From a home-recorded course using simple resources to the international stage of the NAMM Show, Deusnir Souza has spent less than a decade transforming his experience, life lessons, and musical identity into his first solo album. “Harmonia de Gigante,” available on digital platforms since October 30th, revisits the keyboardist’s origins, crosses boundaries between contemporary jazz, North American black music, and Brazilian rhythms, and features collaborations with major names in the scene, solidifying a new phase in the artist’s career.
Deusnir, the album “Harmonia de Gigante” was born from a journey that began simply, almost at home. When you look at that first course you recorded on your own, what moves you most about seeing how far that idea has taken you?
What excites me most is seeing that something that was just an online course in 2019 has become something so big that I’m recognized on the street and then it also turned into an album. To tell the truth, I was skeptical, I thought it would just be another online course, but the phrase “harmony of giants” became a very powerful mantra in the lives of the people who follow me, so, of course, I had to leave that name for this first milestone.
You participated in the NAMM Show, an event that many musicians dream of attending. How did this experience outside of Brazil influence your vision of music and your desire to transform “Harmonia de Gigante” into a real project?
The NAMM Show influenced me a lot because I found all my references together in one place! Being able to talk to them, exchange ideas, and show them some of my work was something that inspired me a lot to come here to Brazil and create my album. Doobie Powell himself, who is honored in one of the songs, is one of the guys who influenced me a lot, and I had the honor of meeting him at NAMM.
Their sound blends jazz, hip hop, samba, soul, and choro—a mix that reflects both Black ancestry and Brazilian identity. How do you see this fusion between music that comes from the soul and music born from technique?
Both rhythms have been very present in my life since childhood, but I believe that both technique and “soul” go hand in hand. One is born from the other and lives through the other.
The track “Hubert” is a tribute to Doobie Powell, and “A Paz” showcases the strength of Paula Lima. What did these collaborations mean to you, both artistically and personally?
“Hubert” is a track that means a lot to me because I met Doobie Powell in person, and I was very grateful because he already knew me, and that gave me a great inspiration to pay tribute to him on the album. As for the track with Paula Lima, it has a lot of power because she’s an artist I’ve followed since I was a child, and she has a powerful vocal presence and a great Brazilian essence, and it was a great honor to have her on my album because of all the greatness she represents in Brazilian music.
In “Brotherhood,” you literally make music with your family—a track that carries affection, memory, and unity. What did this recording reveal about your own concept of belonging?
Since it was my first album, I thought it would be very important to have my family on it. So the track “Brotherhood” comes from the Groove style, which has always been our influence, and the track’s name comes from a tattoo that my brothers and I have on our arms. It also shows that musicality is very present in my family.
You grew up in an environment where “losing was not an option.” What role did this mentality play in shaping you as an artist and in how you face the challenges of a music career?
I grew up in an environment where everything was very scarce. I grew up in a community, and I started playing music when I lived there. Ever since I started playing, the dream of working with music, of making a living from it, has been very present in my life. But I thought it was a utopia because of the conditions; I thought it would be impossible. But I worked very hard without giving up. There were moments when I wanted to give up because it’s very difficult to be a musician in Brazil. But I used those adversities as fuel to keep working and achieving my goals. Today, thank God, I work with music one hundred percent, and that is very rewarding.
The title “Harmony of Giants” can be read as a metaphor—both musical and life-related. What does it mean to you to be “a giant” in the harmony of your own story?
Those who hear it might interpret it as arrogance or conceit. But, in this case, the term “giant” means being resilient and overcoming the battles that come your way. To become a giant, you have to work very hard to reach your goal, giving up a lot. For example, I traded, and still trade, many “parties” to be there studying, day and night. Every day I need to pick up the keyboard and play, learn more, otherwise I already feel rusty.
This album marks a turning point in your career: from a recognized instrumentalist to a solo artist. What do you most hope the audience will feel when they hear your music for the first time, now that it entirely bears your name?
I hope the audience connects with it and that it somehow impacts people’s lives, just as I was impacted while creating this album. I hope people become interested in my work and leave their homes to go to my shows. It’s crazy being a musician in a band, but even crazier being the main artist! Your show, your songs, your name on the flyer, and so on.
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