With references ranging from Rita Lee to Rosalía, independent singer-songwriter Cali consolidates her identity in Brazilian pop with the single “FOME,” a track that translates desire, courage, and Brazilianness into her own unique language. Originally from Porto Ferreira (SP) and now based in Campinas, the artist has been reaping significant results: the song has already surpassed 300,000 views on TikTok and has accumulated more than 50,000 plays on Spotify, driven by a strong connection with her audience. This engagement gained a new chapter with the release of a cinematic music video, directly inspired by a fan suggestion and conceived as a short film of dance, drama, and catharsis, reaffirming Cali as one of the rising names in so-called “Brazilian Pop.”
“HUNGER“comewOr growing on social media even before the music video existed. How was it to realize your publico asking—almost demanding—This music video, and how this movement influenced your relationship…herewith the prthepria musica?
It was a delightful surprise. The music video, the aesthetic, the whole “era” thing, are important elements within pop culture. I’m glad that the people impacted by “FOME” understand and feel this need to, in addition to listening, literally see the music.
I already believed it was a strong song, which is why I released it as a single. But creating the music video made me see much further: I talked about this video in therapy; it carries a whole psychological issue about courage, fear, and artistic journey that I’ve been deciphering within myself for years.
The initial idea for the music video came from a comment.theriver of fthementioning Black Swan. What does that refer to?andncia vocandhe saw it as a mirror of his ownandWas it a matter of ethics or of their emotional state at that moment?
Black Swan is one of my all-time favorite films. I love drama, psychological thrillers… I like to be impacted. Despite this, until then, I had never explored a darker narrative or aesthetic in my own work, and that’s when I thought: it’s time to take that step. Furthermore, the film portrays a story that, unfortunately, is common among the artistic community, which is what I talk about in my music. I think this dear fan really grasped the message.
No video, vocandinterpret trands verstheeach one representing an internal phase of the art process, of itself, each one representing an internal phase of the process.iWhich of these personas challenged you the most emotionally?—And which one most resembles Cali today?
What a great question… but I’ll start by saying which one challenged me the least: the last one, “Mystique,” in red and gold. It’s the one that appears most powerful, joyful, and that’s easy to do. It requires a lot of strength, but as artists, especially in the age of social media, we learn to do that all the time. To put on a smile and go on stage, even if our personal lives are falling apart.
The one that challenged me the most, in the end, was the middle persona, the one in white, the one who puts herself out there, who dances with her own shadow, who cries. She wasn’t fearful or confident, she was in between. It’s difficult to interpret this reality; it’s much easier to think in terms of extremes.
Today’s Cali is definitely the last one, considering that the last one is just a sum of all the experiences of the first ones, and not another person. The final outfit was designed to convey this message, too. We could have put her in an all-red outfit, it would have looked beautiful. But we chose to leave the marks of those who have already been there (the white clothes).
A danwIt plays a central role in the music video and in the energetic narrative.andethics“HUNGER“How was it to translate into movement something that began as sound and feeling?andHe discovered he was different when he saw himself dancing.wI’m walking this musica?
It’s always good to let the music flow through the body. I love to dance, I feel free. All credit for the choreography goes to Beatriz Kizima, a college classmate and incredible dancer. I only showed her some things I liked, such as Fernanda Fiuza’s work, some videos of Rosalía dancing with her hands, and she created that incredibly powerful choreography.
While dancing to “FOME” and throughout the process of learning the choreography, I discovered that the end of the song, which I wrote very intuitively, was about the victory of being able to “feel the sun, the sound” and return to making art without pressure.
The video features a visceral encounter between light and shadow, but alsoandm uma sensherethe idea of rebirth. Is there any part of your prtheprio“dark side“that youandstheHow were you able to face it after creating this music video?
My dark side told me that it was going to be very difficult to do that crying fit scene, and it really was quite challenging… but I really wanted it to happen. I needed to talk to the director, we thought together about the best way to create the scene. I was completely alone for a while, until the camera operator entered the space and stood there, with the camera ready, waiting for the “breakdown” to happen. That’s when I saw how much work I still have to do as an actress to achieve that emotion in front of so many people; I didn’t feel comfortable doing it at that moment. In the theater, it’s easier. When there’s a camera in front of you, it’s more technical work that I haven’t yet mastered.
Your“Brazilian Pop“It blends pop, MPB (Brazilian Popular Music), bachata, and funk in a very original way. When youandrealized that ntheI wanted to fit into a…andethicsthebut build a spacewohibrido where its influenceandDo different groups coexist?
I realized that this hybridity was the best path for my music when I began to understand myself as a pop artist. I started writing music on the guitar, sang rap, moved on to R&B, until at a certain point it became a question for me: what was I, after all? Which editorial playlist do I fit into? Can someone who does everything actually do something well? So, studying the history of gigantic mainstream pop artists, like Anitta and Luísa Sonza, I understood that capturing diverse influences and integrating them into your sound and aesthetic wasn’t bad or confusing, it was just authenticity within what they call pop music.
The scene was inspired by his improvisation class.hereThe vocal sounds like a very special moment.iIntimacy transported to the audiovisual medium. What does this experience mean?andWhat did personal experience mean to you?and —And why was she essential to the narrative of the music video?
This experience revealed a very strong trait in me, one that still resided only in my subconscious: a repulsion towards any person or situation that prevents me from expressing myself freely. I talked about this improvisation in my therapy session, and it was there that I understood this denial, this despair at being silenced. It makes me lose myself. “HUNGER” is also about this, which is why it fit perfectly with the music video.
Youandends 2025 talking about artistic maturityistic and announcing its prthenextthealbum, PLOT. If“HUNGER“ andthe opening of this new era, what feeling or historytheria“PLOT“Do you plan to sew from now on?
TRAMA is my greatest artistic achievement so far, my first album. The feeling is one of joy for having made something handcrafted, with a lot of love, a lot of attention to detail, a great desire to say something… it needed to exist. It’s a very modern, urban, yet rustic album. You can see my roots from the countryside. It’s for crying, laughing, being overcome with excitement, shouting out loud, for expressing yourself, recognizing yourself, and feeling good.
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