Artist Profiles: Renata Rosa

Musician, singer, poet and researcher Renata Rosa was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 1973.

She is part of the Maracatu de Baque Solto Estrela de Ouro de Alianca, as Dama do Cacho. She is one of the artists responsible for the evolution of the maracatu, a traditional carnival parade from the State of Pernambuco (NE), in which dance, improvised poetry and music are included. Maracatu aggregates elements from black, indigenous and Iberian culture. She also conducts the Boi da Gurita Seca group, in which she improvises poetry following the musical and poetic tradition of the maracatu rural.

Renata Rosa develops research on cultural manifestations of the people from the northeast. Some of her studies are focused on coco, work chants and traditional Catholic chants such as Benditos – which are performed during the traditional Catholic processions – and excelencia chants – chants to prepare the dead’s soul to the encounter with God, usually performed during death-watches.

Renata Rosa has been providing workshops in many Festivals and Centers: Cleveland Museum of Art (Ohio), Cathedral St John the Divine (NY), Festival de Inverno de Garanhuns, (PE), Teatro Arraial (Recife), Studio Casa de Pedra (Rio de Janeiro),etc.

Renata Rosa grasps the mystic universe within the traditional chants from Brazil?s Northeast, highlighting the less regarded feminine influences of the outback?s popular culture. Her songs are inspired by the Maracatu Rural, the Coco and the Cavalo Marinho, amongst others, and reveal the richness of these traditions, exposing an authentic repertoire made up of her own compositions, young and old composers as well as songs that are now in the public domain.

Listening to Renata Rosa is a groundbreaking trip into the timeless world of the Caboclos, the Native Indians and the Africans of Brazil. Renata Rosa’s performance intertwines the best of the Northeast music with its dances. The power within the chant is a physical consequence of the dance, and in some songs the stage ground actually becomes a percussion instrument, as it is stomped by the artists. Renata plays the rabeca (the traditional brazilian fiddle).

Discography:

Zunido da mata (2002)
Manto dos sonhos (Outro Brasil, 2008)
Encantações (Hélico, 2015)

Author: Angel Romero

Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.