News

How did you decide which songs you were actually going to put on this album?

That's what takes a long time—the longest. There are so many beautiful things that I wanted to record. That's one of the great things about Brazilian music, it's an endless repertoire. The songwriting is just fantastic. The source is unbelievable. It takes me a little time to choose the songs. After I've decided on the songs, the rest comes pretty natural. The first step is to choose what songs to record. How can I do this song differently? How can I make this sound different than it did, and so forth?

Choosing which collaborators you're going to work with must be difficult as well.

Exactly. The song comes first, and then the arrangement, then I think about the casting—who's going to sing. That's how it works.

You pulled artists from so many places: Brazil, America, Italy, and Columbia. Did you have a list of who you wanted going into the album?

What I had in mind was that I did Brazilian music in Portuguese and English. And now I thought I could have people singing in French, Italian and Spanish. It kind of gives us an international celebration, instead of just Portuguese or English. I met these people, and they all love Brazilian music. That's the wonderful thing about Brazilian music, because it is so appreciated around the world.

Did you actually bring the artists to the studios?

Yes, some vocals I did here. The Brazilian vocals I did here. Natalie Cole, Jovanatti and Ledisi I did here in Los Angeles. Juanes did his vocals in Columbia.

Were there any musicians that you had on your wish list that you didn't get to use?

Not really, probably for the next album. It's just a pleasure for me to do this kind of work. A creative collaboration for me is great. They always bring their own magic. It's like sharing the project. It's just a great thing.

Do you find yourself listening to the pop music that people like Fergie and will.i.Am are making?

I listen to a lot of thing that are happening. I have kids, and people send me their material, so I'm constantly listening to stuff. I'm also listening to Brazilian music and African music and lots of other music too.

Do you feel that music right now is as vibrant as it has been in the past?

I do. There are a lot of great, exciting things happening. I travel a lot, and I hear a lot of great music all around the world. I'm into melody, and that's what I look for first. I think there's a lot of vibrant music made in Africa, Asia, and South America. A lot of wonderful things.

I'd have to agree. Because the world is so connected through technology, you can hear things from Africa the day they are made. It encourages creation and creativity all across the globe.

Exactly. Before it was so hard to hear things that come from other places. Now the access is immediate, so it's great.

—Chas Reynolds
06.24.08

1 | 2