How Stephanie Zubiri Turned a Love Poem Into Her Debut Single
Stephanie Zubiri’s debut single began as a heartfelt gift before becoming a full creative project
We all know Stephanie Zubiri for her work as a storyteller, events host, mom of two boys, and podcast host. The Chalky the Chameleon author continues discovering her creative side as she branches into music with her first single, “(Life in Parenthesis).”
Released on March 13,”(Life in Parenthesis)” was co-written by Stephanie and singer-actor James Reid, who appeared as one of her guests in Soulful Feast.
How a Birthday Poem Became a Song Co-Written With James Reid
“This is probably my craziest most random project to date!” Stephanie said. “But also the most fun!!!It started out just as a personal gift to Scott (Woodward, her partner) for his 50th birthday.”
“He loves music. So I thought ‘What can I give him [that’s] special?’ This is actually a poem I wrote for him during the pandemic,” she added.
She was thinking of turning the poem into music and even putting it on a vinyl record. What she described as a “crazy idea” soon turned into a fun project and sought the help of James Reid and Issa Pressman.
“I’m close to them and said guys, don’t laugh but would you help me turn it into a song for Scott?’ Of course, they were on board and we did it secretly.”
Stephanie said she enjoyed the process as she worked with James on the project and got to add more lyrics and melody.
“We worked on everything together and Eric (Trono) is our producer and he was so amazing.”
Stephanie also had the support of Lvcas Floyd and Aman dela Cruz of La Crema to help her with the project. The group played during her 40th birthday party last year and it was them who encouraged Stephanie to release the song.
“Guys, it’s actually a good song. You have to release it,” she recalled of the group’s reaction.
With the help of Liga Artist group, Stephanie was able to release the song, which has dropped on streaming sites. She is currently working on two new songs.
Why Stephanie Zubiri Says Life — and Creativity — Begins at 40
“(Life in Parenthesis)” is described as “a sultry, bossa-inspired track with smooth, sexy vibes reminiscent of Sade.” Doing this project according to Stephanie has made her realize where passion projects can go.
“When you lean into your passions and creativity and you do things out of joy…it’s really like a joyful life pursuit. Beautiful things can happen. And I’m super happy and it’s kind of proof that life begins at 40.”
With a busy schedule and a new single, Stephanie Zubiri is enjoying what she has.”I am in my WHY NOT era and enjoying it so much!!!I am in the era that I want to do things for myself that fill my heart and my soul to create and express myself wholly and this is just another form of self-expression.”
(Life in Parenthesis) is now available on all streaming platforms. Follow Stephanie on her social media accounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Stephanie Zubiri is a Filipino storyteller, events host, podcast host, and mom of two known for her book Chalky the Chameleon. Her debut single “(Life in Parenthesis)” is a bossa-inspired track she originally wrote as a birthday poem for her partner Scott Woodward during the pandemic.
The song was co-written by Stephanie Zubiri and singer-actor James Reid, who was previously a guest on her podcast Soulful Feast. Producer Eric Trono helmed the production, with additional support from Issa Pressman and La Crema musicians Lvcas Floyd and Aman dela Cruz.
The single is available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify, released on March 13 under Liga Artist Group. It is described as a sultry, bossa-inspired track with smooth jazz influences reminiscent of Sade.
The song began as a private birthday gift for her partner before friends encouraged her to release it publicly. Stephanie has described it as part of her “WHY NOT era” — a personal season of pursuing creative projects that bring her joy and allow full self-expression beyond her established roles.
Yes. Following the release of “(Life in Parenthesis),” Stephanie confirmed she is currently working on two new songs, signaling that her music chapter is just beginning rather than a one-off creative experiment.
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