Mc Luanna reveals more sensitive side in complex album: ‘I managed to bring an identity’

“Let go of this shitty life / ‘You want me to fit in with drugs and drinking / ‘You live up and down, don’t warn me / And still ask me to be patient.” Acidic, aggressive and ironic verses became a hallmark of his career. McLuannaone of the rising names in Brazilian rap, who decided to take a deep breath and deliver work completely different from what the public was used to in Sixth Sensewith more sensitive lyrics and sound influenced by different rhythms.

Released in October 2024 on digital platforms via ONErpmthe debut studio album by the singer from Bahia, who moved to São Paulo as a child, explores rhythms beyond traditional rap, such as trap, bounce and dancehall.

The career of Luana Santos Oliveirabaptismal name of McLuannais very recent. Although she already had experience with dancing, where she did not feel valued, she decided to start singing during the Covid-19 pandemic, a period in which she had registered work.

Despite writing and reading a lot, Luana I didn’t like my own voice, oddly enough. “During the pandemic, I released a video singing lyrics that I really liked, and then people liked it,” he recalled during an interview with Rolling Stone Brazil. “Then I was like, ‘What do you mean people liked it?’”

Of course, she had support at this initial moment. With some contacts in the music world, friends began to help her with studio recording and the entire process of putting a song out into the world. But, after all, how did you achieve so much prominence in national rap in a short space of time?

In recent years, McLuanna stood out with his own songs, such as “Routine” and “Let go of this life,” and appearances on other artists’ albums, such as “Half Shovel,” from Veighand “99 Problems,” from Duchess. For the artist, this (deserved) success is largely due to the identification with the public that the songs bring, as well as her behavior on social networks and the internet.

“You know who your audience is, looking for a similarity with what people have makes you have that,” he stated. “Number is important, yes, feats They are important, but I have an audience and I tend to show the reality of what I was going through. People saw that I was a person like them.”

I do the same things, I go to the same places… I don’t put myself on that pedestal of artist and public, you know? Today, people want a person who represents who they are.

As Luana explained, the identification she brings involves relationships, frustrations, and empowerment of things that were absent in her life. So, over time, he continued to work and be consistent with his releases: “This is also very important, because there is no point in releasing a song here and taking a while to release another.”

In other words, it makes you seen. As you work, you increase the range of people who consume your work. Because of this, you can add another language, another beat, other projects, etc.

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Mc Luanna went after the Sixth Sense himself

Part of what was successful in the lyrics of McLuanna These are the lines in which she “humiliates men,” exposes toxic attitudes and crumbling relationships. However, the artist wanted to change the view that many people have of her and, now, wanted to give more space to Luana Santos.

Every conception of Sixth Sense it was quite peaceful for the rapper, who merged what she lives as an artist with her personal life. Furthermore, I wanted to explore sounds that I really like that, before, I couldn’t bring to recordings.

“I recently turned thirty, so I wanted to bring more mature tracks and, at the same time, with more feelings brought out,” he said. “There are many things I bring from therapy. And that makes things a little more like advice. It’s already my identity.”

I wanted to explore a lot more McLuanna solo, which is what my audience was in the mood for. […] People are very used to seeing me be a little more aggressive, humiliating men and everything. But I think there were many other things that I couldn’t show because I was too tied to this image about this type of music.

With the debut album, McLuanna He used his own sixth sense for elements he wanted to test. The entire creative process was very different. He accepted several suggestions from producers, in addition to working mainly with artists outside the Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and southeast areas.

I wanted to work in a lighter way and explore other things without being the ‘Luana Hates Men‘, he knows? I wanted to take some of that away to show other things about Luana that I have the ability to do and that I like.

Often, when an artist makes changes, whether in their sound style or lyrics, fans don’t take it very well. However, for McLuannaher audience knows how to deal with these different facets of her, because they can separate the individual from the CNPJ. “It will be good, yes.”

Everything has changed, but nothing has changed

In the interview with Rolling Stone BrazilLuana revealed how she approaches her career in therapy: “My psychologist even says that I don’t accept the MC Luanna. ‘It’s like you don’t accept what you are, who you are.’ For me, whether I like it or not, I have four years of career, with two in a pandemic. It’s really crazy because, for example, few things in my life have changed.”

After focusing 100% on her artistic career, she continued to frequent the same market, maintained her network of friends and continues with the same habits. For her, the only factor that changed was work – and that leaves her a little confused.

It’s still very difficult for me to accept that I have an audience, people who come from far away to consume my work. I change people’s lives. Within psychology we can separate things very well, because I don’t need to take one away to have the other, you know?

McLuanna and Luana complement each other in a great way. Luana is very shy, introspective and sensitive. Now the fearless McLuanna is very aggressive and imposes everything: “I often say that McLuanna It’s everything I couldn’t be. This complement makes it something solid and unique.”