https://rollingstone.com.br/musica/paulo-ricardo-entrevista-2025/

*Interview conducted by Aline Carlin Cordaro and text by Igor Miranda published in the September/2025 edition of Rolling Stone Brasil; buy at LojaPerfil.com.br |
Paulo Ricardo I was embarrassed to be referred to as the “voice of a generation”. He only relaxed when he discovered that there is a certain temporal flexibility. “A period of 25 years”, he says.

Still, this does not match reality. The musician, who turns 63 in September, is a rare case of a voice that transcends generations. The summary retrospective helps you understand:

• It achieved success in the 1980s, with the RPMrecord-selling pop-rock band;
• He went solo in romantic pop in the 1990s and 2000s, also performing versions of national hits and international reinterpretations;
• Since 2002, he has maintained the music “Real Life” at the opening of the reality show Big Brother Brasil;
• He is in the dubbing cast of the animated films Spirit (2002) and sing 2 (2021).

In fairness, the Rio artist has looked back and celebrated his 40th birthday with a commemorative tour, “XL”. But he only looks in the rearview mirror so far. THE Rolling Stone Brazilguarantees not to be nostalgic: “I really like connecting the past with the present and the future.”

Interview with Paulo Ricardo

Rolling Stone Brasil: How do you feel revisiting your entire journey on the “XL” tour?
Paulo Ricardo: Very happy. I imagine people expect a big birthday party, but I always strive to bring something new. I don’t want to be portrayed with hindsight. I wanted to reach this moment with strength and pointing towards the future. We celebrated first place on pop/rock radio throughout Brazil with “The Verse”song recorded with the beloved Rogério Flausinofrom Jota Quest.

What memories are brought back when revisiting your repertoire?
I’m not very nostalgic. Years ago I took the tour Pirate Radio 35 Years and I was immersed in the 1980s, so I had flashbacks. Not the current show: it’s a musical curation. I shorten some things, edit others, adapt. There aren’t many flashbacks. On the contrary: I like to connect past with present and future.

What’s your favorite song from the show?
I take great pleasure in great hits, but in a rare opportunity like this, there’s a favorite of mine and it doesn’t have the characteristics of a hit: “It Only Did Me Good” [composição de Edu Lobo e Vinícius de Moraes]which is on the album Love Chose Me (1997). It’s wonderful lyrically, harmonically and melodically.

And what Love Chose Me brought it to the point of not fitting into a band dynamic?
To begin with, my dive into brega — that was when I dared to compose with [o hitmaker] Michael Sullivan. A lot of people told me: “They’re going to criticize you”, because Sullivan has this cheesy stigma, but, for me, cheesy is calling something “cheesy”. In a band, I would be the loser. Furthermore, bands tend to compose among themselves. There is a certain jealousy if you bring in a partnership from outside. So the first thing I wanted to do [solo] was composing with other people: Herbert Vianna, George Israel. This album was recorded in Spanish for 32 Latin-speaking countries, it also exploded in the USA and Mexico. None of this would have happened with the band.

You started as a journalist and were even a music critic for Som Três magazine. Today, how do you see rock in Brazil?
I didn’t want to plagiarize Lenny Kravitz and say “rock n’ roll is dead”, but rock didn’t survive the turn of the century — all over the world. There is less and less rock on the global charts. In Brazil, the last generation was that of the 2000s: NXZero, Fresno, Tihuana. Måneskin it was the last breath of rock in the world, but they are Italian, a lot of covers, they still don’t have representation, nor are they in a movement. Pop, yes, will always be a global force. Our pop goes really well and you can include whatever you want: John, Ludmilla, Iza, Liniker. Brazilian hip hop has reached maturity, only recently did we achieve a national language. Rock remains an attitude, a philosophy. It’s unbeatable in fashion. However, the queue moves. It remains in streaming: all the old stuff is there. I don’t think there is a need for more rock, as there is already a lot of good rock and the big bands are still active.

Even after the dictatorship, the song “Revolucions Por Minuto” was censored. How did RPM handle this?
It didn’t affect us. I loved it. I thought it was an honor to be next to Chico Buarque, Caetano [Veloso], Gonzaguinha, Ivan Lins…great artists whose songs were censored. I think part of this is due to the word “revolution”, used and appropriated by the military to, among themselves, define the 1964 coup. They tried to steal that word, but we stole it back. And that song never stopped playing. But it was interesting to watch the cockroach that took the blow, but still moved its antennae. Some defects remained: in 2002, we were sued by the [ex-político Paulo] Maluf because I adapted the lyrics “Voracious Dawn” with “Maluf, Lalau, Barbalho and Sarney“. I didn’t add an adjective, I didn’t offend, I just mentioned it. It resulted in a lawsuit from Maluf. And we won. I could have sued back and asked for compensation, but that’s not my thing — I was happy that the court sided with a rock band.

Besides the tour, what else can you tell us about news?
One dream at a time, but we also have a new EP [Reinventar, com seis faixas, já disponível em streaming]. Few things compare to the pleasure of a new song when you finish it. “Success”from Latin, means to achieve, to be able to do what you want. Whether this will be a success is another thing, it doesn’t really depend on us, but I’m happy to reach 40 years of career and look forward, not back.

You usually say that each release brings a taste of the beginning of your career, right?
It’s an insecurity, because nothing is guaranteed. It suits everyone. Tom Cruise he doesn’t know if the next film will have the same impact as the previous one. The public, somewhat lazy — which is understandable — always wants more of the same. On the previous tour, they complained about me wearing a kilt. “I prefer you in jeans, in black.” An attachment to that classic rocker look, which gives a certain security: “I’m at a rock show and the guy is dressed like a rocker”. The market wants a cover, or acoustic versions. When you bring something new, you feel vulnerable. It’s a terrifying and wonderful feeling at the same time. That’s what keeps this passion going.

Rolling Stone Brasil: Avenged Sevenfold, Planet Hemp and more

The new edition of Rolling Stone Brasil features an exclusive interview with the 5 members of Avenged Sevenfoldon the eve of his biggest solo shows in Brazil. There is also a chat with Planet Hempa special Bruce Springsteentribute to Ozzy Osbourne and much more. Buy on the Loja Perfil website.

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• Paulo Ricardo

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