“Of course I have a kid, I want to take care of my family, especially [during] the pandemic, you know? Parang it made me realize that time is really important, di ba? Especially to spend it wisely,” confesses Kat Agarrado, relating the time when she was contemplating retiring from the music industry.
Bokalista ng bandang SinoSikat? si Kat Agarrado at nagkuwento siya tungkol sa kanilang banda.
Pagbabahagi ni Kat, “Actually, SinoSikat? started… the first album that we released was in 2007… with the band, of course, it’s a band. And then, that was the first album, 2007.
“So by that time yung mga kasama ko, yung mga kabanda ko, di ba? And then second album iba din yung mga naging kabanda ko. Some stayed, some nagpalit, kasi parang hindi lahat kayang mag-commit nang matagal, parang ganun.
“As a band, especially with the responsibility, you know… Pero ever since first album, second album, and then sa live, iba-iba din talaga yung mga kasama ko.
“I formed SinoSikat?, I write all the songs, and then I also produce, but I just ask for help from some friends to co-produce it, so parang ganun.
“So basically the idea, the songs, the concept, very hands-on ako, but parang ang iniisip ko, ‘Magsosolo ba ako?’
“Or parang mas gusto ko yung SinoSikat? kasi it’s a band, parang mas gusto ko na band ako kesa solo, parang ganun, parang mas masaya ako as a band.
“Kasi I don’t know, I like the camaraderie, I like the friendship that’s formed being with a band, yung ganun.”
Nakausap ng miyembro ng media si Kat nitong Pebrero 27, 2024, sa 12 Monkeys Music Hall and Pub sa Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons sa Pasig City.
TO GO SOLO OR CONTINUE WITH THE BAND?
Nahinto ang kanilang musical journey nang hagupitin ng COVID19 pandemic ang buong mundo. At ngayon ay nagbabalik ang kanilang banda.
“Pero sa ngayon parang ito yung pagbabalik,” pahayag pa ni Kat, “kasi, di ba, we all know that nung pandemic na-stop talaga yung lahat? And then some of my bandmates moved to different countries, ‘tapos some of the bandmates have a family.
“So ako din, I had a kid. So parang nag-iba-iba yung priorities. ‘Tapos I thought, might as well continue the legacy of SinoSikat? since maraming sumusuporta at maraming naghihintay, maraming sumusuporta sa SinoSikat? at nagmamahal.”
Pagpapatuloy pa ni Kat, “I spoke with my label, which is Warner Music Philippines and they thought it’s a good idea.
“At some point…kasi parang wala na yung mga bandmates, di ba? At some point parang magso-solo na ba ako as Kat Agarrado?
“But the songs are still the same, because I wrote it, it’s my style, you know, but I thought SinoSikat? na lang, let’s continue the legacy ng SinoSikat?, and I like collaborating with the musicians that I respect and love.”
Mayroon na bang mga permanenteng miyembro ang SinosiKat?
“Well, yung permanent members, nangyayari na lang yan, e. Usually it starts with, ‘Tara jam tayo.’ So from there magkakaalaman.
“Kumbaga sa relationship—para sa akin, ha—ang hirap naman na, ‘O, magpakasal na tayo ngayon na.’ Hindi pa kita kilala!” at natawa si Kat.
“Di ba, parang ganun, parang ganun din as a band, parang relationship talaga? Ang
difference lang is ang daming boys,” at muling tumawa ang female singer.
“Pero para siyang relationship, parang brotherhood, ganyan.”
PINOY SOUL
Isinusulong ni Kat ang pagtangkilik ng publiko, ng music lovers, sa Pinoy Soul noon pa man. Paano ba nagsimula ang Pinoy Soul?
“Yung Pinoy Soul na yan started with, ‘Ano ba yung genre ko?’
“Kasi hindi ko alam because when I write songs I don’t limit myself, like we listen to a lot of music, di ba? So parang, I listen to jazz, to blues, to funk.
“At some point gumagawa ako ng mga bands. I had a blues band, I had a jazz band, I have SinoSikat?.
“’Tapos yung mga original songs, pero hindi ko alam kung ano ba talaga yung genre. So parang nag-create na lang, it’s Pinoy and it’s soul, it’s from the soul, so Pinoy Soul.”
Ang mga kanta ba ni Kat ay base sa mga personal niyang karanasan?
“Medyo,” wika ni Kat. “Ever since autobiographical akong magsulat, parang ganun, but minsan I have a friend who’s going through something, I write about it, parang ganun. Pero usually from personal experience, from life experiences.”
HER HEART CALLING
Dumaan siya sa punto na muntik na siyang huminto sa pagkanta, sa musika; ano ang nagpabago sa kanyang desisyon?
“Yeah, at some point akala ko magre-retire na ako,” pag-amin ni Kat. “Of course I have a kid, I want to take care of my family, especially [during] the pandemic, you know?
“Parang it made me realize that time is really important, di ba? Especially to spend it wisely.
“Dati parang, ‘Sige, gimik, whatever.’ Pero ngayon, parang mas importante na yung oras mo. So yeah, I thought I was going to just be at home. And then, iyon nga, siguro iyon nga yung ‘Heart Calling,’ e,” pagbanggit ni Kat sa bago nilang single na pinamagatang “Heart Calling.”
“Something deep inside me was saying na ‘Hindi ka pa tapos.’ Parang kahit na kumportable na yung buhay mo, parang iba yung comfort sa misyon, misyon ng kaluluwa.
“Ang hirap i-explain, pero parang ganun siya, e. Parang nagdasal na lang ako… I always pray.
“Sabi ko, ‘Okey lang, na-enjoy ko naman na yung life ko, e. Sobrang enjoy talaga.’ I mean nasagad ko na yung pagbabanda, you know?
“Pero yun nga, parang hindi pa tapos, parang meron pa. So I pray always, I pray to God na parang okey lang tatanggapin ko kung tapos na, ganyan.
“Pero there’s always a sign. Ang weird ng mga signs. ‘Tapos ngayon meron na kaming music label, we have our Pinoy Soul Records and then Warner Music called me.
“So parang lahat bumagsak sa harap ko habang pinagdadasal ko kung ano ba, saan ba ako, or what, so ibig sabihin meron pa talagang kelangan gawin.”
