ANGOLA_
This is my second CD. With it, I want to refer to these fear-filled times that we have been living in, whether due to war, urban violence, hunger, lack of work, employment, perspective, usefulness, meaning, or the cultural colonization that globalization has become – in short, problems that plague all countries in the world. But I believe that the opposite of all this is love, something that I try to express through melodies, languages, rhythms to dance to and to listen to. I speak of love, yes, and also of politics, spirituality, our self-view as beings of nature.
I am Brazilian, now living in Angola, and I wanted to transform this journey of my life into a sound, artistic journey: I called Brazilian instrumentalists from one of the best conservatories in the country and together we communicated with avant-garde Angolans, as happened with the graphic project conceptualized by the visual artist Fernando Alvim.
THE SONGS_
In “What Would You Do If You Weren’t Afraid” issues such as poverty, war and class prejudice are addressed through the combination of American R&B and Brazilian swing. I’ll take the opportunity to speak in the language of rap, but those who pay attention will notice a bit of China there too...
GMOs and hunger are the themes of “Feira”, a xeggae (a mix of xote—a Brazilian rhythm—and reggae) that takes us to the northeast, to the interior of Brazil, to the center of the third worlds.
In Kimbundu (one of Angola’s national languages), I wrote two songs: a love ballad, “Kisola Kyami” and “Mbiki-Mbiki”, about our essence reflected in that of a bluebird I met in Quissama Park (Angola); I wanted to pay homage to some of the kings of African-pop—Salif Keita, Mori Kanté, Touré Kunda, Ismaël Lo.
“Pésquera” is the song that reviews our relationship of exchange with nature, proposing a role reversal: what if we, instead of the fish, were the ones caught?
But Spanish is also part of my imagination and in “Mucho Ayer” I try to transport Brazilian lyrics to the universe of bolero and flamenco, inspired by a CD by Spanish singer Mayte Martín.
As for the rhythms, they vary from drum'n'bass to reggae, from the gaucho chula to lounge, from sirocco to luppa (the latter, rhythms that I have developed over the years).
I still want to play at peace by bringing Hebrew and Arabic to the African musical planet in “Shalom, Salam”; and I end by wishing us freedom in “Route to the Inside”. Who knows, if we can dissolve fear in love, peace and freedom will serve so that life continues to be one in plurality.
ALBUM_
PERSONNEL_
Executive and musical production
Lyrics supervision in Kimbundo
Lyrics supervision in Espanhol
Graphic project
Sound engineer (recording, mixing and mastering)
Studio assistant
Studio
Sponsors
Flavia Virginia
Judith Sebastião
Gustavo Lidijover ajnd Mari Álvarez
Fernando Alvim and Iris Buchholz
Claudio Girardi
João Nunes
Vial
Luanda, AO
LR Group
Petrobras
Sonangol
Rádio Vial