While the world insists on speeding up, the band Souela is inviting us to slow down and celebrate. The São Paulo trio, comprised of Gabriela Reis (vocals and guitar), Larissa Féola (bass), and Larissa Ladeia (drums), released the single “Relaxa Amiga” in late September, available on all platforms. The track, which combines pop, funk, and lightheartedness, features MC Versa and was produced by Mônica Agena, the name behind the work of artists such as Emicida, Manu Gavassi, and Natiruts.
Part of the band’s first studio album, “Relaxa Amiga” reflects on self-care and female friendship, with a danceable beat and a positive message: it’s time to pause, breathe and celebrate the present — guilt-free and with lots of rhythm.
“Relaxa Amiga” brings a message that’s almost a breath of fresh air amidst the chaos of everyday life. At what point in your lives did this song come about—and what does it mean to each of you personally?
The ideas that resulted in “Relaxa Amiga” emerged during the composition process for the album Nossa Pele. We took the initiative to invite Mc Versa to participate in this song, and during one of the lineup meetings, she brought us a reflection on the need for moments of relaxation, to let go of things or even people who don’t add value to us. And that we women don’t need to be the stereotypical Wonder Woman and have to save the world all the time.
After this conversation, we at Souela reflected a lot on what we wanted to achieve and where we wanted to go with this track. Now, after it’s produced and released, we can see how much our audience connected with the message and how important it is within the album. It offers a moment of respite and connection, featuring plenty of dancing but also crucial points for reflection.
The band has always talked about female strength and empowerment. This time, you bring a new perspective: the importance of relaxing. What have you learned from living and singing about this lighter side of female strength?
I believe there’s no light side to feminine strength. The song speaks precisely to the perspective that women have already done absolutely everything expected of them, fulfilled all their obligations, paid all their bills, and can finally put away their superhero cape and go have some fun. Because superheroes don’t exist, despite the female figure in today’s world often having to play an almost Wonder Woman role. “Relax, Friend” made us reflect on how much we handle situations and tasks that aren’t solely our responsibility. How much society, in a way, imposes this need for women to multitask 24/7 . In this way, this song speaks volumes about women’s empowerment and how much they can be free, rest, and be superwoman.
The partnership with MC Versa seems to have happened very naturally. What was the process of transforming a friendship into a musical collaboration like—and what surprised you most in the studio?
We met Mc Versa while developing another Souela project, where she developed our media campaign and career management. After that, we developed a friendship, and we’ve already developed other partnerships. But the musical partnership only came about recently, with the collaboration on “Relaxa Amiga,” and it was incredible. This track is part of the album “Nossa Pele,” and during the creation process, we realized we needed to reach our audience in different ways, bringing in other languages and perspectives of female empowerment, and Versa brought this perspective in a surreal way.
We were amazed at how effortlessly Mc Versa crafts verses and develops rhymes, as well as the lyrics she created for the song, connecting Mc Versa and Souela. While creating the song, she suggested starting and ending the song with the feeling of a flame of voice between Soeula and Mc Versa, giving the audience a glimpse of a conversation between friends, revealing the feeling of “Wow, friend, I’m super tired of multitasking, I need to relax.”
Mônica Agena’s musical production boasts a history of great names in Brazilian music. What unique thing did she bring to the sound and identity of “Relaxa Amiga”?
Having Monica’s expertise was incredible! She’s a very creative producer, and with each track on the album, we were amazed by her ideas. In “Relaxa Amiga,” I believe the combination of the beat and unique elements, like the sax, which comes in in a somewhat caricatured way, defines the song. They were brilliant ideas that, when you listen, you can already feel the vibe of the song. Interestingly, Monica used the guitar we recorded in the pre-song, and it brings all the swing! This music producer’s vision makes all the difference to the sound!
Souela’s pop funk always has a touch of Brazilianness and affection. What were the sonic or visual references that helped create the track’s vibrant atmosphere?
“Relaxa Amiga” is heavily influenced by 2000s funk, like “Rap do Silva” and “Glamourosa,” as well as contemporary influences like Iza’s “Fé nas Maluca.” These were some of the songs that inspired us to create Relaxa Amiga. We also sought out the visual reference of a pool party to create a lighthearted, relaxing moment.
“To be the strong women we want to be, we also need this breather.” — This line from the release is powerful. What are your personal ways to recharge your batteries off the stage and in the studio?
As women, we always carry a certain guilt about resting, because we always need to be ready, to be good at what we do, but for that, we need to have our moments of respite and look within to come back even stronger!
I think one of the things we really enjoy doing is going out to eat together. We love good food and good conversations where we can laugh a lot, make plans and tell stories. We also really enjoy watching movies and series. I think these are things that really help us recharge our batteries.
You’re building a very coherent narrative across your single releases—from “Marcas” to “Relaxa Amiga.” What does this first album represent in your journey as a band and as female artists?
A new, more mature stage for Souela, with sounds and textures we’d never experienced before, alongside our producer Monica Agena. We can praise the band’s sound and message. After this experience, we’re even more certain that this is the right path.
If “Relaxa Amiga” could leave a message for those listening, what would it be? And what do you hope the audience feels when they hear the song for the first time?
That you don’t have to carry everything on your shoulders; you can live one day at a time. And that sometimes taking time for yourself is also an act of courage. We want people to feel the urge to dance and empower themselves by focusing on themselves when they hear this song.
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