Lollapalooza 2023: Planta & Raiz promises show that celebrates reggae: ‘Prepare the heart’ [ENTREVISTA]

Plant & Root promises one of the most unmissable shows of the Lollapalooza Brazil 2023. In addition to celebrating 25 years of existence, the independent reggae band formed by Zeider (vocal), Fernandinho (guitar), Fringe (guitar), Fern (down) and Julian (drums) will feature a very special guest: Olodum.

At the festival, the group’s presentation is scheduled for March 24, at 1:20 pm (Brasília time) at the adidas stage. During an interview with Rolling Stone Brazil, Zeider talked about the band’s expectations for the show, what fans can expect, the importance of Olodum for Brazilian music and much more.

Clear, Zeider was very excited to participate in the 10th edition of Lollapalooza in Brazil, and highlighted the importance of it. “Arrive at Lollapalooza it’s a dream come true, playing at one of the biggest festivals in the world. I see it as a showcase, a large open window and us there.”

This is awesome, because what we want most is to be able to show our music to as many people as possible, and what lola it’s too cool for that.

“We’ve been on the road for 25 years, so our show is beautiful, we’re going with an open heart, waiting for the hearts of the crowd to receive our reggae,” continued the singer. “We will also have a very special participation from the Olodum crowd, right, so we will arrive with the bumbão, with the tamborzão and we will make a beat there with our reggae.”

Below, read the full interview with Zeiderof Plant & Root:

What are the expectations for the show at Lollapalooza?
We are tied up. Lollapalooza it’s one of the biggest festivals in the world, and for us to be able to represent reggae, which is something sensational, and also represent independent music, since we don’t have a record company and build our parade, since always. then get to Lollapalooza it’s a dream come true, playing at one of the biggest festivals in the world. I see it as a showcase, a large open window and us there. This is awesome, because what we want most is to be able to show our music to as many people as possible, and what lola it’s too cool for that.
There are all kinds of people there, people who listen to all kinds of music. And at a festival like this, people are open to meeting new bands, falling in love with new music, new artists.
We’ve been on the road for 25 years, so our show is beautiful, we go with our hearts wide open, waiting for the hearts of the crowd to receive our reggae. We will also have a very special participation from the Olodum crowd, right, so we will arrive with the bumbão, with the tamborzão and we will make a beat there with our reggae.

What can your fans and festival audience expect from the performance?
We rehearsed a lot and we’re coming from the release of an acoustic, which is our 25 year project, so we’re very sharp, the songs are beautiful. We’ve managed to make our show one thing, when you feel that everyone is in the same connection, throwing the same things into the universe… so the energy has been wonderful – and what causes that is music.
We will not do the acoustic show at lolawe are preparing a special show there, with the presence of Olodum. So prepare your heart, for the fans, prepare your heart, and for those who are enjoying it, they will like it.

You will be the first national reggae band to perform at Lollapalooza. What are your feelings about it?
A dream come true. I think I’ll only feel this energy after the show because there’s a lot of expectation. We are already used to this thing of having the shows, despite the lola being something that moves us much more, there is already a technique to control anxiety, to hold the wave to ‘explode’ at the time, let go of everything.

That’s going to be it: an explosion of our adrenaline, not just mine, but the band’s people, my musician partners who will be on stage. I can’t wait to set the stage on fire.

Do you think there is any reason for this delay in having national reggae in Lolla’s line-up?
I think that reggae has been consolidated in his time. Generally, bands of this genre are independent, we have our movement there, our festivals, you know? It’s a really big thing and a really cool one, too. This opportunity arose through the Marcelo Beraldowhich is leading the T4F.
We should have played last year, because we were on the list for 2022, but our show ended up not happening, due to the rain and thunder. It had rained a lot the day before and a structure had collapsed. So everyone was apprehensive, and when the sky started to close, thunder started to fall and they asked to hold it a little, with the crowd moving away from the stage. Our show was in the meantime and it was for the 2023 edition.
Then we see that everything happens the way it needs to happen, really. It was f***, yeah. for us not to touch [em 2022] with costumes, rehearsed with a p*** show ready, screen art, videos and very crazy images… but thank God this year we do our show and the adrenaline is even bigger.

For you, what is the current situation of reggae in Brazil? What can we expect from the future of the genre in the country?
I think reggae has already expanded. At various times in Brazil we had a lot of reggae music on the radio. He has Black city which ended up being a bid that fomented the movement. We already had other bands playing, himself Edson Gomesin short, the older crowd and all the movement that already happened.
In the 1990s, my generation heard a lot Bob Marley and all of Jamaican reggae and was very inspired by reggae and nature. Bands began to emerge and become professional. Today, we have the Natiruts, which completely left that reggae scope, is still there, but has already expanded, playing in festivals around the world. we also have the handle, which also has a cool reggae language, with good songs and lyrics. Reggae just grows.

I think there is a lack of space in the media, really, to convey this message as well. This is also due to the fact that reggae people are self-productive. There is a lack of structure for reggae to reach the media, and be seen by those people who are not in our niche.

What was the reason for bringing Olodum to the stage? How was this invitation?
People are crazy about Olodum, a reference since always like this. From rhythm, musicality, joy, culture to history. We thought it was time to add this with us, because it has everything to do with our stop, which is the heart thing, the delivery…
In reality, the Denny Conceiçãoour percussionist who is from Bahia, spoke of Olodum in one of our rehearsals lola. That stuck in my head. We wanted this special show to have a special guest, to have someone really f*** who represents reggae, the roots of the music we chose. Jana, who works with us, said: Let’s call Olodum.’ At the time we were very happy and decided that. We already called the guys, got the contact. There was a synergy and it’s going to be beautiful! We are only for that day.

What is the importance of Olodum for Brazilian music?
beyond the Michael Jackson, they played with almost all artists at the time of the 1980s and 1990s. They created a musical style, samba-reggae, which is that characteristic beat through reggae, with the drums. And singing stories: they talked about the Egyptthe stories of Pharaoh, etc. The guys already out of the box. While the crowd made pop music, they invented a style telling the story of the black people of bahiaof roots and origins.

They are the foundation of rhythm in Brazil, so much so that they recorded with Michael Jackson and several gringo artists. It’s an honor to do a show with this story added to ours.