GUAI: Album and Interview

May 24, 2019

GUAI: Album and Interview

My introduction to GUAI came through Facebook when she sent me a message. After downloading her album, I was swept away. As readers know, I love Brazilian music. GUAI is a contemporary singer who migrated from Brazil to Lisbon, Portugal, in 2017 in search of greater artistic freedom and more receptive and loving audiences. Brazil is going through tough times.

GUAI styles her stage name in all caps. Her debut album, Dama de Paus (Lady of Clubs) was recorded in Brazil and released in 2015. It's extraordinary (go here and here). Her optimism, free-flowing sound, Brazilian rhythms and warm tone are the stuff of bossa and samba legends. There's a coy exuberance and vocal happiness that is enchanting and invigorating. Once you hear this album, you'll find yourself under her spell. She's like Carnival, club music and the best dinner party of your life all wrapped up in one recording.

I reached out to GUAI to learn more:

JazzWax: Where were you born?
GUAI: I’m from Salvador da Bahia, a coastal town in Brazil. The Bahia state is the birthplace of samba and a magical and extremely musical region. It also was the first place that Portuguese conquerors landed in 1500.

JW: What is your full name?
G: My birth name is Karol Guaitolini. I used it as my professional name until I noticed that people had difficulty pronouncing it. I wanted to be on more intimate terms with my audience, since they follow me and listen to my work. My birth name was too formal. So I began using just GUAI—yes, in all caps. It’s short for my last name. A close friend always called me Guai and still does. I thought, why not? I decided to capitalize it so the name stands out. The word in Spanish means joy. In Italian, it means trouble. I think I'm a little bit of both.

JW: How is your name pronounced?
G: Think of Uruguay— without the “Uru.”

JW: Did you study music and singing as a child?
G: I loved music from the time I was in my crib. My father is a pianist and my mother is a vocalist. They used to tour a great deal performing all kinds of music in clubs. When I was 4, I joined them, performing at dances and doing matinees for children in several different cities. So growing up, I was surrounded by music. I listened to my parents’ records of Elis Regina, Elza Soares, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Gal Costa, Edith Piaf, Frank Sinatra, Cesar Camargo Mariano, Wagner Tiso and Djavan. I didn’t take singing lessons. I’m an autodidact—I taught myself. I did some singing workshops and worked with a speech therapist, but everything I know about music is intuitive and organic.

JW: Did your parents encourage you?
G: Oh yes. They remain my biggest fans and supporters. Even though they worry about the difficulties and hardship that accompanies a singing career, they knew I was born to be an artist. The same was true for them. It’s not something we choose to do. It chooses us. We are driven to be creative and express ourselves.

JW: What year did you move to Lisbon?
G: At the time of my move in 2017, I was searching for a more receptive environment for my music, which is a bit more sophisticated than standard Brazilian music. Moving there was great because I was involved with a greater variety of media, including TV and radio.

JW: What motivated the move?
G: The political crisis that plagued Brazil since 2016 has affected the mood and behavior of the Brazilian people in terms of how they consume art and what they think of artists. I must say, the situation in Brazil in this respect has only worsened. This year, there have been terrible cuts in funding for culture and a wave of hatred toward art and artists in all spheres. I left to take refuge in Lisbon. It's very hard to create in an atmosphere like that. But in my soul, I'm Brazilian.

JW: Does your singing style reflect your relief and happiness about being in a receptive environment?
G: Oh yes. In Lisbon, I've found a more receptive and loving following. My debut album has been well received here. The album is my pride and joy. It’s an independent production. It was the first time I’ve executive-produced an album. It was recorded in Brazil and released digitally in 2015 and on CD in 2016.

JW: You’ve been nominated for some special awards, yes?
G: Before I recorded my album, I released some singles. These were nominated for the Brazilian Music Awards in 2011 and 2012. In 2017, with my debut album released, I was nominated in the "best female vocalist" and "best song" categories. In 2018, I entered Portugal’s EDP Live Bands competition. I was the most voted artist in the whole country.

JW: What was the inspiration for your singing now?
G: That's a great question. My inspiration is my love for Portugal, its historical connection to Brazil and all that being an immigrant suggests: The longing, the distance, the hope for better days and the uncertainties.

JW: You had terrific assistance on the album, yes?
G: Yes. Nema Antunes, who produced Dama de Paus, won a Latin Grammy for producing Ivan Lins. I also had a super collaborator on the album, Ian Ritchie, a friend who I met in Portugal. I’m very excited about the album because it’s more world music, you know?

JW: How would you describe your singing style?
G: I am 100% made in Brazil for export. My music brings the rich melodic and harmonic Brazilian structure mixed with percussive Afro-Brazilian and polyrhythmic strings. My arrangements are based on chorinho, an instrumental Brazilian pop music genre. And, of course, American big bands. The music was recorded live in the studio, with the full band playing together. This brought an aesthetic of jazz improvisation and collaboration. The result is my greatest pride and it defines me as a Brazilian artist and Brazilian singer. I just happen to live in Lisbon.