LGBTQIA+ indie artist Keruv Araiot begins a new phase in his career with the release of the singles “Nuvens Espaciais” and “YOLO,” both released by Marã Música and supported by the Aldir Blanc grant. The tracks, which are part of the upcoming EP “Tudo que não pode ser,” reveal different sides of the same emotional journey—from the lightness of love to the strength of facing uncertainty—and solidify Keruv as one of the most authentic and experimental voices in the Brazilian independent scene.
“Nuvens Espaciais” was born from a sense of wonder, and “YOLO” from a surrender to life. These two tracks seem to represent different poles—love and courage. How do you see the dialogue between them within your own personal journey?
Love and courage, though different, are interconnected. To love, you need courage—and to be who you are, you need twice as much.
I think this energy of pure love, present in Space Clouds, is very much what I feel like right now, you know? Seeking that pure, natural, and innocent love—of being with the ones you love, doing what you love, and taking life more lightly, like the clouds. (laughs)
YOLO talks a lot about dreaming and, at the same time, keeping your feet on the ground, believing that you can make it happen. It brings this courage to love intensely. I think that’s what I’ve taken with me: loving and having the courage to love with my love.
Both songs emerge from highly sensorial and emotional experiences. When you compose, what comes first: the sound, the words, or the feeling?
The way I compose is very random — ideas come to me and everything depends on what comes first.
The Japanese art of kintsugi celebrates scars as part of beauty—and “YOLO” seems to carry this same idea of rebuilding oneself. What were your own “golden cracks” in this creative process?
I thought a lot about redefining love, showing that it is present in everything and can manifest itself in many ways.
Your music straddles experimental, indie, and emotional styles, and carries a strong LGBTQIA+ identity. How does this diversity influence the way you create and express yourself artistically?
I just want to create, exploring feelings. I try to filter and transform everything that influences me into art.
You said that “Space Clouds” was born from enchantment. What enchants you most today—in life, in people, or in art?
In life, because people are part of it—and all of that is art. There is a bit of art in life and in people.
Working with producer Caio Rennó seems to have been essential in developing this new aesthetic. What was this partnership and creative exchange like between you?
I discovered Caio’s work and felt a connection with his musical style. He’s one of the few producers in the region who’s forging a path toward more electronic and underground sounds. We have a great understanding when it comes to creating—this mutual understanding makes everything happen naturally.
In “YOLO,” there’s a melancholy mixed with strength. What’s it like for you to transform intense feelings into something that can be heard and embraced by others?
It’s affirming that love has no boundaries. It’s feeling that, somehow, I managed to communicate with someone who understood and identified with what I meant.
Your new EP is called “Everything That Can’t Be.” What does this title represent to you—and what do you believe still “can’t be” but needs to be expressed through art?
(laughs) I was expecting that question! When I thought about the songs for the EP, I imagined how each track could connect into a whole. They all talk about love, and “Tudo Que Não Pode Ser” has a double meaning: it can be something “that shouldn’t be done,” but also something “that should be done.”
It’s a play of senses—about everything that still “can’t be,” but needs to be expressed through art. It’s about expressing who you are, without judgment.
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