Pop diva Tootsie Guevara moved to the United States 20 years ago after scoring a number of hit songs in her motherland Philipines. She then carved a successful career in the healthcare industry - a path that has earned her a spot in the Marquis Who's Who in America. 

She had been included in the prestigious list as Emma Monaco, her legal name. She earned the distinction with her apparent "two decades of excellence in business development, operations, and clinical strategic growth in health care.”

"Gusto ko yung I have lived my life like I have two lives. I can be Emma and I can be Tootsie. I also believed that if you want to do this and that, pray for it and it will come true in time," shared the the mother of two who resides with her family in their beautfiul home in Orange County, California.

A night of musical bliss 

To music fans in the Philippines and Filipino-American communities, Tootsie will be first and foremost the voice behind some of the enduring Filipino pop love songs of the late 90s and early 2000s, including “Pasulyap-sulyap”, “Nang Dahil Sa Pag-ibig”, “Sabi Na Nga Ba”, “Pangako Ko Sa’yo”, “Mahal Ka Sa Akin”, and her signature hit "Kaba."

Her sudden relocation to the US and the feeling that she owes her fans a return trip to the music scene has set the table for her upcoming concert that should galvanized her supporters especially among Fil-Ams.

The show is billed A Night of Musical Bliss with the OPM Diva Tootsie Guevara, scheduled on April 6, 7 pm, at the View Music Lounge in Knox Street, Torrance, California. 

The concert, made possible by Rubilou Productions, will feature as guests Fil-Am singers Michael Jurolan, MJ Calingasan, Caren Mempin, Ruby Villaverde, and Garth Garcia, the Star in a Million finalist who recently did his own homecoming concert at the Music Museum. It is under the direction of Jensen Carlo Quijano, with Dennis Lizada as musical director. 

Tootsie said, "I want to go back to my first passion. I feel like I have an unfisnihed business having left the music business practically at the peak of my career."

More confident, bolder

As evident in her recent guest apperances in US-based concerts, Tootsie noted, "I'm now more confident, bolder, and I know myself more, as opposed to being young and struggling to figure it out. I feel I am a better singer now and I am ready to fully return, with my heart, mind, and soul aligned."

Quijano, a self-confessed fan of Tootsie, feels so honored to be working with her and notes that those attending the show will be led back to the era when the pop diva was lording the charts and bringing home gold and platinum awards. 

Tootsie is now working on a five-song EP featuring mostly covers of songs that meant a lot in her journey as a singer. She just collaborated with Garth singing Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody," a track she used to perform in her early days as a singer. 

Hitmaking college grad

Born and raised in the Philippines, Tootsie won the Yamaha Music Mate singing competition as its youngest contestant. She was discovered by Vicor Records which released her first album “Tootsie.” In 1996, she signed up with Star Records which released her album “Really Wanna Tell you” that spawned the hit single “Pasulyap-sulyap.” Other albums and hit singles followed as all her work under Star garnered gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards. 

She also dabbled in acting and played villain roles in GMA-7 soap operas “Habang Kapiling Ka” and “Kahit Kailan.”

In-spite of her hectic showbiz schedule Tootsie was determined to finish her college and she graduated with a bachelor of science in Hotel, Restaurant and Management at St. Paul University. 

In 2004, Tootsie moved to the U.S. to be with her immediate family living in California. She first ventured into real estate, then switched gears and fell in love with healthcare. 

She married an Italian-American named Mike Monaco in 2012, and she is currently the director of post acute strategy, marketing and physician relations at the Garden Grove Hospital Medical Center and Huntington Beach Hospital.

Asked about her take on the current music scene, she recalled an interview she did long ago wherein she wished that Filipino artists would one day be hailed globally. She related, "I'm glad to see that Filipino talents are now being recognized and that non-Caucasians are being noticed in the world stage. As long as you're diligent and you love your craft and you have perseverance, grit, and parience, somehow you're gonna make it in the biz." 

Tootsie plans to visit the Philippines to reconnect with her fans sometime next year.