Single featuring Juliana Linhares anticipates new album and proposes discussion about wind energy in a playful way
Singer, DJ, percussionist, composer and director, the multifaceted artist Luana Flores released the single in November “Alumeia”. The song accompanies a music video and — alongside “Enchantment”another recently released single — opens the doors to a new album that should arrive next year.
Creator of the “Futuristic Northeast” concept, the artist combines tradition and innovation in a mix that involves the traditional rhythms and practices of northeastern culture, such as forró, baião and coco, with elements of contemporary electronic music.
A melting pot of possibilities within a territorial context and pride in our roots, our manifestations. And being able to be whoever we want to express ourselves”, he defines.
In conversation with the Rolling Stone Brazil, Luana Flores tells more details about the inspirations for “Alumeia”the future of the Northeast and the next steps in your career.
Alumeia
Luana Flores brings pride and northeastern experience to his work. In “Alumeia”she continues this process. The song was written in 2017 at a time when the artist was spending time in Europe, but was reflecting on the withdrawn energy and the lack of heat, sun and northeastern culture.
I call her ‘Alumeia’ because I think it’s a form of art to warm up, illuminate, bring strength to light the way, that’s the energy.”
In 2019, back in Brazil, Luana took the music out of the drawer thanks to her friend’s motivation Thayse Terrawho recognized the strength of the song. Thayse passed away while the music video was being edited, but is remembered as one of the great inspirations for the track to get off the ground.
With the power of “Alumeia” in mind, Luana began production alongside the guitarist Cristiano Oliveira before gaining weight: the multifaceted artist Juliana Linhares.
I already followed the work of Juliana a while ago, because coincidentally in 2021 I launched the Nfuturistic order and she released the Northeast Fictionso we were kind of in this synergy. ‘Alumeia’ brings some of this withdrawing energy and I was thinking a lot about Julianabecause she is from Rio Grande do Norte, but has lived in the Southeast for a long time. Her sound has this nostalgic energy that music brings.”
On the track, Luana and Juliana address the warmth of northeastern culture, but also reflect on an increasingly important issue in the region: the rampant installation of wind farms.
To do this, they counted on the collaboration of Yasmin Formigavisual artist and environmental activist from the backlands of Paraíba. Yasmin participated as an advisor on the topic of renewable energy and contributed an excerpt from an interview she gave on a radio, sampled at the beginning of the clip.
Directed by herself Luanathe music video deals with the theme from a playful point of view and the “clowning” valued by the artist.
Made with the encouragement of the “O Novíssimo Cinema Parahybano” Notice through the Paulo Gustavo Law, the clip was recorded in the city of Santa Luzia, where Luana I had already done other work previously.
The artist says that the second visit showed even more clearly the impact of wind turbines in the region:
Futuristic Northeast It was released in 2022 and we recorded a part in Santa Luzia. When we went there, there wasn’t that much wind. Two years later, it is full. The landscape has changed, the propellers are affecting the quilombos in the territory, in short, various social and environmental impacts, and now everything in the city’s work revolves around this universe.”
Luana defines this scenario portrayed in the clip with the word “anguish”:
Although we are talking about nostalgia, it is also nostalgia for what the territory was like, how we felt at home and belonging to this energy, […]so that we can bring these environmental issues in a more gentle way, from a playful perspective. The clip not only had this nostalgia energy, but it also had this ‘laughing so I don’t cry’ energy. Or ‘laughing nervously’. We began to understand, within this universe of clowning, laughter as a tool of denunciation.”
The clip “Alumeia” tells the fictional story of an employee at a wind farm who carries a magical chest with her. The character played by Veronica Eulália decides to rebel and uses the strength of northeastern culture to denounce the colonization system in the region.
The work also raises other important issues in music Luana Flores: her experience as a woman and as an LGBT artist.
I had to be very bold, very brave to pierce many bubbles. Because of this, I think it’s difficult to occupy spaces that weren’t mine. So, in addition to sound, we are talking to the global world. Now, going around, I start to see that there are many LGBT women out there who are returning to their roots too.”
New album, career and future
“Alumeia” and “Enchantment” open the doors to a new album, scheduled for 2025.
THE Rolling Stone, Luana Flores added that work in production must maintain the tone of Futuristic Northeast and propose even more reflections on regionality and the problems faced by people from the Northeast.
He will continue with the flow, this thing about the northeastern sound identity, the rhythms of popular culture, but bringing the electronics in a stronger way, to connect more with this dance floor energy. But also continuing in the discursive, territorial, gender, sexuality, environment, spirituality flow, this is the universe. And popular games too.”
To this end, the artist values collaborations, “always with women, especially those from the Northeast and LGBTs”.
In addition to Juliana Linhares in “Alumeia” and Cátia from France in “Enchantment”, Jessica Caitano and international Chocolate Remix (Argentina) and Ana Lua Caiano (Portugal) are some of the names that will be present.
While working to value northeastern traditions with an eye on paths to even broader horizons, Luana She is very clear about the future she wants for the Northeast:
When I think about music from the Northeast in the future, what do I see? It’s the LGBT crowd. The breakdown is when they are not white, straight men. It’s the people who are transgressing the genre, provoking new perspectives of constructions, of what the Northeastern people are, of who we can be. Of who we want to be. I think the future is us together, mixed, colorful, occupying all these spaces.”
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
