Today our Spotlight – Ana Luisa Ramos. We got the chance to sit down with Ana not too long ago to chat about music and the journey to get there. Take a look at the convo we had and the release of Amanheceu right now.
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Thank you for taking the time to chat with the Hidden Beats Team. Would you like to give an introduction to our readers?
Hello! It´s a pleasure to chat with you 🙂
So, I´m Ana, a Brazilian singer-songwriter based in St. John´s, NL. I´ve recently released “Amanheceu” my second solo album.
Who were your early influences growing up? How do they align with the artists who influence you today?
Growing up I had a mix of influences. Ranging from classical music to Bossa Nova, Brazilian Popular Music, and Samba, from brit-pop to Rock from the 60´s and ’70s.
I think that in a way all these influences are still pretty much in my life. Although new artists and composers often interest me, they´re still connected somehow to my earliest influences.
Who were the biggest supporters of your blossoming music career?
I had great teachers throughout my career that believed in me and I have met some nice people who helped me. Unfortunately, being a musician is hard, and in my home country, we don´t have much support. In the early 2000s, people thought I was crazy for wanting to pursue this career! Hopefully, things turned out well. But definitely, in the last decade, my biggest supporter has been Eric.
You recently hit your 2-year anniversary of moving to St. John’s. Moving at a pretty rough time given the past 2 years. What is the number one thing you have learned about yourself since moving? Do you regret it at all since it was difficult to visit family?
These last two years were very “different”. When we moved here I planned to go to Brazil at least 2 or 3 times a year and to tour a little bit around Canada. At the same time that I wasn´t allowed to do any of these things, I know that I am very privileged to live in a province that was not hit as hard by the pandemic as other parts of the world. The impossibility of traveling affected everyone, so I don´t think I can complain. At the same time, I loved the fact the I had more time for myself, for my music and it was good to make our house here our home, you know? Not being able to travel made us want to make things more steady here. And, no, I don´t regret moving here. I love this city and the friends I made here!
Think you will stay in St John’s for years to come or are you filled to the brim with the desire to travel?
Well, Eric just started a Ph.D. program at Memorial University, so we are staying for at least 4 more years, but I would love to stay longer. Let´s see how life happens 🙂
Although music is powerful enough to break any language barrier; How is making Brazilian music from Canada?
It is very interesting! People are often interested in Brazilian music. And right now we are living in a world where many people want to expand their horizons, so more and more spaces are opening for diverse musicians as well.
For me, it has been a great experience! I think it is important to know where to perform, where your audience is, and how to break the language barrier, so I think that contextualizing the songs is fundamental.
Your newest single, “Ceú Azul” has a wide array of genres from indie, folk to orchestral. How do you manage to ceaselessly blend these contrasting sounds together?
That was one of our concerns while we were recording the album. Because we have songs in Portuguese and in English, songs with a very Brazilian sonority, with bossa nova and samba influences, and also some of the songs are more folky/indie, we were very careful to bring a similar ambiance to them all. Looking back now, I don´t think those genres are so contrasting after all. Having been written and produced by people with similar influences and ideas about music, the album quickly felt like a unity.
Relating to the genre question, do you identify your music with any specific genre? Who is the target audience for your songs?
No, I don´t! Neither for the Canadian nor the Brazilian markets. It could be considered singer-songwriter, jazz, world/global music, but neither of them completely. Anyone who likes those genres could be interested in my music.
Regarding your new song, you said this:
“Céu Azul is a song that was written and recorded in Brazil and also in Newfoundland. It is about the beauty of those cold blue-sky days and the change of seasons. In Céu Azul, nature works as a metaphor for different aspects of life, our expectations and disappointments, the happiness we find in the small things, and simple and pure love.”
Is nature a big way you create inspiration? How do you connect with the world around you? Is there a specific place in your hometown this quote refers to?
Oh yeah… Nature is something fascinating, and now living in Newfoundland and Labrador, life has changed a lot. The weather dictates the days and how you live them. And well, in Brazil we have the four seasons and all, but not like in here. Even the sun hours are different, and I´m still amazed by all these changes. This quote doesn´t refer to any particular place, but to a general feeling we experience as we connect to the changing of the seasons and the world around us.
Your upcoming third project, Amanheceu is highly anticipated. How does it differ from your last 2 albums? How have you grown as an artist and channeled your new skills into this album?
On my first album, we had some covers, and the original songs were written by Eric. On the duo´s album, the songs were a collaboration between the two of us, so only in Amanheceu, my solo compositions were featured. I finally felt that I was ready to write my own songs, and they were worthy of recording and be shared with the world. It was an internal process, that honestly, for many years I thought that I wouldn´t be able to do this.
What themes or sounds can we expect off the album? Are there any linear or recurring stories?
Love, nature, and the sense of belonging to a place and even feeling comfortable being yourself are recurring themes in the album. I tried to bring light and positive vibes to the world with this album. I hope that when people listen to a song or the whole album, they feel happier (not in a sappy way, but more content, more relaxed, I guess) and more positive.
The promotional pictures are stunning. Do they relate well to the themes you mentioned? Did the photographer give you directions or are you the natural type?
I loved all the pictures! Lindsay J Ralph (photographer) and Hannah DeBourke (stylist) were great at capturing the vibes and influences of the album and putting them into images. The photo shoot went very smoothly, and everything was very natural.
Your husband, Eric, is a fellow musician. Do you both assist each other in music-making? Do you find your skills complement each other’s and encourage growth?
Oh, definitely! We are blessed to have and to understand each other. On our solo projects and the duo, we do everything together, and being able to tour together and share everything is amazing.
You were recently featured as an artist on Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council. How was that experience for you?
It was such a great and beautiful opportunity. Being able to perform again, in a festival felt like a dream coming true after a long time.
Thank you again for joining us today. Before you go do you want to give a shoutout to any person, organization, or charity who needs it right now?
Thank you very much! It was a pleasure!
Shoutout to the BIPOC Creators Collective – NL who are a great group of people who support the arts in NL.
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