious side

By Marissa Sanchez as told to Maan D’Asis Pamaran

Music is really my first love. I started singing professionally at the age of 11 at the old Bodega City. There I met a lot of entertainers and performers along the way, and they convinced me to give comedy a try. I was very hesitant at first, because I am actually a very shy person. But when I got the hang of it, I found that I enjoyed it.

Instead of simply singing and getting off the stage after my set is done, I get to connect with the audience. There’s something so fulfilling about touching base with those who are watching. So I started injecting comedy in my gigs – the topic was usually myself. Since I was so insecure about my weight, I started to make jokes about it. It’s like, okay, you sing, so magaling ka. And then what? Comedy then became the staple in my acts.

But believe me, it is not easy making people laugh. Well, actually, it is harder to make the masa laugh. The class A crowd can get a joke, a pun, a reference to current events. Ang bilis nila makuha yung joke! With the masa, unless you do slapstick, they won’t get it. But generally, the Filipino crowd is easier to please than audiences from other Asian countries. With the foreigners, tawang tawa na sila, pero hindi pa sila bumibigay.

Doing comedy is one of my struggles as a Christian. I have to inject toilet jokes, or even cuss words in my routine, to make the masa laugh. I am not happy doing that. But I draw the line at doing comedy at the expense of others. There are those who make fun of people in the audience to elicit laughter. I’d rather poke fun at myself. You may not believe it, but I actually don’t have scripts for my performances. I also get my jokes from everyday experiences. I just play it by ear and make my skit up as I go along. That works out for me just fine, even though I would admit that I still get anxious before a show.

Reinventing herself

I guess that is partly the reason why I am going back to my roots, which is singing. Because of my stage acts, I have been branded as a comedienne, but I would rather be known as a performer who is a total package, who is everything rolled into one. I am happy that I am starting to be recognized as a singer. One milestone for me was being invited recently to sing at the TV program Wowowee. There, I sang alongside world-class singers like Bituin Escalante.

I am also doing some acting, as I now appear at the ABS-CBN soap Eva Fonda, where I play a jealous wife – something that I admit I really am in real life. These guest appearances on TV don’t really pay much, but they do give me mileage. What I really get a big part of my income from is hosting jobs at corporate events. In fact, I was fully booked last December, all the way down to the 23^rd, doing hosting jobs and gigs in Manila and even at out of town sorties. Strike while the iron is hot, I always say. Then I save naman for the rainy days.

I also get invited to go out of the country for shows. I would consider this as one of the perks of my profession. I get to go to different places and bring my husband Ian with me. It is in my contract – the promoters pay for airfare and accommodations for me and a companion, who, naturally, would be my husband.

I don’t have a manager. I have a personal assistant, who does jobs like helping me wrap my Christmas presents, but I handle my own schedule. I do have a booking manager who gets a percentage when he gets me jobs, but if I get the job on my own, I get my whole fee for myself.

This is one reason why I do not like getting tied down to a manager or a regular TV show for now. Bookings come unexpectedly, and I would not want to turn down a higher paying gig because I have a scheduled taping for a TV show. Besides, it is actually the network who decides which stars to build up. You would think that it is the viewers who give celebrities their big break, when in fact it is the network. That is why sometimes you would be surprised that one actor or actress is getting so much exposure even if there are many others who are more talented than him or her.

Also, celebrity does not become me. I am not comfortable being fawned upon or mobbed by fans. People see me at the mall or down the street, and they know me, and that is okay. But I did experience having a fan use up all 36 shots of her camera film on me. Hindi ako show biz na tao. It is like I always have to be “on” or people will say that I am suplada.

There are also those in the industry who would say that I am hard to deal with. But the truth is, my main requirement for any show is that the sound system has to be good. I believe that I only sound good if the sound system is good.

Aiming for longevity

As hectic as December is for me, there are months where jobs or gigs are hard to come by. I use this time to unwind. The holidays get so stressful for me. In fact, I had to perform with swollen lymph nodes last month. So when I have less work, I really relax. I play badminton with my husband. I also go to the gym and watch TV.

My earnings for my work go to the bank, and my savings are what tide me over during the lean months. I also believe that the Lord is good, that He provides. There are times when I do not have enough to pay for my Meralco bill, for example, then I get a phone call asking me if I can host an event. I have not considered putting up a business, because I feel that I don’t have the personality for it. So, I spend my time honing my craft. In this business, you have to evolve. You always have to give your 100% in every performance, like you are making your last show.

My goal in the long run is not to be famous, but to be known. My target is longevity. There are so many artistas who have come and gone, and I don’t want to end up like them. That is why I look up to artists like Jean Garcia, Eula Valdez, Jacklyn Jose, Ana Capri, Eugene Domingo, and Cherry Pie Picache. They are not sikat, in the strict sense of the word, but they are always there. In 10 years, I would also like to be known as an actress who does comedy and who can sing.
MY MONEY LESSONS

No Laughing Matter

Singer comedienne Marissa Sanchez shares her advice in managing a career in a cut-throat industry

1. Keep it clean. Although she has to put a little edge to her comedy routines, Marissa refuses to make fun of people in the audience, which is what a lot of stand up comics do. Mostly, she makes fun of herself. Getting ahead at the expense of others is always a bad idea.

2. Accept lesser paying gigs for exposure. Don’t always look at what a job or customer pays – if working for free or low pay can open doors for you, go for it.  Marissa gets guest acting stints that don’t pay much but gives her mileage, leading to more lucrative corporate hosting jobs.

3. Go for career longevity. Marissa is not a huge star, and that’s not what she wants. She wants a long career in the industry, not to be a flash in the pan. Likewise, forget about being the superstar in your field or your company

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The story of how the BBC anchor found his niche and discovered his passion for art
By Elena Torrijos

Since he was a small boy, accomplished international broadcaster Rico Hizon has been a saver. The most familiar Filipino face in financial news says his parents would call him kuripot (thrifty).

“I was always saving my money. Sometimes I wouldn’t eat even,” recalls Rico, who can be seen every morning on BBC’s business programs. “When I was in grade 2, I would be given a meal ticket that had a value of two pesos for a meal, but what I would do is that, instead of getting the full meal, I would get a cheaper meal. I would still have change of one peso, and that one peso I would put in my piggy bank.”

Even though he didn’t need to – his parents could well afford to take care of him and his two older sisters and older brother – during high school breaks and summers, Rico worked at McDonald’s Greenhills.

He also earned from being part of a mobile group with broadcasting peer David Celdran. “We would spin in parties and we would earn P500 pesos and after the job we would subdivide and the money that I would save from that job. I would either put it in the bank or I would buy my own Sperry topsiders, which was very uso at that time,” he recounts.

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