Vathy Bay, in Ithaca, Greece.
I wish I could say that I saw Liniker playing live last summer on occasion of her first European tour, but I cannot. I was hoping to see her in Dublin on July 15th.
I distinctly remember listening to her music two years ago for the first time driving by Kirchberg, and again in a non-electric Panda across eastern Sardinia last spring. The particularly catchy rhythms of Goela Abaixo (2019) made a first impression on me. In a second moment, I could easily recognise Liniker’s voice, and its extraordinary versatility in the many featurings with Dani-Vie, Amanda Magalhães, Luedji Luna, Linn da Quebrada (who, like Liniker, studied at the Escola Livre de Teatro, in Santo Andréa) and Xênia França, among others. Given more time, I could delve into the intimate and graceful lyrics that characterise Liniker’s production.
It all started back in October 2015, when Liniker posted on YouTube the EP Cru, receiving an extremely warm welcome. Having split from the band os Caramelows at the start of 2020, she released Índigo Borboleta Anil 🦋 (2021) as her first solo album, co-produced by Gustavo Ruiz (Tulipa Ruiz' brother and producer) and Júlio Fejuca. In 2022, she became the first trans woman to win a Latin Grammy, for the categories Best MPB Album (with Índigo Borboleta Anil 🦋) and Best Portuguese Language Song (with Baby 95). Notably, last November, she was invited to join the imortais of the Academia Brasileira de Cultura as the first trans artist in the history of the institution.
Índigo Borboleta Anil 🦋: a dive into one's self
Clau has been my long-time favourite, primarily due to its extremely joyful lines and groove. The song is dedicated to her dog Claudete, that seems to have taught a great deal of things to her. Her name reminds of the English word cloud. By the way the Brazilian songwriter talks about her ever-growing affection for her, I am also quite convinced that Clau is more than a simple pet.
Jennifer Campbell’s harp blends in with the violins, the viola and the cello from São Paulo's Orquestra Jazz Sinfônica, just like in Lili, Lua de Fé, Lalange and Vitoriosa too (NB: Jennifer Campbell does not figure in the last two). Funk sonorities kick in, as the drums, the bass, the Rhodes and the Farfisa keyboards emerge.
It is the time of Antes de Tudo, the first song the artist wrote at the age of sixteen, not long after she started playing the guitar at fifteen years old. Liniker powerfully sings: “Eu só não posso mais me ver assim/ Cada vez mais distante de mim// Eu não quero mais, pouco/ Quero voar// Eu perdi o medo da chuva/ Pra poder reencontrar/ A metade dessa vida/ Que não me deixaram usar” (“I just can't see myself like this anymore/ Farther and farther away from myself// I don't want much, just a little thing/ I want to fly// I've lost my fear of the rain/ So I can get back/ The half of this life/ That they didn't let me use”). To hold back and retrieve those years is now a necessity.
Antes de Tudo takes the form of a self-discovery guide to finally break a cycle that lasted way too long. With the blessing of Lemanjá, the Goddess of the Sea, the quest to encounter one’s self in the depths of the ocean begins. Led by the natural element of water, the flight becomes more of a dive. The Orkestra Rumpilezz (created after the Bahian samba composer Letieres Leite) play the brass instruments and the percussions, that are key to this composition. While, Liniker is responsible for the chorus throughout the album.
Lili — this time a song entirely written in English — mirrors Antes de Tudo. Lili took action and “Jumped in the water, looking at the world”. After all, Lili is Liniker’s nickname. By loving herself, she managed to eventually find and channel her inner Lili. Her black skin is gold and shines bright now.
The metaphor of the mergulho continues in Psiu. A beautiful bass line by Ana Karina Sebastião guides us through. Calm can be found by separating from a part of yourself that does no longer represent you. We find the Moon therein, standing as a symbol of feminine energy which counterbalances the male energy of the red planet.
Learning how to swim can be a revolutionary act. (“Pra quem não sabia contar gotas/ ‘Cê aprendeu a nadar”). This is a restorative dive in the humid fog: “O mergulho foi tão bom que me encheu de graça/ Molhou meu coração/ Mergulho em fumaça” (“The dive was so good it filled me with grace/ It wet my heart/ Diving in smoke”). We hear whistling psiu.
Musky rocks in Punta Molentis, in Villasimius, Sardinia, Italy.
First and foremost, a music artist !
Liniker lets us know: “I'm not just an LGBTQIA+ artist, but I'm an artist who makes music. That's what got me to where I am today, that's what brings me here, that's what reconnects me with my work. Ever since I appeared in the media, released Crua, Remonta and Goela Abaixo — it's really incredible how the market still claims to be diverse and accessible to diversity, but it always puts us in the same box. It's as if the only space where we are allowed to be is the LGBTQIA+ one. […] Why are we always put in this place? […] I’m tired of seeing us reduced [to this] when I see a lot of big music productions being released. This is a record where I'm tired of seeing our stories being restricted, I need to shout vitoriosas at the end, like in my song, you know? I want to experience this and not just me, I want to look away and see people being able to experience it too. It's a disc of hope, of acceptance and, at the same time, of expansion. Unlike my other albums, the main love is not about the other person, but about me.” In fact, her previous album, Goela Abaixo (2019), told of an overseas romantic relationship from the perspective of a lover, who shares some traits with the all-rounder sistamamalover described by Lenny Kravitz (Baptism, 2004).
Conversely, the Liniker of Índigo Borboleta Anil 🦋 has considerably matured and speaks from the position of an affirmed artist, who has agency over her image. It took some time for her external appearance to align with her identity ever since 2014, when she started her career. But, there certainly is more to that. She has a clear idea of who she is and who she is not. Thus, she invites both the music industry and the media to shift their attention to her remarkable musical work.
Rocks in aquamarine water in Punta Molentis, in Villasimius, Sardinia, Italy.
There follows the energetic reggae of Lua de Fé, telling about that time when Liniker perceived that Luedji Luna was pregnant when hugging her. Liniker comments: “I felt the child's energy and I didn't know about the pregnancy. I think it's beautiful to be able to sing about the birth of the child of a friend and of a person for whom I have a real artistic passion.”
In turn, the singer Luedji Luna will be transferring her energy to her baby: “Projeta a lua na barriga dela/ Outra parte do mundo que ela já conhece/ No ar, um fair de fairytale” (“Project the moon onto her belly/ Another part of the world she already knows/ In the air, a fair of fairytale”). Great space is given to the brass instruments (alto, tenor and baritone saxophones, trumpet, trombone, flute), eventually leading to a moonlit lullaby.
Processing traumatic life experiences while publicly denouncing injustice in Brazil
In Lalange, the spoken word gives way to the singing, as Liniker tells about a vivid dream about her personal childhood trauma, and honours the memory of Miguel Otávio Santana da Silva. Miguel lost his life at nine years-old on June 2nd, 2020 while looking for his mum. After this terrible event, Maria Bethânia’s Dois de Junho (written by Adriana Calcanhotto, as part of Noturno, 2021) equally denounced violence and impunity in Brazil.
Liniker explains: “I think the amount of trauma I've gone through in my life and that I carry in my history has made me forget a little about the things I experienced as a child. And also psychologically, there are many things that we can’t understand — ‘but why am I feeling this’ — if not only when we have access to a dive into one’s self — and mine came mainly through my connection with my spirituality and through therapy, and more precisely through self-analysis. I felt that I needed to resolve [something] from my past and, in that dream, I remember that I agonised, I said ‘but why are you looking for this child and you can't find him?’ I realised that maybe I wasn't looking for Liniker, you know? I think it's also this encounter with ‘you've always been her’ and maybe that's why you haven't found yourself the way you used to be when you were a child. This dream was also connected to the death of Miguel, Mirtes' son, in Recife. The pain we feel when this happens to the nth black person is still shocking. And this mother's pain too... My mother was also a domestic worker and I often had to be with her at work and the amount of racism and violence that is suffered in these environments is massive.”
We know from Liniker that the artistic collaboration with Milton Nascimento allows her to connect with her roots, in the same way as Araraquara, her hometown in the state of São Paulo. Liniker had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Milton on occasion of a concert with Xênia França the summer before, feeling an immediate connection. Liniker had been a great fan of his for a very long time.
Seashore in St. Paul's Bay, Malta.
The Latin Grammy winning single, and its collaborative songwriting
From the first passionate kiss in the courtyard of the family house, where “A areia espelhou azul” (“The sand mirrored blue”) — would this be the azul either of the sky or the ocean. To the moment when the warm, morning sunlight swiftly caresses the skin of the two lovers that are lying in bed. The Latin Grammy winning single Baby 95 evokes a warm ambience where the Sun strongly radiates, in the comfort of a romantic relationship.
Falling in love is inevitable, and goes hand in hand with the desire to be loved back. The trumpet, the saxophone and the drums enrich the jazz background. While the momentary vocal doubling adds a touch of R&B to the composition, the vibrato is here to stay and take us back to jazz and soul rhythms. The refrain is eventually repeated and juxtaposed with a samba. The closing sees the bass and the Rhodes piano in an elegant duet.
The lyrics were written in collaboration with the tremendously talented Mahmundi, Tássia Reis and Tulipa Ruiz (just like Diz Quanto Custa, that also includes VITOR HUGO). Liniker reveals: “The beautiful thing about these people is that, as well as admiring them artistically, they are my family, they are my friends, they are the people with whom I exchange intimately. […] Tássia, Tulipa and Mahmundi are my sisters, my friends. […] Music was always the link between us. We'd take a step back and say ‘Oh, here, no photos, this stays just between us', but there was always a guitar and singing. I'd say ‘Our meeting is productive because there's real love in it, we're doing it for the exchange and not for the hit'. I think that this, as art, as singers and as artists, is a connection that I value a lot, being able to connect with people not just for the feat. or because the market demands it, but because I really feel a heart-to-heart connection, you know?”
Índigo Borboleta Azul 🦋 is a self-reassuring gift to herself
It would not be too far from the reality of things to contemplate that Liniker wishes to take comfort from her own song Presente, nurturing her personal Ori. Ultimately, both this song and the entire album are a presente she is doing to herself, and that she is choosing to openly share with others.
Presente reassuring tone reminds a little of the feeling of The Roots’ I Got You. Additionally, it displays the wish to celebrate the loved one. “Fica âmbar, a neblina/ Fumaça colorida pra te celebrar” (“The mist remains amber/ Colourful smoke to celebrate you”). And again: “Tua escama nova brilha além do peixe/ Pra te dar parabéns, pra te ver mergulhar” (“Your new scales shine beyond a fish/ To congratulate you, to watch you dive”).
Liniker would like to make her loved one feel even more her presence and closeness, while recognising his growth upon embarking on a new personal journey. According to the Yorubas, embracing one’s true self would benefit Ori, the Orisha of a person's vital essence. With the expression “Nanã no meu colo”, she invites her other half to find comfort in her lap and be lulled to sleep.
Presente’s dub is given further depth by the guitar and a collection of MPC horns and percussions (made up of bolachão, congas, atabaque, shaker). Liniker’s voice is eventually backed up by a chorus and transforms into some sort of echoing. The final clapping reinforces the whole celebratory vibe. Interestingly enough, Presente was originally presented as a single in a quite different version for COLORS studios (view A COLORS SHOW on the various streaming platforms).
Flickering sunlight on seawater in La Pelosa, in Stintino, Sardinia, Italy.
From a saucy samba rock to a triumphant samba raiz
Diz Quanto Custa, with its rock samba, takes us in a completely different direction, featuring the voices of Tássia Reis and DJ Nyack, and choirs by Tulipa Ruiz. This music genre is particularly dear to Liniker's heart, since her mum used to give dance classes of samba rock. Inversely, her uncle has been a samba raiz (same as traditional samba) musician for the last forty years.
The resulting song could not be any further from JLo’s Love Don’t Cost a Thing, trying to bargain over the price of peace of mind. Liniker’s mum playfully insist: “Me diz quanto custa”.
On the other hand, Vitoriosa definitely is more of a traditional samba. Liniker refers to the act of resisting as black, trans, non-binary and LGBTQIA+ bodies, when saying: “I want joy to be a condition for all of us. Seeing myself as victorious is a way of being politically active too.”
Legitimising her own presence in the music industry
Liniker confirms her position as an artist, who is capable of exquisite music productions. Her sensible work and presence on important stages gives her the power and the authority to begin the difficult process of reforming the music industry and reclaiming her own space in it. In so doing, she proposes to fight against the historically accepted socio-economic norms.
With regard to her latest release, Índigo Borboleta Anil 🦋, she states: “I feel that, artistically, making a record like this is important so that, even with all the pain and all the setbacks, we don't forget our goals, that we don't forget for ourselves that we're alive, that it's difficult, but that we're trying and it's not just in-between us. When people asked me if I was going to make a political record — the fact that I'm a songwriter, the fact that I'm making a record from this position, the fact that I'm presenting a high-quality record and work, goes against everything they say my body can't do. Not just mine, but other bodies, so this is also political, this is also living, this is also legitimising my existence in a place that I'm not allowed to occupy.”
Evening sea in Poros, Kefalonia, Greece.
The transformative process of learning to love yourself
The bonus track Mel has all the shininess and mimo of a personalised gift to her listeners. We hear her playing the guitar, as we gain some insight into the production process in the studio. While being more cryptic, the track suggests instants of shared intimacy just like Baby95 did. Liniker incidentally informs us: “Today, to talk about love means also to talk about my self-love, to talk about love where people try to see my personal experience — and not just my experience, but also that of LGBTQIA+ bodies, especially transgender bodies and black bodies. It entails talking from the point of view where we're learning to love ourselves, and where we're trying to love ourselves. My album isn't for other people, but it is for me, you know? In terms of the composition, it's a record that brings me back to the present and draws my attention to what my goal is.”
Índigo Borboleta Anil 🦋 (whose deluxe version is currently available for pre-order) is a truly accomplished work, where the exponent of Nova MPB sings “do ponto de vista do [seu] quintal” (“from the perspective of [her] backyard”) by celebrating her musical references and life experiences growing up in the hinterland of São Paulo. In this way, the album inaugurates a new period of the music production of our Baby 95, who feels that there is still a lot to unfold when it comes to promoting self-acceptance and personal growth.