This time, we get to know Joao Aranha, a Brazilian artist from Rio de Janeiro who plays a number of instruments, mixes, and produces all his own music. He has a distinctive dreamy sound that incorporates elements of novo MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira) with a hint of bossa nova, rock, and reggae. His influences include Legião Urbana and Jason Mraz.
The track "Paredes" is featured in the New Artist Spotlight Family of Playlists.
Link To New Artist Spotlight Playlists:
1. Tell us a little about where you are from and what you are currently doing.
Hi, I'm from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I'm trying to make new songs to release because there are lots of them waiting in a big line!
2. What inspired you to start playing and making music?
My departed grandma, from my mother's side of the family, was an amateur singer, that had her time singing on the radio in her city when she was younger and was always singing and dancing when preparing our meals in the house. My mom had a huge vinyl collection, and after coming back from school always become addicted to trying to listen to all the music.
𝟯. Who are your biggest influences?
Renato Russo, Jason Mraz, Pink Floyd, Djavan, Paralamas do Sucesso, Legião Urbana, Titãs, Paulinho Moska, Marina and so much other that is impossible to make an list
4. What are your goals in the music industry?
I really want my songs to lead those who listen to have a good or at least a better time in life.
5. Tell us about your creative process when you make new music.
Most of them are poetry that I write to my wife, and others pop into my mind, sometimes seeing something ordinary about the day, and other times inspiration comes when I'm surfing, the connection with nature is always a huge motivator. Some of them come when I'm meditating, that is a regular practice for me.
6. What is your all-time favorite song?
"Wish you were here" by Pink Floyd. I think is a masterpiece on all points.
7. What is the best advice or council you have either given or received in terms of music?
Trust your feelings and all is going to work for you! You create your own reality, trust that too. Keep things simple. Simplicity is the key to opening lots of doors. Be authentic with yourself because there is nothing sadder than losing the tie with who you really are, that is priceless!
8. Proudest accomplishment?
To have released my first album " Para quem sabe amar ", the 12 tracks were poetry to my wife when we met 20 years ago and start to date, then this notebook of poetry was inside a desk for 17 years. Just before the Covid pandemic, I got into the adventure of recording, mixing, mastering, and releasing all by myself, but never had done anything like that. I sent the tracks to a free music distribution in the hope to receive a free review of what was wrong in the mix, and because of that, it was not possible to release... Two days after sending I received the email saying that the album was to be released on 26 Jun 2020 and that started everything for me.
9. What is something about you that might surprise someone who knows you the best?
I cry at least one time a day about things so silly, that touch me in a way that for most people is hard to understand. I don't like to sleep too much I really feel uncomfortable when I sleep more than 5 hours a day.
𝟭0. Tell us about your highest and lowest points in music so far.
The lowest point was not being able to show my deceased grandma the finished version of a song that she loved before she passed away from covid last year. The highest point was the release of the song "Segredo", because I had concluded my mix/mastering class, and a fellow classmate asked me if I was working on something, and I sent him the raw version of the song. He loved it and asked if he could record the bass and help me to mix. It was a great collab, but to my surprise, after the song was released, my teacher asked me how it was to make/mix and release a collab with someone that was indicated 7 years consecutively and 2 times Latin Grammy winner! Jose Limberg Graces is his name, we are very good friends after this lovely experience and he is a lighthouse to me in all points about music.
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