“Romantic music is almost a wake-up call for us to have the courage to talk about love.”
Who defends is Paulo Nettothe singer and composer who found in verses like those of Belchior, Odair Jose and Reginaldo Rossi part of the inspiration for their own songs.
In an interview with Rolling Stone BrazilPaulo reflected on the importance of romanticism for his career and for Brazilian music – where the perspective of love seems to have turned, in recent years, towards sexual passion or the infamous suffering.
In MPB, love becomes a little more philosophical and intellectual. But you take the great popular singers, the pagode groups, etc. Pericles, Thiaguinho… Then you go to country music, there’s a lot of talk about love and the pain of love,” he explained.
Paulo reflects that in times of social media and superficial relationships, the fear of getting hurt has distanced people from romance and romantic love itself, but despite the transformations that music has faced over time, Paulo believes that love still plays a crucial role in Brazilian music.
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A major theme in the Brazilian songbook of the last century, romance is in names like Roberto Carlos, Erasmo Carlos and other names from Bossa Nova and Jovem Guarda, fertile ground for what Paulo defines as a “chronicle” of everyday life.
I think romantic love, even in its most popular forms, is a chronicle of life, experiences and emotions that everyone goes through. These songs capture stories and feelings that are universal, and that’s why they continue to resonate so strongly.”
Given this, the question arises: does romantic love still exist in Brazilian music? Paulo Nettothe answer is yes. He believes that, despite the transformations and the ‘apparent absence of classical romanticism’, love still exists, and needs to be rescued.
When asked about where love has gone in Brazilian music, the artist explains that, “in MPB, love becomes a little more philosophical and intellectual”, but he mentions the great popular singers, such as pagode groups, Pericles and Thiaguinhoin addition to the country music itself, which becomes a space to sing about love and its pains.
We are very afraid of falling in love, of being vulnerable, so romantic love has gone to this place of becoming something more naive. But I think we should reclaim this place of naivety so that we can better move forward in these times.”
During the interview, Netto also commented on the differences between romantic love in Brazil and other countries. He said that although Brazil is known for being a warm country, there is a certain reserve in expressing romanticism:
“I think we are a country with low self-esteem, and this has a big impact on how you show it. Because falling in love is vulnerable, so it seems to increase your vulnerability in terms of self-esteem.”
Owner of a show that celebrates the great icons of romantic music in Brazil, Paulo keeps alive the influence he received from the aforementioned masters, and makes an appeal: “to rescue the courage to talk about love”.
