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Global Beats: Brazil: New Musical Voices

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Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

As Bahias e a Cozinha Mineira with Maria Beraldo

19/01/2019 GMT

Brazil: New Musical Voices

BBC World Service - Global Beats, Brazil: New Musical Voices

Brazilian musician Maria Beraldo presents her pick of Brazil's strong new musical voices.

Maria Beraldo is a Brazilian singer, composer, clarinet player and LGBTQ activist. She released her first solo album, Cavala, in May 2018, to critical acclaim. For this Brazilian edition of Global Beats, Maria presents seven of her fellow musical artists, chosen for their strong voices, both musically and politically.
 
Elza Soares is an icon in Brazilian music. Now in her 80s, she recently won a latin grammy and is an inspiration to younger musicians both because of the way she continues to innovate musically, but also because of her outspokenness when it comes to black and minority rights.
 
Luedji Luna and Xenia França are both from Bahia, in the north east of Brazil, a region strongly influenced by African culture. Both are now based in white-dominated São Paulo, and both are acutely conscious of their position as black female role models, as they experience a surge of enthusiasm for their (very different) music. Luedji Luna’s sound is more instantly recognisable as Brazilian, whereas Xenia França is more heavily influenced by stars from the USA.
 
As Bahias e a Cozinha Mineira may be unique anywhere. The two lead singers of the group, Raquel Virgínia and Assucena Assucena are both transgender women, whose voices and song writing styles complement each other perfectly. Their song Jaqueta Amarela, which describes the pain of wanting to be loved, instead of being seen as a freak or a sex object, has been a hit in Brazil.

Liniker is firmly rooted in the tradition of Brazilian Soul music. She says she realised she had a powerful voice when her singing made fellow students at drama school cry! Like Raquel Virgínia and Assucena Assucena, she is a transgender woman and black, and says it is inevitable that she finds herself at the heart of the current debate on social rights.
 
At 21 years old Sofia Freire has already released two well received albums. She comes from a family of writers and her songs are her interpretations of favourite poems, many of them by women, and she sees this and her decision to perform solo as feminist gestures.
 
Johnny Hooker is heavily influenced by David Bowie and Mick Jagger, as well as Freddy Mercury, Madonna and Brazil’s own Caetano Veloso. He is also adored by Brazil’s gay community. 

Photo: As Bahias e a Cozinha Mineira with Maria Beraldo (second from left). Credit: BBC

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