Passionate about mixing sounds without fear of daring, Déa Diell is a new artist who moves between alternative pop and “fresh” MPB. This versatility makes her go from the most modern rhythms, present in the singles “Te Vejo”, made with Amanda Coronha, and “Rainha”, to a movie soundtrack atmosphere, as in the recently released “L’amour”, a song that mixes vintage elements with current ones, and has the participation of the strings of musicians who play in OSESP (São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra).
Alongside the renowned producer Beto Villares (known for his movie soundtracks and for launching the singer Céu), Déa ventures to approach unconventional themes, which mix with his spirituality. In this song, written together with Bibi, Bárbara Dias, Marianna Eis, she talks about loves from other lives. Thus, the singer intends to touch people’s sensibilities, especially in these difficult and strange times that humanity is going through and, consequently, not feeling.
To accompany this nostalgia, the visualizer directed by Pedro Fiorillo (responsible for videos for Vogue and Day Limns) follows a classic cinematographic aesthetic. Its inspirational nuances translate the feeling expressed in the lyrics, brings reflections and invites for a light dance. Balancing the old with the contemporary is part of Déa’s artistic characteristics, and she architects the concept of the EP “Ansiosa”, developed by her, alongside Beto and Roberto Pollo (Tiago Iorc). The project will consist of the three singles already presented and other unreleased tracks. Check out the interview!
Exploring new sounds with each release, their new release “Fresh”, maintains the balance between MPB and alternative pop. What was it like to come up with the ideal combination for this track?
This combination of styles was not thought out. The creation process is very intuitive and only later do we understand what you did. When the composition was finished, I was there crying because I was sure it was a song made with soul. At the time of producing and launching it, I thought it was very B-side, but I allowed myself to do what I wanted, without thinking about the commercial appeal. And that’s the big lesson I take away from it. It was the song that was least thought of as “getting it right” and the one that had the most good repercussions. Because there is truth and that people feel. The song is much longer than most current releases and it had no impact whatsoever. I also think other artists are very positively surprised by their “B-side” tracks. For me, Cliff by Luisa Sonza is a beautiful example of this.
Different from his older releases such as “Te Vejo” and “Rainha”, and that in the latter brought a more cinematic rhythm with a combination of vintage and more current rhythms. What usually inspires you in this musical eclecticity?
In fact, vintage elements like strings, classical pianos say a lot about me. I feel like I already lived there at that time so I increasingly want that to be present in my identity.
One of the great attractions, apart from his music, was the participation of musicians who play for OSESP, the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra. What was it like to have that extra icing on the cake?
I greatly respect and admire my producer, Beto Villares. I was sure that everything that came out of it would be amazing. I think the way he creates for orchestras in the movies is different. He loves to experiment with strange noises, little noises and manages to bring in classical instruments at the same time. And he always counts on the best musicians to embark on it with him. That’s what happened with the OSESP quartet. I couldn’t be happier with all of this.
In a statement given at the presentation of your release, you stated that you like to link the past to the present in your compositions. How do your creative processes generally work?
On this EP I brought together composers who know me very well and have a huge talent. We went to a house far from the city, surrounded by nature, for 4 days. We were immersed composing non-stop. They are the famous camps and they are increasingly frequent in the musical environment here in Brazil.
And there is a different energy in these encounters. The artists really delivered and were open to donate their best there. And everything ends up flowing in a very special way. The result is amazing music and friends for life.
Just as nothing in life is done entirely alone, one of his great partnerships in this new song was that of producer Beto Vilares, who even made several movie soundtracks. How was your exchange during the creation process?
I’ve known Beto for over ten years and I’ve always wanted to work with him. I was persistent and the moment arrived. He is very knowledgeable and was open to the exchange, to hear what I wanted. I also participated very closely in his process and that makes all the difference so that the identity of the 2 is very present there. Today there are many producers making music in a faster way and sometimes without that time to find new sounds and experiment. I knew that with Beto it wouldn’t be like that, we let the sound mature, without rushing.
One of the great features that he imposes on his releases is the adventurous spirit and risks that end up being necessary for the plot of his songs. By that point, how far do you feel capable of daring in your works?
I constantly challenge myself to do new things. Before being a singer I was an advertising professional and worked in the area of trends and innovation. It is part of my essence to seek originality. But on the other hand, I always want my art to be accessible. Chaplin is my great idol, because he innovated, he marked history with genius, but with great simplicity. For me, this is the path I want to take. What’s the point of innovating if no one consumes your art?
Reporting different loves that we experience in our lives, the new song was a composition by him in partnership with Bibi, Bárbara Dias and Marianna Eis. How did this behavior of experiments happen until they reached the ideal letter?
The lyrics came very intuitively, without thinking about anything beforehand. Neither themes nor phrases. The most brilliant composers I know don’t make music in a rational way, they don’t calculate the music, they just let it come without any judgment. What guides is intuition.
In addition to the sound itself, another element that helps a lot in transmitting the thoughts of the song is the music video. What was it like working with director Pedro Fiorillo on the video?
You will still hear a lot about Pedro. He’s just getting started. He has great taste and very creative ideas. And the most surprising thing is that this visualizer was made in a very unpretentious way, inside my own room, practically without production, but with a very artistic look, a lot of sensitivity and talent from the entire team.
What do you believe is his main mission as an artist and what legacy do you want to leave with your work? Can you imagine your life without music?
My mission is to bring a sensitive art that touches people with subtlety, lightness. Today the emotions are so much shallower, everything very ephemeral. The music industry is much more focused on entertainment, but there will always be room for those who want to have deeper emotions, more introspective moments. For me, life without music is just being half of me. Because I don’t have music as something external, it’s part of my soul.
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With Luca Moreira, Regina Soares, Letícia Cleto and Affonso Tavares