by on

Today I read a post from a publisher saying that she had received a letter (yes, a real letter, handwritten and all) from an author. In short: she replied, also by letter, inviting the author to tea.

What a cool story! And I say this not just for the classic bold-move-with-happy-ending factor (I have always been a sucker for that), but also for the, shall we say, side effect: in these times of isolation and algorithmically dictated relationships, having tea with a pen pal sounds almost like a Tibetan monk ritual.

How would you like to get a letter inviting you out for tea (or coffee, or beer)? I would love it, I confess. Between us, if I could, that would be exactly what I would do to celebrate my new single, Pele Adentro, coming out tomorrow.

The single marks five years since the March 1, 2018 debut of my EP La Nueva Milonga. In the show of the same name, accompanied by a guest musician, I sing and tell stories about the influence of Argentina and Uruguay on the Brazilian musical tradition.

The project gave me the opportunity to share the stage with great musicians from different regions, such as the southern guitarist Sulimar Rass and the Venezuelan pianist Silvano Pagliuca-Mena, but do you know what the word milonga means?

The term first appears at the end of the 19th century and refers to gatherings in the outskirts of Buenos Aires and Montevideo with dancing, singing and music, especially rhythms inspired by the Cuban habanera and Spanish tango, incorporated into the rioplatense tango.

Well, since it will not be possible for us to get all together for a onsite milonga, I invite you to dance and have fun right there where you are (“in all the pretty places in your head”, as Stevie Wonder says) to the sound of Pele Adentro.

Click here, choose your favourite streaming platform and enjoy!

Be seeing you!

G.F.

 

by on

Today is Shrove Tuesday or maybe you know the date as Mardi Gras, it does not matter at all, for today all that matters is to celebrate. But maybe you do not have so many experiences with Carnival and you are wondering: celebrate what, exactly?

Therefore, even though this Carnival is already coming to an end, I would like to share with you three lessons I learned in this first post-pandemic Carnival.

  1. Celebrate life
    First, the fact that you are alive. Since 2020, this perspective must always be remembered, as we are the survivors of a very difficult time for humanity.
  2. Carnival is a state of mind
    This year my Carnival had more working hours for me than partying, but even so it is good to know that there are many people on the street, dancing and singing. I know it may sound weird, but I like to think that even at home I can get some of that energy of life. To tell you the truth, even my working days seemed much lighter. I would even say that it even made the tremendous heat of this summer more bearable.
  3. The carnival paradox: it goes by fast, but it comes back every year
    Carnival Tuesday is the culmination of the party, but it is also the beginning of the end, which is kind of sad. In times like these, it might help to remember that Carnival comes back every year. Likewise, if this collective catharsis seems too much for you, then it is always good to remember: the party happens only happens once a year.

As for me, my plan is to use these lessons in my daily life and, above all, on the stage. After all, as we say in Brazil, Carnival is the greatest show on Earth. Now, go celebrate!

Be seeing you!

G.F.

p.s If you want the celebration to last longer, click here and pre-save my new single Pele Adentro. See you there!

by on

One of the things I like most about podcasts is the possibility of doing other things while listening to an episode. I am not a fan of multitasking at all, but sometimes the only way to get started on a necessary, but boring task is to combine it with a more pleasant chore. Podcasts work like a charm! There is just one catch to the format: it makes anyone too susceptible to the power of voices.

As I often say, voices are very powerful. I once read that hearing is the second sense to reach the brain the fastest, second only to smell. So how do you escape the spell of an interesting podcast narrated by a beautiful voice? It is simply impossible!

Anyway, precisely because I am aware of this weakness of mine, I try to change programs quickly, so as not to develop any severe form of crush on an unknown voice. You do not have to tell me, and for the sake of discretion, I will not ask you, but I am sure it has happened to you, too, and we both know that kind of crush can be a huge problem.

While a flesh-and-blood obejct of desire is subject to mistakes, like any human being, the voices hover over our heads, fluttering, intangible and infallible. Enigmatic, voices can be very deceiving. One of the most commom mistakes is to assume that the rest of the body matches the voice, which is not always true. For whatever reason, some extraordinaire voices choose the most plain bodies to live. Go figure!

Today I received a very kind compliment on the comments of one of the podcasts I produce (the complete list you can find by clicking here), which made me very happy, because a kind compliment is always welcome. On the other hand, it reaffirmed what I already knew: voices go much further than we may ever suppose. It also made me think about the size of the responsibility of any content producer, which today basically means all of us.

In this moment of virtual assistants, the multiplication of applications that allow you to change and edit voices with high fidelity, and very sophisticated chatbots, I would like to suggest a moment of silence and reflection on the role you want your voice to play.

Oh, and you can access my current number one crush-podcast by clicking here. Unmissable, essential and another great reason to learn Portuguese.

Be seeing you!

G.F.

by on

The Girl Code is the tenth episode of The Simpsons 27th season. Its first segment holds a delightful scene at Springfield Elementary:

Principal Skinner: “Welcome to computer coding class, which, uh, replaces our last educational fad -mindfulness. Did anyone ever figure out what that was?”

Class: “Uh… Uh… Uh…”

Milhouse: “Uh, shutting up?”

Principal Skinner: “Sure. Why not?”

I just love the definition of mindfulness as ‘be quiet’ because it is impossible to argue with. The episode came right to my mind, when I heard about J.O.M.O.

Oh no, another hipster acronym? Probably, but this one might interest you for the Joy of Missing Out may be a form of liberation.

Do not worry, we are not talking about happiness through alienation (never worked for me), but the ability we have, but which we increasingly give up, to enjoy the here and now. that is, it is mindfulness with a touch of happiness.

You not only do not do stuff, you choose not to do them! I have already written about the right not to do things, which sometimes seems like a taboo. Well, J.O.M.O. is not about defending a right. It is about having a choice. What kind of choices? All kinds, from staying informed but not watching all the news (is it just me?).

It has also to do with not feeling pressured to watch all the series and, instead, rewatch an old movie or maybe go back ten pages in the book I am reading, just for the pleasure of rereading a passage.

The way I see it, J.O.M.O. has mainly to do with knowing what your priorities are and recognizing that for every door we open, several others remain closed. It is not possible to do everything, all the time, and this is not easy for me to recognize.

I am usually that person who is constantly applying for calls, while looking for gigs in the summer and (why not?) filling out forms for artistic residencies during the winter. Not to mention the “almost finished” article that the magazine asked me to write . .. last year. In short: I am the one who tries to open all the doors or at least peek through the keyhole.

As much as I love what I do, it is always necessary to know how to put limits on the to-do list. After all, not even the most organized of the agendas can change the fact that there are only twenty-four hours in a day, regardless of how many activities you schedule to perform.

As much as “overcoming internal challenges” is a frequently repeated subject nowadays, there are times when the best thing to do is to embrace external limits and invite them to dance.

Be seeing you!

G.F.