Antonio Zambujo has never hidden his admiration for Brazilian popular music. Like everyone who is in love with MPB, the Portuguese singer and composer has a master, the philosopher’s stone, to understand our cultural wealth so precious in the world: João Gilberto. It is to confirm this influence and pay homage to Bahia’s genius that Zambujo has just released an album. Voice and guitar…

In this interview, 45-year-old Zambujo talks about her new job, her experience of imprisonment due to the pandemic, and the rescheduling of her tour to Brazil, which was scheduled for 2020 and has been postponed to 2022.

While Portugal is breaking vaccination records and gradually resuming social and cultural life, Zambujo comments on whether the world will get better or worse after the pandemic: “What is good remains good, what is bad will continue … … “, – the message says. “I have a feeling that the balance is always very balanced, the percentage of good and evil is always very close. We will have to keep fighting and condemning what is wrong, in the hope that things can change. “

Why is the link to João Gilberto’s 2000 album?

My connection with Brazilian music began through João Gilberto, it was through him that I met other performers and authors. This was the last recording he made and I really love his incredible ability to reinvent songs. Has a version Enough nostalgia completely different from the original. It is also a recording that was recorded without much concern for producing, a live recording, a live recording on tape that he left in the studio and he played, which I also wanted to do on my record. So it was a little bit because of that, and also because I decided to honor his memory.

You recorded the Cayetano song, Like two and two, other, You liked me, which does not belong to him, but is also part of Cayetano’s repertoire …

I arrived at You liked me for a very intimate version of Chavela Vargas, I fell in love. Of course, I also know the version of Cayetano, because I know everything about him. But my version, despite being more inspired by Chavela Vargas, ended up being closer to Cayetano’s version because it is more dynamic. ABOUT Two and twoI was invited to participate in the Gal Costa album, I was very surprised and missed it. There is an album Gal, there is a version of this song, I don’t remember …

Is not Fa-Tal – Gal at full speed…

Yes, this is it, this is it. So listen, I joined Caetano with Gal and the song got me hooked, I decided to record it.

Your new album is doing well in Portugal. What do you expect from Brazil, where you made excellent predictions?

This means being able to play in Brazil. Nowadays, the entry serves as a calling card, an opportunity to show something new that justifies it, which allows you to be summoned to the showroom, which allows you to return to Brazil the way I want. Of course, at first I hope people like the record.

How is cultural life in Portugal with the pandemic developing?

It reopened in early May with restrictions. Only 50% of the capacity in the rooms, the distance between the chairs is two meters.

In Portugal, there were times of severe restrictions on the movement of people. How did you get through this period? Did this affect your work?

Not with anything. I was completely stopped, without any motivation, I did nothing. During my imprisonment, I wrote two songs that were commissioned by brands for advertising, which I have never done in my life. I do not have the habit of sitting at home, watching what is happening in the world, not being indifferent to it and taking a guitar to compose, I could not do this.

Overall, how is your creative process going?

He has no routine. I am anywhere, the melody comes, I record it on my mobile phone, and then I will develop this idea. I also have many partnerships, there are no rules.

The Portuguese music scene is having an interesting moment, perhaps even more so than Brazil in terms of popular music. Do you agree?

When Rodrigo Amarante releases a new album, he is already good (scene in Brazil). In connection with the closure of the pandemic, a lot is emerging. People were waiting for the opening of theaters to present their records. There are several genres here, you in Brazil know little about another Portuguese music genre that is not related to the fado tradition. But there are very interesting things related to indie, rock, and most of them are sung in Portuguese, although there are some translators who sing and write in English …

Like Eliza Rodriguez …

Yes, Eliza, and there is a very interesting band called Black Mamba. There are many good things, but in Brazil I also believe in that.

What do you think the world will be like after the pandemic? What do you think about the resumption of work in Portugal?

What is good will remain good, and what is bad will continue for a long time … I don’t think it will change much. Humanity, as has already been proven in this pandemic, is capable of doing better and worse. I have a feeling that the balance is always very balanced, the percentage of good and evil is always very close. We will have to keep fighting and condemning what is wrong, in the hope that things can change.

How do you expect to return to Brazil?

We had a tour planned for 2020, which then extended to 2021 and will now take place in 2022.

How is the vaccination going?

Slowly but moving forward. Well, the tour was for January and February 2022.