Tribalistas | Sunday 4 November | LONDON Eventim Apollo Hammersmith
In 2003, Arnaldo Antunes, Carlinhos Brown and Marisa Monte formed the super-band Tribalistas and released a self-titled album.
We asked the Tribalistas some questions ahead of their only UK date. Answers below, this promises to be a really special event.
This is the first tour of Tribalistas in 16 years. Why have you decided to go on a tour only now?
Marisa Monte (MM): We have always wanted to go on a tour together; however, the circumstances didn’t seem to help. We are three different artists, with solo careers. We are also involved with television, doing art, writing poetry. Carlinhos, Arnaldo and I are very active and productive. When our first album was released, I had just had a baby, which made things complicated in terms of logistics. But now we finally found the perfect timing to go on a tour in Brasil and around the world.
Arnaldo Antunes (AA): The willingness (the seed) was always there.
Carlinhos Brown (CB): This willingness has turned into reality (into this big tree).
What has changed about Tribalistas since 2002?
CB: Tribalistas was just a baby, 15 years ago. Now Tribalistas is an adolescent. (He laughs)
MM: The world has changed a lot, especially in terms of how we are making, consuming and having a relationship with music, which was extremely affected by technology. The world is more connected; more divided. Things that were not relevant in 2002 now are, such as refugees, political extremism. We naturally reject all these negatives visions of the world.
How each of you contributes to the final result of Tribalistas?
CB: The challenge is when finishing a music and having to accept each one’s opinion.
AA: The songs made by Tribalistas have its own personality. I wouldn’t do something similar as Arnaldo, neither Marisa, nor Carlinhos. Tribalistas has its own language. We all get surprised when we listen to the songs we create together. We use to say: Wow, that’s the magic.
MM: We used to record one song at a day in the studio. We were all there, all the time, enjoying and trying everything we could to create the best songs. We used to start after lunch and finish around 3 am. Everyone was open, available to create music. It was a collective effort, experience.
What challenges do you have after being apart for so many years? Are you planning to record a new Tribalistas’ album?
AA: We’ve been always creating music together. We regularly meet to compose new songs either for our own albums or for other artists. We have around 56 songs, which were written and recorded by the three of us, not including the songs made by the two of us: Marisa and I, Carlinhos e Marisa, Carlinhos and I. But Tribalistas is the three of us together and we’ve done a lot during the last years. Our concert is an opportunity to check what we’ve been doing all this time. Our songs have an identity, something that we can only achieve when we are together.
How was the public reaction after so many years apart?
AA: They sing, clap their hands, they enjoy the show. It’s beautiful to see music bringing so much energy into the room. It’s fulfilling.
MM: It’s like a big communion. People celebrate and sing together with us. We bring a light, loving version of Brazil. A place we love and identify ourselves with. It’s a feeling like says one of our songs: ”we are only one.”
Is the next reunion going to happen again only in 16 years time? Or can we look forward to another concert soon? Where are you planning to go on a tour? North America?
MM: We are going to Europe in a big tour, traveling for different countries. We have plans to go to both North and South America in the first semester of the next year. The challenge is: we are three. Sometimes, life comes in the way. We keep going together for the last 25 years of our lives. We are happy e grateful for that e for having common desires for the world and ourselves.
Do you have any expectations for the tour in Europe?
MM: We expect people to sing together with us, harmonically, in a one, big, and loving chorus. It’s moving to hear people singing our songs in Brazil. We are confident that we can achieve this communion in Europe as well.
For information and tickets to their Sunday 4 November London show, click here.
Listen to their new music here.
