Why Rodolfo Abrantes refuses to sing songs by Raimundos

The break with the classical formation of the Raimundos was one of the most traumatic in the history of Brazilian rock. In 2001, vocalist Rodolfo Abrantes decided to leave the band after undergoing a religious conversion. The bullshit was so big that only in 2020 did he make peace with the guitarist digãowho opted for the continuity of the group also assuming the main microphone.

In addition to leaving the group, Rodolfo never sang the songs again, notorious for his humorous and sometimes even mocking lyrics. In his first years out, he created another heavy sound project, the Rodox, but also abandoned it to start a solo career in gospel music. Today, he is also a pastor of the Protestant religion.

In a 2020 interview with the program The Night with Danilo Gentili (via Whiplash), Abrantes was quite sincere when revealing why he no longer sings Raimundos’ songs. The issue was addressed after Roger Moreiravocalist and guitarist of the show’s resident band, Strict outrage, ask why God would be against the group’s songs. The artist replied:

“It is not God who has something against songs. A lot of people tend to think that a guy was in a cool band and left because he joined the Church, but it goes much deeper. I had a life and I lived what I believed in. I sang exactly what I lived. I put names of people in the madness that I experienced, exposed a lot of people. Music was the soundtrack to that lifestyle.”

By converting religiously, Rodolfo Abrantes came to know what he defined as the “truth”: Jesus Christ. It transformed him as a person, which also led to a change in his particular soundtrack. In addition, the artist made it clear that even in Raimundos’ time, he always sang what he lived. That’s why today he couldn’t interpret songs like he used to.

“I refuse to sing something that doesn’t flow from my heart. By the way, I don’t sing many songs that I’ve done since I joined the church. In some of them, I discovered theological errors that I learned at the front, or things that I said absurd nonsense. And I discovered that music has incredible teaching power. So I left those songs aside. It’s not because God is against Raimundos’ songs, but because my life is no longer compatible with the one I had. It’s something very personal.”

Rodolfo’s relationship with the past

Still in the middle of the interview, Rodolfo Abrantes said that he had a very tumultuous relationship with his past. In the last two decades, the singer simply avoided any subject related to Raimundos. Today, he recognizes that “no one is born to Christ with maturity”.

“The impression when it comes to someone less mature is that your past seems to be chasing you, wanting to pull you along. I ran from it and there comes a time when you don’t have to run, but I spent 19 years of my life running. If anyone spoke of my past, I would run. […] Today, I can look at my past and respect it. I don’t want to go back, but I look at my history and treat it with respect and gratitude.”