Titica

Anupa Mistry

So, as fans and makers and thinkers on music, I think we have to acknowledge the way that sound, across time and around the world, has penetrated the human body. These are very blessed times, I think, for music but also for dance. And rhythm and movement and the ecstasy of physical expression, is a crucial part of what our next guest gives to the world. So please welcome from Luanda, Angola, the queen of kuduro, Titica.

[applause]

Titica

Hi! Hi, guys!

Anupa Mistry

Also, just for people who are watching at home we are working with a simultaneous interpreter here for this lecture, so you may notice a little bit of a delay to allow for the relay of information.

Bem-vinda!

Titica

Thank you. I’m Titica, an Angolan singer. A trans singer from Africa.

Anupa Mistry

So I think it would be nice to begin with an introduction to kuduro and to your music. So let’s play the first video. This came out in 2011 and it is your hit single “Chão.”

(music: Titica – “Chão” / applause)

So, that was Titica’s video for “Chão.” You’re laughing and smiling while that video was playing. What memories were you thinking of?

Titica

It’s true!

Anupa Mistry

Hopefully that gives everyone in the room a bit of kuduro’s pulse. Titica, how would you define kuduro? Because it’s not just music. It’s also dance.

Titica

The translators.

Anupa Mistry

Try now.

Titica

I can hear now.

Anupa Mistry

So, how would you define kuduro? Because it’s not just music, it’s dance as well.

Titica

I define kuduro as dance, joy. It is a style. It depicts our reality in the ghetto. Kuduro used to be highly marginalized. And we broke this taboo.

Why was it marginalized? Because lots of those involved with kuduro had delinquency issues and led a bad life. Then they had to find a way to survive. It represents how this kuduro represents freedom of expression. People were discriminated against because of what they looked like. People were discriminated against: big earrings, the hair, impressive clothes. Kuduro was made taboo to some people. Thank God we are changing this. Kuduro is dance, kuduro is joy. It depicts our reality in the outskirts.

Anupa Mistry

What are some of the key musical elements of kuduro?

Titica

The key musical elements of kuduro... Kuduro has sugar in it. Semba is also an important element. As well as the beats and influences from Congo.

Anupa Mistry

So soca and semba and the beats from...

Titica

Semba. Semba. Semba.

Titica

Before kuduro. Sorry?

It found its origins in semba. Eduardo Paím was the first to sing kuduro. He has been one of the zouk giants and also a major influencer. Then we also have Tony Amado and Sebem. They were the kings of kuduro. And that is still true today.

Anupa Mistry

Why was dance so crucial to popularizing the sound with the people?

Titica

The dance is very important. Kuduro without dance is no kuduro. Then you need to come up with moves and the responsibility of coming up with moves both for women and men. Kuduro requires an attitude. And the dance must be above all different, more exotic and feminine. But also masculine for the two of them. And there is no kuduro without dance.

Anupa Mistry

You got your start with kuduro as a backup dancer, working with other artists. Can you tell us about that experience?

Titica

I was a ballet dancer before I started singing. Traditional ballet dancer. I was a big fan of Própria Lixa. I was a traditional dancer. And then Fofandó started singing. One of the greatest contributors to kuduro’s female singers. I followed Própria Lixa and we were friends for three years. After that I was one of Própria Lixa’s ballet dancers. May God rest her soul. She is no longer among the living. I danced for them for three years. People started liking me. I won them over. Dance brought me fame, because of the acclaimed singers. I danced for them. The show was live and this made me nervous. Alicia and Noite & Dia are renowned singers. They’re queens of kuduro and I danced for them for a long time. And that is how people got to know me.

Anupa Mistry

So, we’ll get a little bit into your shift to becoming the queen of kuduro, yourself in a bit. But I also want to provide just a little bit more kuduro context. The music kind of emerged in the ’80s amidst the Angolan Civil War, which lasted almost 30 years from 1975 to 2002. Can you tell us why this music became kind of the folk sound of the people?

Titica

Because during the war we did not have recreational opportunities. Our fun, joy and expression portrayed our society, what we experienced through music – through kuduro. The Angolan people is a happy one. Angolans love music. We love to lead a good life. Those were very, very sad times in the country. And the only way to have some fun was through our music. It showed us our reality. It was about how supportive and good our country is, how it helps us face the hurdles.

Anupa Mistry

There are other sounds and rhythms that are also kind of indigenous to Angola, such as semba and kizomba. These are sounds that kind of move at a slower tempo than what we heard here. Why do Angolans, or maybe even young people, I think, identify more strongly with kuduro? And maybe can you talk a bit about how kuduro is perceived against sounds like semba and kizomba?

Titica

For Angolans, kuduro has a stronger dance connotation. Through dance and rhythm Kuduro is better able to portray our reality. In Kuduro, we have freedom of expression. Kuduro has sugar, kuduro has salt. That’s why, when many of us sing abroad, even when people do not understand the language, they are joyful and dance with us. It’s the beat of kuduro.

Anupa Mistry

What’s the perception of kuduro versus other sounds that popular in Angola, like semba or kizomba?

Titica

We have semba, kizomba, kilapanga, cabecinha, a style common to several religions present in our country. Congo has its style. Not Congo. Uíge has its style. Catete has its style and so does Luanda. There are several music styles in Angola. In Luanda, no here I meant to say Angola.

Anupa Mistry

OK. So let’s move a little bit into how you started making music. What did you grow up listening to?

Titica

When I was younger, I used to listen to music. I have a Congolese background. I listened to lots of music from Congo. Pépé Kallé [and] Koffi Olomide, who inspired me a lot. I mix kuduro with some elements from Kallé, and some of N’dombolo. This is Congo’s style.

Anupa Mistry

Had you always been interested in making music yourself? When we talked a bit about you being a dancer, so…?

Titica

No. No. No. No. I’d never been interested in music. I was a dancer. How does art get into my life? When I was small, I used to dance at parties. I also used to dance during school celebrations. I danced freestyle in the streets. I filled the streets. When my mother saw I was in the circle dancing she thought they were beating me up. She would get me out of the circle and spank me, but it was only art. As for dancing, I used to perform in schools, at parties. I always made a good impression. All because of my dancing. One day I joined a dance group and then I met Noite & Dia, Fofandó. I befriended them and asked to dance for them. I started dancing and became well known, at home and abroad.

Anupa Mistry

How did your experience as a backup dancer teach you how to be a performer? It’s not easy to go from behind the star to being the star.

Titica

I always learned from other people’s mistakes. Thank God, I was able to able to focus. When I started singing, I always had clear goals. I learned how to be disciplined, to have a more professional approach, and to be on time. I learned a lot from the singers I danced for. I think I am still trying to do my best and bringing joy to the world with my art.

Anupa Mistry

When did you actually start recording your own music then?

Titica

I started recording my own music six years ago. One day I went to see DJ Devictor, who’s my current producer. I was in a recording session with Noite & Dia. She was having difficulties with the chorus. Being their dancer, I could offer them some tips concerning dances and beats from Congo for them to sing, but she could not record and I did. Behind her back, the DJ asked me if I had ever thought about singing. I tried it before but wasn’t successful. And then the singers will be talking about it. Jealousy always plays a role. The following day I went to Devictor’s studio. That was a hit. I recorded “Afrike Moto” with Tuga Agressiva. And then I recorded “Chão” and this track catapulted me forward and back then I had no idea it’d be so popular at home and abroad. I could not image I’d be sitting in this studio today recording this show for Red Bull. Only God can explain this.

Anupa Mistry

So, how soon after you started making music did you have a hit single? How long did it take?

Titica

One year, after one successful year. I released my first album Chão.

Anupa Mistry

Are there a lot of women who make kuduro music?

Titica

Yes, there are. One of the most important female artists in the kuduro scene was Fofandó, who is the queen of kuduro. You hear around the world, in Brazil they say that I’m the queen of kuduro, but kuduro has a queen who inspired us and I looked up to. They call me queen because of my life story and how I attained recognition living in Africa. Fofandó was one of the driving forces behind kuduro. In kuduro you find a lot of female voices in Angola.

Anupa Mistry

OK. So we should play another video. This is “Olha o Boneco.” Please excuse my Portuguese.

Titica

That was “Olha o Boneco” featuring Ary. One of the greatest divas of the Angolan music. She was my patron and supported me when I started singing.

Anupa Mistry

So this is video number two, please.

(music: Titica feat. Ary – “Olha o Boneco” / applause)

Anupa Mistry

So that was Titica’s video for “Olha o Boneco” featuring Ary. That was a big video for you. What happened after that video came out?

Titica

Very big indeed. It was a big video. Ary was one of the biggest driving forces, my patron. She’s my best friend and today I’m her son’s godmother. My first big hit was “Chão.” After this song, many became my fans. One of the greatest singers that we have in Angola is Ary, also known as the diva of the people, because she loves the people and the land. She has brought changes to my life. After “Olha o Boneco,” I was present on many stages.

Anupa Mistry

That video and that track also had a big international impact. Didn’t it?

Titica

It sure did. There was big international impact. I could participate in Cora, with this song “Olha o Boneco.” It was great. And I am happy.

Anupa Mistry

Part of your story and I think part of the narrative that this video kind of fueled internationally, is the fact that you are transgender. Angola is a Catholic country and a former Portuguese colony and so laws discriminating against LGBT people are a part of this legacy. What is the status of LGBT rights in Angola today?

Titica

Thank God, I’m more respected today. But in the past I was pelted with stones. I was not allowed into certain places. But since a “no” to me always meant “yes,” I have always been a hard worker. And I’ve never offended anyone. Thank God my dance performances could engage the children. I was welcomed into their homes or into someone’s life because of the kids. On their birthdays, for their celebration, the kids would drive their parents crazy if I did not sing on their birthday. There would be no party. If I sold a CD, all the kids would buy one. Or else they’d be tough on their parents. That is why I’m very careful when I write my songs.

As for prejudice in Africa, things have changed a lot. Because we could... I, Titica, I could change the mentality of many people in Angola, with my music, with my art. I could show that being different is only because we look different when you only see the front, that what matters is the love and not what you look like. Each one does his best and when we are born we don’t choose our relatives. What matters is the love. Then I had my music to give. I never offended anyone. I always overcame my hurdles. Thank God, my young fans have contributed to me being Titica. I have also been able to change the mentality of the Angolan and the African people. Thank God, I was awarded the prize of the most respected trans in Africa.

[applause]

Anupa Mistry

You also became a UNAIDS ambassador and this song I think kind of helped bring a lot of international attention to your story. How has the attitudes of international attention kind of changed the way people feel about you within Angola?

Titica

It was a very big change. From there people started to see the difference. They do not link my sexuality to my work. I’ve always struggled for people to differentiate my sexuality from my work. The singer Titica is the singer. My sexual option is how I live. It has to do with me and not with anyone else and it was a major step in my life because we, musicians, are opinion-formers. We are trendsetters. Our clothes become fashionable. So why not to act in solidarity and to offer advice to our brothers and fans. Tell them about the importance of using condoms in order to prevent an unwanted pregnancy. Singers have a lot of followers and we have to set an example in our country and in our art. We have to be extremely careful when writing our songs because a lot of people look up to us and good actions are needed.

Anupa Mistry

Great! Let’s listen to another track. That song [“Olha o Boneco”] came out in 2012. It is 2018 now. Titica’s been hard at work. And I think we want to kind of give everyone a sense of what she’s been doing in the meantime. So, this is a track called “Makongo” featuring Paulo Flores.

(music: Titica feat. Paulo Flores – “Makongo” / applause)

So, that was a track called “Makongo” featuring Paulo Flores. You put that out in 2014, but it’s actually on your newest album, which came out this year, called De Última à Primeira. I think I said that right?

Titica

No.

[laughter]

Anupa Mistry

Oh, I didn’t say it right?

Titica

It’s part of the second album, not the newest album.

Anupa Mistry

OK. I’m sorry.

Titica

The second album was called De Última à Primeira. “Makongo” means “problem.” He fell in love with a woman who was not a woman. She was a trans woman. Paulo Flores is one of the biggest monsters. He is the king of semba. He’s released several CDs and has many hits. He decided to sing with me after a case of bullying on Facebook. He saw a lot of offenses. People were speaking ill of me [and there was] prejudice against the LGBT community. And one day we met in Portugal. I invited him to sing with me and he agreed to sing with me. To participate in a song called “Makongo” “problem.” It is a story, a man who falls in love with a trans woman and that was also a form of assertion, a fight against prejudice in Angola. Being different is not a sin, it’s just being different.

[applause]

It’s a way to change people’s minds, but in a more educative way. Through our music and our art we can show people that despite our difference we bring them joy. We can make them laugh. We can be just like the others.

Anupa Mistry

It’s also interesting that you were sending that message on a track that sounds very different from what we’ve heard here. You’re working in a new style. Can you tell us a bit about semba music and learning how to work in a different style?

Titica

It was very difficult. As a matter of fact I didn’t intend to, because I identify more with kuduro. That’s where my strength is. I had always aimed at a career and not at fame. I want to be an all-round artist. And I am also very bold and daring and decided to plunge into different waters. “Makongo” featuring Paulo Flores was my first semba. My first tarraxinha song featuring C4 [was] “Ta Bem Bom,” [which] is my third track. My first semba, which I recorded with Paulo Flores, was awarded the title of best semba in 2015 by Top Rádio Luanda. And I decided the game must go on. Being bold enough to plunge into different waters. I like being a versatile singer.

Anupa Mistry

Can you tell us a bit about semba music? How is it different from kuduro? We can hear it, but...

Titica

Semba is the traditional rhythm of our predecessors: Elias Diá Kimuezo, Tino Diá Kimuezo. It’s a very respected style. Singing this song is a lot of responsibility. And I don’t have a lot to explain about semba because it is not my forte. I learned about it. I joined the music school to do my best when singing. I know of course this style from our forefathers. And I know this style enjoys a lot of respect in Angola and elsewhere.

Anupa Mistry

Let’s give some more context to the sound that you’ve moved towards. I wanted to play a couple of tracks by some other pop artists from other countries in Africa, neighboring countries, that you really enjoy. So, one of the first tracks is by Congolese artist named Fally Ipupa and it’s called “Droit Chemin.”

(music: Fally Ipupa – “Droit Chemin” / applause)

Titica

Fally Ipupa.

Anupa Mistry

That was a track by Fally Ipupa called “Droit Chemin.” Can you tell us about that song?

Titica

I will tell you a little about the singer. Fally Ipupa is a Congolese singer. I listened to Congolese music when growing up. I have a Congolese background. My dad is from Congo and my mom is from Uíge, Angola. I am of Bacongo origin. I grew up with this kind of music. And when I met Fally Ipupa, I saw that he had also been a dancer, with a very similar story to mine. He is renowned at home and abroad. I am a very big fan. He is an accomplished singer and songwriter. He’s a great dancer and singer. I identify with him. I like to hear him singing. I like to watch him dancing. I attained recognition through my dance. He inspires me. And he takes Africa’s name across borders. He is very well-known in Congo, in France in the US and not only there. Then, there is nothing better than to mirror in positive things. And he is taking Africa and Congo beyond our borders and that is very inspiring. I like him as a singer.

Anupa Mistry

That is a style of music called soukous. Am I correct? Or no?

Titica

Soukous is a music style I really identify with. If you listen to my song, there is some influence from soukous. For instance, [speaks unintelligible French]. I find a lot of inspiration in the Congolese music, in the sounds of Congo.

Anupa Mistry

Can you tell us a bit about some of the elements that make up soukous?

Titica

The elements that make up soukous are drums, guitar, solos. It’s more drums, bass, and guitars, and swing.

Anupa Mistry

We’ll play another song that is also kind of reflected in your growth as a kind of a complete artist and is something that has inspired you as well. This is a completely different tempo. It’s a track by Nelson Freitas and C4. Nelson Freitas is from Cape Verde. And this is a track called “Bo Tem Mel.”

(music: Nelson Freitas feat. C4 – “Bo Tem Mel” / applause)

Anupa Mistry

So, that was a track by Nelson Freitas and C4 called “Bo Tem Mel.” That song was very popular, I’ve been told. It was very popular. Can you tell us a bit about it?

Titica

It is a popular music. It’s empowering to women. I see myself in it. I must have some MEL (honey). I really think I have honey, I’m so sweet. I like this song a lot. I grew up listening to Nelson Freitas. They were four siblings or cousins, if I’m not mistaken. The family sings so well. I’m also a big fan. And I love this song because I can identify with it. Because I also have honey.

Anupa Mistry

That’s a style of music that comes from zouk. Can you tell us a bit about zouk?

Titica

Zouk is a Cape Verdean style. Zouk came to Angola with the Cape Verdean community. They’ve influenced us. It also been influenced by people from the Antilles, the islands. Other major influencers are the Kassav’. They’ve had a big influence on zouk, in Angola, Cape Verde and on some islands. I like it so much that I have also recorded songs in the zouk style.

Anupa Mistry

Yes. I wanted to kind of pull all of these different tracks together to kind of bring to this point of where you are at now in your career. You are reaching out and trying lots of different sounds. Can you talk a little bit about your goals in building a career outside of Luanda? You’ve already reached, you know Portugal and Brazil. But can you talk a bit about how different styles of music are part of that journey?

Titica

That’s what I said at the beginning. I’ve always wanted to make a career and not fame. And I’ve always loved music. I carry music in my heart. I take music very seriously. I identify a lot with kuduro. It has a lot to do with my personality. It’s the style that has brought me the most international exposure. And it is a style I will always be with me.

As I said, I want to make a career and not fame. I decided to join a music school. I hang out with the big names of the Angolan music scene. I learned how to sing and work on my career. Music is art. We should explore new waters. What matters is that we can assert ourselves through music and to convey to our fans and our followers what you want to give to them. And that is what I like doing. But my fans love it when I sing kuduro because it’s the style that I most identify with and I am more aggressive.

But as time passes, I will get used to mixing more and to reggae. I don’t know about R&B. It isn’t on my mind to do more electronic stuff with singing and all because kuduro is more text and people take it seriously. If you hear the Nadja style sung by Davido and Skid. You will hear some melodies. That is why I decided to improve my voice.

Anupa Mistry

So, that actually is a perfect jumping off point for the next video that I want to play, which kind of illustrates a bit of the sonic exchange that’s happening across the Atlantic. You hear music from Africa going across to America, the Caribbean, things happening over there and coming back across the ocean and being remixed and reworked again. And I think one of your newest tracks really highlights this exchange and also your growth as an artist and your incorporation of lots of different influences.

So, can we please play Titica’s video for “Reza Madame”? It’s video number one.

(music: Titica – “Reza Madame” / applause)

Titica

“Reza Madame”

Anupa Mistry

That is the video for “Reza Madame.” That’s an amazing song. That bassline feels like a rap song. Can you hear the Brazilian drum? But it’s still a kuduro song. Can you tell us about making that song, and I think kind of how kuduro has transformed itself from where you started to now?

Titica

Kuduro has changed a lot. Look at how its beats and other sounds have developed. Kuduro also has its influence. Nowadays, you can sing rap in the kuduro beat, you can sing kuduro using the rap beat. Then kuduro and hip-hop also have common points, for instance, the use of beef. The beef can be seen in the beats. It is also present when you convey your standing: I am a queen. “Reza Madame” is the picture warning the other kuduro female singers that they should pray because I have come out with a song that is going to take hold of Angola and the world. Ladies, do pray. It is being assertive and to show them that I am the queen in my field and also to show them that I am competent in what I do. There are other rap influences of the American music. You can see I have also found inspiration in Nicki Minaj and other singers such as Cardi B. They are big influencers in my music. A mix of Africa and America also helps with the sales.

Anupa Mistry

Yes. I also find what you are doing vocally very interesting, like with your melodies. Can you tell me a bit about that?

Titica

It is a way to develop my career and my music. I learned a lot [by looking at] what American influencers are doing in term of images. I like Nicki Minaj’s body, her Barbie face. Perfect characteristics. I really like it. And thank God, it’s a big responsibility because I linked my image to my music. In Angola I am a trendsetter. If I have long hair, red or yellow, this will become fashionable. If my lipstick is pink, this will become fashionable. In the streets, vendors were calling out, “Come and buy Titica’s lipstick. Come buy Titica’s trousers.” This is great.

Anupa Mistry

How popular is kuduro kind of within the Afro pop, Afro beats realm? We hear a lot about Wizkid and Mr. Eazi and these other really popular West African artists, but where does kuduro sit within that world?

Titica

Angola’s style kuduro is on a good path. It is also known around the globe. But it is easier for Nigerian singers because of the language. They speak English and have a better reception in the world. English is one of the most influential languages in the worlds, right? Then, Wizkid, Davido, Mr. Eazi are great singers to find inspiration in and see they are Africans and made it. OK, they have English in their favor. This means that we Angolans, despite the fact that we speak Portuguese, Swahili or other languages, can also get there. There are many countries in the world that don’t understand English. And yet, American music is present there.

I say American music because it’s one of the most widely heard styles of music in the world. That is why I, Titica, give this example. I find inspirations of those Nigerian singers such as Mr. Eazi. I dream of reaching their level and to singe with them. Bringing kuduro and Afro beat together would be great.

Anupa Mistry

Can you talk a bit about kuduro’s popularity in other Portuguese speaking countries? I mean specifically Brazil.

Titica

Kuduro is played a lot in Brazil, Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau. It is a good thing and it makes me very happy to see the recognition of our art, our music and our kuduro. Many kuduro singers come from underprivileged areas. They are real fighters. They have suffered from racial prejudice, in my specific case, gender prejudice. I am happy that I can make this contribution. As for Brazil, it has given me a very warm welcome. I’m very well-known over there. And I talk to everybody. Nowadays in the streets of Brazil, they ask to take a picture with me. This makes me happy for being famous and for being here, as well. God, this is a great responsibility but God only knows where I am heading.

Anupa Mistry

Where is it leading?

Titica

What I said before is that I want to build a career and make a name for myself, Titica. You can see me here and you will see me climbing up the ladder.

Anupa Mistry

Can you talk a bit about your work in Brazil then? You have collaborated with some major Brazilian artists. Pabllo Vittar, Baiana System, and you played at Rock in Rio, which is one of the biggest music festivals on earth. So, are there challenges to building a career in Brazil specifically or have you found that path to be quite straightforward?

Titica

No, it wasn’t easy. Brazil has always been a country I could identify with. When I was younger in Angola, we watched a lot of Brazilian soap operas. And when I was younger, my first dream was to set foot in Brazil. And I always watched Tieta and other great Brazilian soap operas.

One day I know I would be in Brazil but I could not imagine that I would be invited to Brazilian shows. I had never thought that I could be hanging out with the famous people in Brazil. But I had always dreamed to going to Brazil. I could always identify with Brazil. And then I was invited to participate in Rock and Rio. It’s hard to explain. It was a godsend and God knows why. And through my art, my life story, despite having experienced a lot of prejudice, I could overcome everything in Angola and be a respected person in Angola. They’ve decided to support me. And in this case I could assert myself, show my face. I was different though my music. I could sing a duet with Baiana System. It was a big opportunities they gave to me. Thanks to them I could participate in the most interesting festival in the world. Rock and Rio was positive for my career and brought me more respect in my own country and elsewhere. Thanks to this exposure across the country, people in Brazil love me. And there is Pabllo Vittar, a drag queen who shares this fight with me against homophobia and issues concerning the LGBT community. I decided to duet with him. We’re in the fight together against racial prejudice and against gender prejudice. And I am very happy with my career. It’s all I had dreamed of. My career is progressing. I’ve never been so serious about something. I’d never dreamed I’d become well known at home and abroad. I thank the Brazilian people for loving me and for such a warm welcome.

Anupa Mistry

I think that’s a great place to kind of end our conversation. And I’m hoping that you guys will be able to add some more. So, before we get to that, let’s give a big thank you to Titica. Thank you!

[applause]

Titica

Thank you, thank you! I’m so sorry, I don’t speak English... It’s not good, but I promise, I do promise to learn English to entertain you better. I thank you for the opportunity. My thanks also go to Freak de l’Afrique, to Red Bull for giving us, Africans, this opportunity to take our music beyond our borders.

Anupa Mistry

Agreed.

[applause]

Shall we pass the mic around? We have a Portuguese speaker.

Audience Member

Hi, are you fine?

Titica

Yes.

Audience Member

I’m from Brazil. Please tell us about how you first met Pabllo Vittar, such a famous person.

Titica

Pabllo Vittar?

Audience Member

Yes, Pabllo.

Titica

I started following Pabllo Vittar through a friend of mine, the singer Telma Lee. Knowing that I am a respected trans person in Angola she said, “Look, there is a gay person in Brazil who sang with Anitta and she is top. Follow her.” I followed Pabllo Vittar and I liked her, a drag queen with an attitude. A confident drag queen and also I saw myself in her. She struggled a lot at the beginning but was well accepted. I knew she was a fighter. Our story is very similar. One day I was invited to participate in Rock and Rio. She is so popular in Brazil. She also participated in it. She saw me in the Fátima Bernardes show and we started sounding each other out. Then there was an article about me in the newspaper Extra, one of the most widely read newspapers in Brazil, where it was mentioned that I had a dream of singing with Pabllo Vittar. She read this article, started following me, and I followed her and sent her a message. We’ve gotten in touch and have been friends until today.

Audience Member

That’s really cool.

[applause]

Titica

I speak very fast, isn’t it?

Anupa Mistry

They all speak Portuguese.

Audience Member

Hi. I’m from Portugal.

Titica

Ah, Portugal.

Audience Member

Thank you for the words. I think the situation for artists in Angola at the moment is not very good. What were some of the difficulties you had to face along the way? Or would you say you had some privileges?

Titica

No, there were no privileges along the way. I heard “no” many times. I faced lots of prejudice and there were so many struggles. I’ve always been someone to grab the opportunities in my life I’ve always grabbed the opportunities such as making friends, meeting people. Thank God, I met a lot of good people in my life. From the beginning of my career onwards, I was lucky enough to be heard around the globe. If you check out my YouTube videos, you will see a lot of comments made by Brazilians, something I only realized some time ago. There are also comments from Portugal, Germany, Switzerland and Russia. I am a privileged person, thank God, but not everything came on a platter. There is a lot of hard work behind it, especially as a trans person. Before I could get respect, I was pelted with stones. I already slept in the streets at night. I’ve been through a lot in my life.

Audience Member

I also speak Portuguese, but I will ask my question in English so that everybody here can understand it. Thank you for being here. I’m very happy to have the opportunity to see an artist like you sitting there. I come from Chile. My mother is Brazilian and that’s why I speak Portuguese. So, now I am going to do the question in English so you can...

I really liked that you talked about Brazilian soap operas like Tieta. I wanted to say this in English because in Latin America, soap operas that are from Brazil are quite a thing there. They are huge. Everyone watches them and everyone are into them, yeah, and they play that all over the world. So my question about Tieta, for example, I don’t know if, in Luanda, they played Xica da Silva, which was another huge soap opera. So, what I wanted to ask is, what do you think about this... It actually has to do a lot with all the slavery and historical process. So, what do you think about that imaginary?

And also, since we are talking about visual aspects, what do you thing about, for example, black artists like Nicki Minaj or other female black artists that are huge now and have like a huge influence on black artists now like you, for example? What do you think about that and how do you think you relate to that?

Titica

My work reflects all of this. You mentioned Xica da Silva. I loved this soap opera and am a big fan of Taís Araújo. I had never dreamed of participating in Mister Brau, in the same series. Thank God, I’m a blessed girl. Mister Brau is a series aired by Globo with Taís Araújo and then I saw the scenes with Zé Maria. There was a lot of prejudice in my childhood years. They used to call me Zé Maria. Zé Maria was Taís Araújo’s best friend. He was gay and when I was younger they used to call me Zé Maria because I was always hiding. I’m happy to see great black female artists having success in the world. I can mention Nicki Minaj, Kelly Rowland and Beyoncé, etc. This show that the world is changing. We are being respected and experience neighborly love and mutual respect. And life goes on. I promise to work hard and, with God’s help, reach their level. OK.

Anupa Mistry

Let’s get some more questions.

Titica

Please feel free to ask lots of questions.

Anupa Mistry

We have interpreters, so don’t be shy. They’re back there.

Audience Member

Hi there. I’m David, part of the studio team and I saw you perform on Saturday, which was really cool. I wanted to ask about the kuduro scene in Portugal. I’m from London and the music they made in Portugal has become very popular in the sort of club scene in London in the last few years. I don’t know if you know the label. How would you say, “Príncipe”?

“Príncipe,” something like that. I was just wondering if there is any sort of dialog happening between these artists in Portugal. It’s mainly instrumental music being made in Portugal that I am hearing. And if any of the productions are... If there is any communication between some artists in Angola and the Portuguese scene?

Titica

At the beginning of my singing career, when I released the tracks “Chão” and “Olha o Boneco” in 2011 and 2012, the tracks were widely played in Portuguese discos. There is a lot of Angolan and African music in Portugal. But the most widely played music styles that really fill up the dance floors in Portugal are zouk and kizomba. They are more popular in Portugal when compared to kuduro.

Thank God, I am well known in Portugal. They play my songs but not as much as they play C4. Matias Damásio and Anselmo Ralph. They are the most famous Angolan musicians. It’s up to me to work even harder to be on a par with my colleagues. I promise to make it there. Thank God Portugal has showed a good reception to my new track featuring Pabllo Vittar, “Come e Baza.” I will keep working hard because I don’t want to let down my fans.

Audience Member

First of all, I just want to say that your performance on Saturday was amazing. This is a two-part question. The first question is, the first song we heard, “Chão,” what are you saying in that song? What are the lyrics?

Titica

Chão, chão is a dance and it is rupture. When I say rupture is because in kuduro there is the “assertiveness.” What I say with the dance chão is that I will bring itching to many of you out there, I am a truck and will break you all, female kuduro singers, and show no mercy. It’s a dance and I ask everyone to get down on the floor (chão) by saying chão [six times] and then up (cima) [four times]. It’s a dance. I want to thank you for having enjoying the show. You know, it’s a lot of responsibility to represent kuduro. Especially when many of you don’t understand the language. I was worried how to entertain you. Thankfully, kuduro is like this. The public enjoyed my charisma and my performance and this made me very happy. What really matters is that people like it and not the fee. The fee is also relevant but much more important and that I bring joy through my music. That makes me feel good.

Audience Member

My second part of that questions is, I see in a lot of African dance music that the lyrics – and I mean dance music in general – the lyrics are talking about the dance moves or encouraging people who are on the floor to like, you know get down, get up, go crazy, etc. But I was wondering if in kuduro there are also songs that address the politics in Angola or some more like deep, serious themes, or if most of the lyrics are about dance moves and partying.

Titica

Rappers talk more about politics. Kuduro has a few songs that address politics, but kuduro depicts our reality. We have the following categories: Kuduro lamento (lamentation), kuduro rompimento (rupture), kuduro dança (dance). We have a little bit of other themes, but that’s more common with rappers, who have more freedom of expression. So, yes, kuduro does have this topic, it is not as visible as the choreographer.

Audience Member

Thank you.

Titica

There are songs about communicable diseases, recommending people to use condoms. Yes, there are several songs with positive messages.

Audience Member

Hi!

Titica

Hi!

Audience Member

It’s so nice to see you here.

Titica

Hi!

Audience Member

I am just curious. You say you tell about condom usage and safe sex in your songs, right?

Titica

I have a song that says, “AIDS no.” It’s a track in my first CD. I decided to contribute with my voice. We singers are opinion formers. We have to reeducate our fans. Not only by giving them dance, but also with constructive songs.

Audience Member

That’s cool.

Titica

Thank you!

Audience Member

Hi. You talk a lot about the importance of dance in kuduro. And I was wondering, you said earlier that you make a specific dance move for the song. You make one for the men and one for the women. And I was wondering, when you’re making the song in the studio, does the dance start to enter in there? Do you make the song and then you’re like, “We make the dance now,” or does it all happen kind of together as part of the one creative experience?

Titica

It’s all a harmony. But first of all we have to settle for the chorus. Because the chorus is the foundation, the refrain, the refrain leads the song. The rest is less relevant. The chorus and the moves have to be practical and not very difficult. The dance should include moves for the young and the old, for women and for men. My producer’s very careful when it comes to that. After talking to him, he already sent me back home many times because the chorus was not convincing. The choruses that convinced him have become hits. I have these examples of easy choruses. [sings examples of easy choruses]. They are songs for men and women and I am careful enough about this.

Audience Member

Hello!

Titica

Hello!

Audience Member

You mentioned being fans of some American artists like Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé. I was wondering if you had plans to collaborate with any artist from the States? And, if so, which American artist would you like to collaborate with?

Titica

I am about to faint! It already occurred to me to set foot on the same stage with them and this has already happened. Beyoncé participated in Rock in Rio, Brazil, in 2015. I was there in 2017. So, those were different years. And nothing is impossible. Dreaming is not forbidden. There are many Angolan artists in the field of fashion. Maria Borges is such an example. She is from Angola and she always meets those great singers and stars from the US. She is also someone I look up to and she gives me the courage to continue singing. Maybe to duet with Nicki Minaj. Beyoncé‘s voice is a bit too much for me. She’s an excellent singer.

But I will be singing within my comfort zone. Nicki Minaj has a lot to do with me. The way she sings, the way she dances, her performance. Everything is very inspiring. I can’t bring myself to wear all those wigs, though. There are many things she wears that I cannot imagine myself in. But I love her performance and the fact that she likes to play the black Barbie and so do I. I love it. She is a black Barbie and a good inspiration, Nicki Minaj. For me in kuduro when I ask a songwriter for a music, I tell him to have a look at Nicki Minaj and the way she drops and I want to sing just like her or better.

Audience Member

Hi!

Titica

Hi! Olá!

Audience Member

Olá! I’m trying to think of how to formulate the question. I realize that the fact that you are a trans comes up a lot. I mean it’s come up here. Maybe just your presence is a political statement up to a certain degree. How do you deal with something that you’ve had to deal with so personally in such a political and public stance? Did that make sense?

Titica

Can you repeat, please? The questions are so long. I couldn’t quite understand your question. Maybe you could sum up.

Anupa Mistry

What is it, how does it affect you to have to always be kind of a...

Audience Member

How does it affect you to have a public, like to have to publicly deal... Yeah, help me. [laughs] I’m not sure how to formulate.

Anupa Mistry

Maybe that your presence always brings up these kinds of political questions.

Audience Member

And I can imagine that it’s something that is a very personal matter, as well. It’s had to go through a personal process. So, how do you deal with that? Or maybe you don’t deal with it. Maybe it’s something that comes very naturally as well.

Titica

It’s something that flows naturally. I don’t think about it. God knows I am me. First me, and then me, and then me. And then the rest. It’s shocking when people see this. But I’m respectful, I have my personality. I have my music to give and do my part. And I can hold my head high for anyone who finds inspiration in me. My attitude encourages a lot of people. I receive a lot of positive messages. Some people have already told me they’d thought about taking their own lives until they saw me holding my head high. The idea after seeing a respected black trans woman in Africa being: I wanted to live, to accept myself the way I am. In the past, I was not so aware of this. I sang for visibility. But since then I came to realize that I can influence and encourage people. I have this huge responsibility to hold my head high and make good music. And sometimes speak through my music about the respect for mankind.

Audience Member

Thanks.

Anupa Mistry

Anyone else in the room? OK. Thank you, once again, Titica. We really appreciate you.

[applause]

Titica

Thank you, thank you! Thank you all for being here. And I apologize if you did not understand everything. Talking to you makes me a little nervous. When people see us they think we are always at ease. But here we become a bit shy. I am a bit timid.

Anupa Mistry

Great. Thank you!

[applause]