After spending the last few months releasing an array of bright and uplifting grooves, fast-rising musician Manoel Tosto now returns to deliver his captivating new album 'Beira de Praia'.
Channelling a smooth and sun-kissed direction throughout, this new collection makes for an extremely light and uplifting listen. Bringing with him a warm and enticing direction, that relies heavily on his expert guitar skills, his new full-length is just what you need to wind down after a stressful day.
So with the new album out now, we sat down with him to find out more about his background and what has inspired him most over the years.
-
What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
Easy to answer - Electric Bass!
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
Reggae, Jazz and Brazilian music such Chorinho, Bossa Nova, Forró.
What was the first album you remember owning?
João Gilberto - Greatest Hits Collection.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
That'd be 'A linha e o Linho' as it's the prettiest love song ever made. So smart and poetic, without using the regular and common ways to say "I love you". Also Gilberto and myself got something in common - he lived many years in the same small city were my mother was born...Ibirataia! Very very tiny town. And if that wasn't enough - my grandmother was friends with his mother too!
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
I like to sit, in the morning or late afternoon, on the beach with my guitar and coffee, and improvise until I find something I like. My state of mind and spirit are my guidance when making music - some of my happiest songs were made in times of sadness and vice versa. I never know what will come when I sit down to play but I love to improvise and let things flow!
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
I'm listening to a lot of my friends' music (Seb Heart, Sofree, Ayam UBrais, SON, Prismatiks) that we used to play together (back when you were allowed to). I also love Cesaria Evora, Gilberto Gil, Moraes Moreira and I've recently discovered a lot of LoFi music - one song in particular called "I Missed" by Firat Durak. It served as inspiration for me to expand my musical horizons and create some Lofi songs myself.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
No doubt, it'd the great and one and only Gilberto Gil. I love Gilberto Gil for various reasons - his lyrics are very meaningful and deep while his music (through the eyes of a musician) is very complex. I'd go as far and say he is a musical genius. His lyrics are talking about different stages and aspects of life which I love. They act as some kind of creative education.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Music never leaves you and you can find it everywhere. I can always rely on music to deal with feelings and emotions, it's a kind of therapy. No matter where we go on earth, music can be used to communicate.
And what is the most frustrating part?
I do music for the love of making it and see it as a spiritual path. That being said, I also want to be heard and hope that people enjoy the music I create. Dealing with those two opposite sides can be frustrating sometimes. Music is art and many artists are dealing with these ambiguities.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
The same I received as a person: "Follow your heart and do what you love." It might sound simple, but it's the most difficult thing in the world.
-
Manoel Tosto's new album 'Beira de Praia' is available to stream now. Have a listen to it in the player below.