Singer-songwriter Murilo Muraah released his EP, “Ao Vivo no Gugastro Estúdio,” on March 20th, marking his return to the stage after more than 15 years away. Recorded at an intimate show in São Paulo, the project captured a symbolic moment in the artist’s career, bringing together songs from different phases and presenting new compositions live for the first time. In an interview, Muraah recalls the emotion of this reunion with the public and reflects on the creative process that guides his new artistic phase.
The EP “Ao Vivo no Gugastro Estúdio” marks your return to the stage after more than 15 years. How was it emotionally to experience this reunion with live music and with the audience?
For over 15 years, I waited to see when the next show would be. I rehearsed the comeback a few times, but it never worked out. So the show at Gugastro started long before we even stepped on stage. I had many doubts about what it would be like to return to that place; I always felt anxious and worried that I wasn’t the same anymore. And I wasn’t, but that ended up being a good thing. Even with the intense emotion I was feeling, I felt secure, more aware of my performance, and very grateful to be able to do a show again, which is what I love to do most. The pleasure of being on stage hasn’t changed; I think that will be evident to anyone who listens to the music.
The show was recorded in an intimate setting, surrounded by friends and family. How did this atmosphere influence the energy of the performance and the way you interpreted the songs?
Besides the presence of so many dear people in the audience and it being my return to the stage, two other factors made this show unforgettable: the venue where it took place and the band that accompanied me.
Gugastro Studio, located in the home of my friend and renowned producer Guga Stroeter, is a space that constantly hosts very special events and gatherings, with Guga directly supporting artists from diverse backgrounds and musical genres. In addition to musical collaborations, I’ve also participated in and led several political meetings held there.
The band was formed by Leo Furlan on bass, with whom I’ve played for almost 20 years, Daniel Maia on guitar, a technical and musical reference with whom I worked for 8 years when I was managing the Fábricas de Cultura studios, and Jaderson Cardoso on drums, a new friend that music brought me and who fit perfectly into this lineup.
All of this created a unique atmosphere for the show, bringing emotion and a great sense of security to the performance. It was a very relaxed atmosphere, which made me feel comfortable during the musical performance, but also to talk about the songs, the project, and other points that are important to me. Everyone present vibrated along with me and made that show an even more special milestone in my artistic career.
Throughout these years away from the stage, you have remained deeply involved with music as a teacher, producer, and cultural manager. How has this “behind-the-scenes” experience transformed your vision as an artist?
It completely transformed me. In the first phase of my career as an artist, I had a more romanticized view of it, without much knowledge of the music market. I believe that many artists end up having difficulties for the same reason. Working behind the scenes, I got to know different aspects of this profession better, which go far beyond the technical ability to sing or play an instrument. These are points ranging from the importance of networking and marketing to the development of a more attentive vision of non-musical artistic aspects, such as costumes, set design, lighting and, of course, audio.
Furthermore, working on composing and producing soundtracks, as well as teaching, helped develop my knowledge of music production processes and my aesthetic sense, going beyond what I was used to hearing and learning to compose and produce music by thinking more integrally about the instruments and technical processes that form them. This ended up directly influencing the composition of my own music, which became musically richer and more open to experimentation.
My experience as manager of the Fábricas de Cultura studios helped me develop a more mature perspective on the music market and its paths, not to mention the friendships and contacts I built during the 10 years I spent on the program.
The EP’s repertoire mixes old songs, new compositions, and tributes to artists who influenced her career. What was it like to revisit these different phases of her history within the same show?
The show that gave rise to the EP featured five original songs, in addition to tributes. The EP focuses only on the original songs, but the full show will be released soon on YouTube.
It was wonderful to revisit “Mantenha Contato” and “Esperando Seu Fim,” the two songs from my 2006 album, “Mundo Dual.” Of the thirteen songs on that album, these two fit best into my current repertoire, for different reasons. “Mantenha Contato” is part of a period of early adventures in my spiritual life, so it fits perfectly with the “Inquieto Caminhante” cycle, where I explore these different experiences and ways of interpreting reality. “Esperando Seu Fim,” on the other hand, was composed shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks, offering a critical perspective on that moment that also makes a lot of sense in the present moment, with this new global crisis we are experiencing. Political activism, as well as music and spirituality, is a fundamental part of who I am. Bringing these two songs to the shows strengthens the vision I seek to convey through them.
You mentioned that, in this show, you played synthesizer live for the first time, after many years performing with guitar and vocals. What does this change represent in your musical evolution?
This change is a direct reflection of the experiences I mentioned earlier. Studying and teaching music production forced me to step outside my comfort zone in music, opening up a universe of new sounds and techniques to explore. Few instruments offer as much creative freedom as synthesizers, with their almost infinite possibilities for manipulating various sound parameters. This fascinated me!
When I started recording “Percepção,” the first song I released in this new phase, the use of synthesizers came very naturally. It was a point of no return; they’re also present in the other new songs. That’s why I wanted to bring a synthesizer to the stage as well, to explore the sounds live, in a way that’s different from what’s recorded. It’s been a really fun experience, but also challenging, since it forces me to think about and perform the songs in a completely different way than I was used to.
The sound of your work blends influences such as Os Mutantes, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Beatles, and Chico Science. How do these influences come together in your music without losing your own identity?
When I compose a song, I do it very organically, letting the ideas flow without trying to control where they’re going. So these major influences, as well as other music I’ve been listening to, can end up being present naturally, but without imposing obligations on my compositions and arrangements.
I became a musician largely because of the Ramones and Brazilian rock. When I didn’t know how to play the guitar at all, it was through them that I began to explore and understand the instrument. My first bands played almost exclusively original songs and Ramones songs; my school was the DIY ethic, which is a major hallmark of punk rock. As I became interested in other musical genres, I maintained this same mentality. I was never very interested in playing songs exactly like the originals; I always preferred to play in my own way, mixing my influences more spontaneously. So it was a two-way street: I played versions of other artists’ songs in a freer way, with my own style, and at the same time, these songs influenced my own compositions and playing style. It’s been like that ever since, and I think that’s why I’m more interested in exploring different sounds than trying to fit into the aesthetic standards of a musical genre, even with all the artistic and market challenges that this approach brings. The Restless Wanderer also seeks to freely explore different sonic universes.
The concept of the “Restless Wanderer” emerges as an idea of aesthetic and artistic freedom. What does this concept say about the moment you are experiencing today as a composer?
In this moment of resuming my artistic project with shows and releases, I feel like I’m catching up and bringing to the world some of the music I’ve composed over the past 15 years working only behind the scenes. I composed several songs that I really like during this period and I really wanted to release them, to tell the stories behind them and that connect them. So, currently I’m focused on building this stage of reconnecting with myself and with the public, thinking about the musical and non-musical details of each song, developing the technical and artistic aspects of the shows as well, and repositioning myself as a solo artist. Add to all this the management and communication needs that are now also part of any musician’s career, and there’s been little room left to work on new compositions at the moment. But I’m always open to them, whether it’s writing lyrics, composing songs, or exploring sounds on instruments and musical equipment. Taking it easy, one step at a time.
After documenting this comeback with a live EP and the full concert video, what paths do you envision for this new phase of your career?
I thought it would be interesting to take a break from releasing songs from Inquieto Caminhante to share this experience of returning to the stage. This EP and the video of the complete show that will follow document a very important part of this journey, so it makes perfect sense that they are part of it. After them, two new songs will arrive, completing the first EP of unreleased songs from the Inquieto Caminhante cycle.
After this, the initial idea is to continue this journey, bringing other songs that help to show different aspects of my worldview, different ways I’ve interpreted reality. But Brazil and the world are experiencing such intense crises that I also feel a strong desire to release songs that present a critical view of this historical moment we are living through and that point to other ways of being in the world. So this near future is still open. As they say, the path is made by walking.
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