Georgia's voice combines the softness and vulnerability of
Astrud Gilberto, the passion of Elis Regina, and the power of
Marisa Monte. If you think you're tough, listen to her
CD first, and then try to tell me it's not a tearjerker.
Make sure you have a box of tissues on hand.

Melinda Wong

It's one of those Fridays. I, a sleep-deprived allergy suffering wreck—your typical American—stagger into the house, and after stubbing my toe, dump the mail on floor. I look down to find that Georgia Barretto has sent me her CD, Sensibilidade.

After putting the CD in the player, I drop to the floor like a buffalo that's just been shot.

Then HARK, it's Georgia's passionate voice, riding on a sultry bossa beat. It's depressing. It's uplifting. All together beautiful; it's the type of poetry that can make you drunk with melancholy.

The remarkable quality about her music is the balance of pain and strength. There's her voice—delicate, almost crying, and so light it's almost shaky, and then balancing it is the strength in her guitar.

"You sing with so much pain," I tell her.

"[Music was] the only way I could free myself from that abuse because when you finally realize you can build something, then you can recreate your life and you can recreate yourself,"

Two of the songs on her CD, "Sensibilidade" and "Vegas" were written just after the Northridge earthquakes, in the Los Angeles area, in January 1994, shook her life apart. She had just had two miscarriages, her best friend committed suicide, and the shaking brought back memories of childhood abuse. Finally she just drove off with her guitar and a few blankets. Just like that; to Las Vegas.

"I always felt like I was a very sensible person," she says, starting to get maudlin. "What's more important? What do people worry most in life? Are they going to be safe? Are they going to be alive? For me, that was a daily worry. Growing up in Brazil, it was are you going to be able to buy things? Because the next day prices had tripled. Are you going to be able to speak out?"

"In Brazil the only way to be able to express yourself is through art," which is how she coped with a "country that plays games with us daily. Lies, lies, lies, daily lies."

As we both start to get a little misty, she explains that even life in the U.S. was hard. After moving from Los Angeles to Utah, she describes life as a foreign, single-mother of three as "ten times harder" in regards to racial and gender discrimination. That's what Sensibilidade is about: survival.

Though many critics have labeled her as a bossa nova singer or another Sade, there's an audible distinction. Her unique guitar sounds combine subtle bossa nova rhythms with strong influences from classical Spanish guitar. It pulls influences from jazz, pop, classical, bossa nova, and Carnaval music.

Her voice combines the best of some of the famous Brazilian female singers: the softness and vulnerability of Astrud Gilberto, the passion of Elis Regina, and the power of Marisa Monte.

Her saudade is the inverse of bossa nova saudade. Bossa nova creates the wistful feelings of saudade by first creating joy and beauty, and then the sadness knowing that it will pass. Georgia first creates the pain and sadness and then comes the beauty and awe.

When I listen to Georgia I picture a little girl strumming her guitar and feeling homesick, but not quite sure where home really is. It makes me feel like it's Sunday. And if you think you're tough, listen to her CD first, and then try to tell me it's not a tearjerker. Make sure you have a box of tissues on hand.

Georgia's music is like a glass of cool lemonade on a hot summer's day: sour when you sip it, but sweet at the bottom.

Georgia Barretto's CD Sensibilidade is available at her website, www.georgiabarretto.com

Melinda Wong is a jazz junky and college bum. Email her at pumpkin362@yahoo.com  

Georgia Barretto can be reached by visiting her website, www.georgiabarretto.com
 

---

Selected lyrics, all by Georgia Barretto

Sensibilidade Quero entender O que a vida traz Quero ter poder De mudar os As Mas se um dia A casa cai Como é que a gente faz? Sensibilidade Sensibilidade Voarei além Desse horrível aquém Salvarei a mão Buscarei o chão Pousarei Na frágil flor Na inocente flor Sensibilidade Sensibilidade…

Sensibilidade I want to believe, That things will be alright I want to believe That I will stay alive But if, some day The house falls down, Say what am I to do? Sensibilidade, Sensibilidade, I will fly beyond, This uncertain bond, I will save my hands, And search for steady lands, I'll turn into A butterfly, To lay on a fragile flower Sensibilidade Sensibilidade

Sufoca o Meu Amor Siga o seu caminho já Mas não me deixe ver Pois vai ficar A dor no olhar, no olhar Você não deixa crer Você não vai mudar Chega de sofrer Chega de morrer Chega de chorar Quero apagar Todo amargar Quero enchergar, Quero opinar Mas você não vê Que eu não posso ser O que sou com você Sufoca o meu amor Sufoca o meu amor Sufoca o meu amor Siga o seu caminho já…

Vegas I ran away from all this quake I couldn't stay for my own sake So long L.A., So long L.A., I love you but I'm on my way I was so tired to believe That I could rest That I could sleep I will get there, I will get there I keep on telling to myself It's when I had to stop the car To hold this vision In my heart I see the lights, I see the lights By driving to Vegas at night. I want to tell you how I felt So free to choose, so free to tell The fear was gone, the fear was gone When I saw the lights in Vegas at night.

Discuss it in our Forum

Send your
comments to
Brazzil