BARBARA EUGENIA… Indie Rock from Brazil!
Bárbara Eugenia is the amazing great indie Brazillian singer/songwriter/producer based in São Paulo. In more than 10 years she’s released 4 solo albums and 2 side projects with outstanding artists from the independent scene (Chankas and Tatá Aeroplano).
Her latest album, TUDA (2019),with 11 songs is a natural convergence of all her past work, but here she enters into more modern grounds, lots of clear synths, electronic drums mixing modern electronic music, disco music of the 70’s and the technopop of the following decade intertwined with tropical rhythms.
The album is produced by Bárbara alongside Dustan Gallas and Clayton Martin (both from Cidadão Instigado, one of the main alternative bands in Brazil). Bárbara has toured in the US and Europe with her band and also playing solo, accompanied by her acoustic guitar.
One sunny morning, I was impressed, when on April 23, 2021, listening from the recent video clip of Bárbara Eugenia the great song ΄΄ Hold me Now΄΄, a song about love, anthem in human relationships, truly a love song, with a European sound, ready to travel around the world! It was a great song!
A few days later we were listening to some songs in the office, when we heard that song again! I mean the amazing and brilliant song ΄΄ Hold me Now΄΄ ! It was the time, that we had an interesting chat with BARBARA EUGENIA!
Athenscalling.gr: Good Morning Brazil! Good morning dear Barbara Eugenia!
BARBARA EUGENIA: Hello! First of all, I’m very happy to talk to you. To know that my music has reached Greece is really fantastic!
Athenscalling.gr: Beginning I want to tell you, our admiration about your brilliant song… ΄΄ Hold me Now΄΄! I think that it is a great song… please tell us the story of the song, how it was composed?
BARBARA EUGENIA: This song was written last year. Woke up one day with the opening synth melody in my head then I sat on the computer and began writing the lyrics and creating the beat. The song talks about the need to for unity and togetherness, how difficult it is to be apart. It’s about the pandemic situation, more a general feeling and urge to see ourselves as one than a romantic love song. But that’s just how I wrote it. After it’s out, then it can be anything!
Athenscalling.gr: Let’s talk now about all these crazy days of COVID -19 pandemic! What happen with you and how spend your time during the pandemic days?
BARBARA EUGENIA: I’ve been composing and working in these singles, next one should be out by the end of the month (it’s a whole series under the alter ego Djane Fonda and I have no idea if there will be a full album…). I’m very focused on my practices and studies (yoga, qi gong, astrology, meditation, among others) and that keeps me very well balanced and grateful. Of course, not being able to sing, to be with the band and the audience is heartbreaking. But I’m hanging in there and sooner than later we’ll be together again.
Athenscalling.gr: And about the vaccines?
BARBARA EUGENIA: Hopefully they’ll be more healing than harmful…
Athenscalling.gr: O.k… with my wishes, stay healthy and strong! If you like it let’s go in your youth ages and tell us … Do you remember your first teacher in music?
BARBARA EUGENIA: You too! My first teacher in music was my mom. Ever since I can remember anything she was always listening to music.
Athenscalling.gr: And your first album that you bought?
BARBARA EUGENIA: First k-7 that I bought with my own money (that my mom gave me at the store) was Never mind (Nirvana) and Ten (Pearl Jam).
Athenscalling.gr: And now if it easy for you and if you want it, tell us about your best time and your bad time, in your music life.
BARBARA EUGENIA: I don’t really have a best time or a bad time…it’s mostly good times. I love composing, recording, releasing, performing live! Bad time is now…I really miss playing live.
Athenscalling.gr: Let’s talk about your album ΄΄ Tuda΄΄ released in the year 2019, about the music and the lyrics of the album and how the music lovers accepted it?
BARBARA EUGENIA: It’s all about love. But in TUDA I bring a more holistic approach to it. With the opening and closing tracks being about cosmic love. It was very well accepted, I think. Didn’t hear any bad feedbacks…
Athenscalling.gr: Also I would say, that the cover photo of the album ΄΄Tuda΄΄ is also impressive, with your very beautiful face.
BARBARA EUGENIA: Thank you so much! I love it too, the photo, the cover.
Athenscalling.gr: Do you have any influences, in your music?
BARBARA EUGENIA: We can start with the Beatles and then…so many things! The Tropicalia movement, 60’s and 70’s rock. 80’s pop and rock. Jazz, samba, chanson francaise, italo disco…everything I hear can be an influence to me.
Athenscalling.gr: And your best names in music, give us 5 names.
BARBARA EUGENIA: Beatles, Tom Zé, Rita Lee, PJ Harvey, Radiohead.
Athenscalling.gr: Now I want to tell you that, I first heard you many years ago with your song ΄΄Por Ai΄΄… beautiful song, beautiful video, lovely song. Tell us about it.
BARBARA EUGENIA: That is one of the first songs I ever wrote. Back when I was 20 or something…It’s just a need to write a song, purely made up!
Athenscalling.gr: In Greece, your country has many friends who love your music and football. You really watch football matches?
BARBARA EUGENIA: I don’t really enjoy football…
Athenscalling.gr: What is the cause of the writing of the lyrics and the music, what is it the source of inspiration?
BARBARA EUGENIA: Anything can be an inspiration…my life, my friend’s stories, a movie I watch, a book I read, another song!
Athenscalling.gr: Do you have any best of the best, of your songs?
BARBARA EUGENIA: No…I do love all of my babies!
Athenscalling.gr: O.k and now I would like to ask you … if you have something to tell us about my country, about Greece, what exactly do you know?
BARBARA EUGENIA: Never been there but would love too! Love the food, really like some musical movies from the 60’s… featuring Aliki Vougiouklaki, among others…can’t recall other names now but I’ve done some nice research a few years ago on that.
Love the Theater! Love the philosophy and the mythology. It’s a beautiful place with a beautiful history!
Athenscalling.gr: Before, our interesting chats, let’s play a game with your name. Please fill in the blanks with any words you like!
(B)…(A)…(R)…(B)…(A)…(R)…(A)….. and (E)…(U)…(G)…(E)…(N)…(I)…(A)…!
BARBARA EUGENIA: (B)elieve,(A)rt,(R)ainbow,(B)eautiful,(A)strology,(R)eal,(A)yurvedic…..and (E)ntropy,(U)topy,(G)reatness,(E)fervescent,(N)ourish,(I)nvent,( A)ll…!
Athenscalling.gr: Muito obrigado pela entrevista, BARBARA EUGENIA …Esteja sempre bem!… and many thanks for the pics by Haroldo Saboia.
BARBARA EUGENIA: Eu que agradeço!! Much love to you all
