Today we’d like to introduce you to Kátia Moraes.
Kátia, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil from a Portuguese mother and Brazilian father. My uncle (now a doctor) accompanied me on acoustic guitar during summer vacation when I was a little girl and I realized there was an immense inner joy. In my teens I had an epiphany while writing an essay. “I want to sing, write and dance.” And that’s what I do.
My background stems from musical theatre beginning in the 1980’s. I’ve learned doing it and polishing along the way. My first band was called “O Espírito da Coisa.” With them I recorded and travelled Brazil. In 1990, I arrived in Los Angeles and created a band with my ex husband Mario Costa called The Rio Thing. After collaborating with many musicians and bands around Los Angeles, I created Sambaguru band and I had the opportunity to develop my gift as a lyricist and vocalist. We recorded 5 CDs from 1998 to 2010.
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I’m a curious woman who wears many hats: songwriter, visual artist, creator/producer of Brazilian Heart Celebration (a musical since 2012), and now a journalist as well. I’m constantly reinventing myself and creating new ways to communicate with human beings. In 1998 I started a newsletter entitled Brazilian Heart to keep in touch with friends and fans. That led to Brazilian Heart Literary Lounge, Singer’s Series 5-cards Collection, and Brazilian Heart LIVE at Instagram. Since April, 2020 I’ve been interviewing local and abroad Brazilian artists in away to keep in touch and learn about what make people do what they do. Here’s my take about this experience: www.katiamoraes.
I recently released a new music video called MOTIVO with subtitles in English. They say it has a “Timely message.” Check it out.
Has it been a smooth road?
There were no musicians in my famiy but my parents love music and Brazilian culture with its joy of music and dance captured my attention. Actually music, theater and dance saved me when during my mother’s sickness and after she passed away in 1984.
I believe the struggles here in the US were about knowing how to navigate in a different market, singing in Portuguese where English and Spanish are the major primary sources of entertainment. I think the charm of the language, joy of the rhythms and harmony of Bossa Nova were and always will be what attracts the curious minds and hearts.
The music scene in Los Angeles has changed a lot since I arrived in 1990. Back then, when the economy was stronger, there were many more venues offering live music from different countries. I think the market have shrunk “physically” since then, and opened with the Internet. Here’s my two cents: If you have an inner desire to expand your taste in music/art to embrace other cultures and learn with them, then you can say the market expanded with the internet. It’s all out there to be discovered and enlighten your life.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
My specialty is bringing Brazilian culture closer to the public with music, theatre, literature, dance, visual art, and interviews. That’s what I like to do: enhance people’s life. When I look back and think about all the projects I was involved, collaborated and created, I clearly see the desire to keep connected with human beings for the progress of the soul. Do I make sense? I’m currently focusing on Brazilian Heart LIVE (Interviews with singers, musicians, writers, dancers, actors, etc at Instagram), writing new songs and making videos with friends, healing my vocal chords, and expanding my level of observation to create and touch a Universe where all solutions already exist.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Definitely. Los Angeles, California has a liberal mind where curiosity thrives. People get in touch with different cultures in the streets and that can bring people together and open their minds. But I also think we are living a challenging moment because suddenly Art is not seeing as a basic need. Art has helped me overcome so many challenges and I believe it does that to every human being, even at this moment with people and business are facing COVID. The pandemic is pushing us to reinvent ourselves and education is a major tool.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.katiamoraes.com
- Phone: 310 9080835
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: brazilianheatrmusickatiamoraes
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/katiamoraes
- Twitter: Katia Moraes
- Other: Linkedin – Katia Moraes
Image Credit:
Jorge Vismara
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