1. Why are you a musician?
Since I was a child in Brazil, I have loved music. My uncle was a professional drummer and taught me how to play since I was 6 years old. My parents also encouraged me to take music theory and piano lessons which were offered at our church for free. In essence, I am a musician because I love to create and my family always supported my creativity.
2. Who are your musical inspirations?
My inspirations are Mariah Carey, Ryan Leslie and JoJo. I am in awe of their songwriting and production abilities. As I transitioned from being a drummer to primarily a rapper and writer, I was also inspired by artists like Kanye West and Drake who are not afraid to be vulnerable and raw on their songs. Rapping along to their music helped me learn English and experiment with different flows.
3. What is your practice routine?
Music is my side hustle so it is hard to devote time to my instruments frequently. But, every night I practice freestyling to different beats before bed for about an hour. I try to sit down and make a beat on Logic Pro once a month.
4. Why did you make this song?
I made this song because I could no longer keep my feelings about my experience as an immigrant bottled up. The 2016 election was a new source of anxiety and fear about my future in this country and I wanted my friends to know what I was going through, but it’s hard to talk about these feelings in conversation. I thought a song would be therapeutic and also educational for others who did not realize how much was at stake in that election and in the years that followed. This song is an expression of fear, pride, anger and joy all in one.
5. What were the biggest obstacles in making this song? How did you overcome?
The biggest obstacle in making this song was finding a balance between being authentic, and also cautious. The former president stirred up anti-immigrant sentiment in the USA like I never experienced before. I wanted to speak about my experience freely but also feared I would be subject to harassment or even deportation if a hateful person heard this song. I overcame this by focusing on authentic feelings without explicitly stating things about my experience that I’m not ready to discuss widely.
6. Who is featured on the album?
In Alien (Revisited) Lead singer is myself Daniella Vieira you’ll hear some backup vocals by Co-writer David S. Goldman in addition to my backup vocals. Music Tracks by Matt Anthony/Engine Sound
7. Where may we find you online?
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