An Interview with Musician Amanda Gonsales

Amanda Gonsales is over seas and felt it better to do this interview by written Q and A

https://youtu.be/B4GbQ0FZ3os?si=EqfLjX3FTaNPwVfD

What inspired you as a singer
I’m from Brazil, so I grew up listening to Brazilian music. My first references were Elis Regina and Ney Matogrosso, for example. I was captivated by the intentions and well-defined vocal gestures of these artists and their stage performance – they managed to involve the audience in their interpretations. Then, I started to expand the references and found in Ozzy Osbourne and Till Lindemman, for example, an ironic tone that makes us uneasy, as it is full of density and at the same time a peculiar humor, which keeps us connected and needing to unravel each  moment of them intention –it delights me!

What are some of your songs
The first songs I composed were for “Sacro”: Noite morta, Umbra and Sigilo. I never considered myself a composer, in fact I made these songs to try to express the impact that the city of Évora, in Portugal, had on me artistically, so I found in composition a way to express more clearly the sensations I wanted to convey. The music producer helped me with the harmony and arrangements, I delivered the lyrics and the melody, and together we composed the other layers of the songs based on the references and inspirations I took to the studio.

What instrument do you play
I started my music studies with keyboard, piano and guitar, which helped me with my musicality, but I can’t say that I’m an instrumentalist. My focus has always been on voice and body and expressive work, which ended up taking me to the areas of Theater and Dance, adding to my singing and stage performance.

Who else is in the band and what they do
The musicians whose recorded “Sacro” were hired musicians. As the work is solo, I don’t have a group of musicians accompanying me. Coincidentally, many who played on the EP had already worked with me – some I already knew from college. But the instrumentation was very varied: violins, viola, cello, bassoon, taiko – a Japanese percussion instrument, percussion, guitar, keyboard and flute, so it took a large team to make this work happen.

What horror movies do you like
Interestingly, I’m not used to watch horror movies. However, one that I really like is “The Witch” by Robert Eggers. I believe that much more than joint suspense and moments of scares, the real terror resides in the human psyche and in personal relationships, in everyday life. I think the shadows – on a psychological level, are what really scare us, and that is what we need to deal with – this is the proposal of “Sacro”.



When you’re not singing what you like to do
When I’m not singing, I dedicate myself to creating my next work and studying the Creative Process. In fact, this is the topic of my PhD now, which I am studying at the University of Évora, in Portugal. Understanding how a creative process can develop in relation to historical heritage and how the artist can materialize the shadows of the place – which are not evident in its architecture – in this case, the Inquisition – the central pillar of the album “Sacro”.

Are you a fan of vinyl records?
Yes definitely. I believe that everything is becoming more and more superficial, and with music too. Relationships are more liquid, everything material exists less and less, and this changes our relationship with the world, with people. I wasn’t born in the era of vinyl, but there was still CDs and I believe that the materiality of records brings us closer to the entire aesthetic behind the work – which is extremely important for understanding that art and also music – as we often listened to the same songs.