1/ So First Off - Tell Us your Name, City and Country and what you currently do for a living?
Ana Clara - Music to Curator
Hello, my name is Ana Clara and I live in Palmas, Tocantins, Brazil. I am a lawyer, a writer/blogger/copywriter and a songwriter!
2/ Is This Something You Always Wanted To Do? What Do You Enjoy About It?
I've always wanted to work with multiple things! It took me some time to manage how to do it, but it makes me very happy to be able to explore all my passions instead of spending my life wondering "what if". Besides, as crazy as it sounds, I think everything is connectable, and I'm always applying knowledge from one field to another etc. It's very enriching and super fun!
3/ Tell Us About Your First Musical Memory - Why Do You Think You Remember It?
My mom used to listen to a lot of pop, rock and MPB (Música Popular Brasileira - Brazilian popular music), so my first memories are related to Dire Straits, Queen, Madonna, Elton John, Marisa Monte, Zé Ramalho, Caetano Veloso... I think I remember this because music played a relevant role in my relationship with my mother. She used to buy dozens of physical albums, and I used to spend hours listening to the music, reading the lyrics, looking at the pictures, the credits etc. That indeed contributed to my love for music, my interest for foreign languages and different cultures.
4/ Who Did You Make Your First Mixtape / Playlist For - What Was The Result - Did They Dig It?
I did my first playlist for myself! I used to choose a lot of songs I enjoyed and compile them all into one CD. I named it "SPC", which stands for "Só pra Curtir" ("Just for Fun"). And then it came SPC 2, SPC 3, SPC 4... I lost count!
5/ What Made You Go Online And Search About Music Curation?
I've been researching about curation for a few years as I was educating myself on where the market and the world were going to, not only in regards to music but also content, marketing, design, fashion and everything. At the same time, streaming was beginning to rise, and topics such as diversity and consumer empowerment were beginning to play a bigger role in discussions of those matters - it was about time! So, when I found out about the possibility of becoming a music curator, I was really happy that I could do exactly what I loved doing when I was a teenager creating my "SPC's'", hehehehe, besides, I knew I had the chance to use music curation as a tool to express my ideas and beliefs! :)
6/ Tell us about the name of your Playlist - where did that come from?
The "Dali & Jay-Z" concept came from Beenzino's "Dali, Van, Picasso", a song that a great friend of mine named Lucas introduced me and I was so amazed!! The first thing I thought when I listened to that song was: wow, it makes me feel as if I just bought a super fancy apartment, hahahaha, I can picture myself walking into it and bragging to myself about how far I've come... I love the feeling of swag plus finesse it gives me. There was something so empowering in how Beenzino, a Korean guy, was making music that was born from ghetto culture but still he found a connection with artists whose work today can only be bought by really rich people, and are conservatively associated with "superior culture", "education" and a lot of concepts that have been used to oppress people.
And then it made me think: sure, why wouldn't he? Who said you have to be a white ethnocentric man in a suit, with a conventional job, to be able to enjoy and buy fine art? What's "fine" art anyway? What's art? Who said your music isn't art just because it has slang, cursing and came from the streets? Why are there so many barriers? By the way, those people whose work are considered "fine" art, weren't they once considered rebels too?
I thought of Salvador Dali, surrealism, and how those who defy the standards are seen as "crazy" before they get recognition. I thought of Jay-Z, who came from the streets and today is a guy who makes business in so many fields where black people are not exactly welcome. I thought of jazz music, a genre that became a synonym of class and "fine taste", but was born from the same communities that created rap, which is considered "poor taste".
And I wanted the playlist to represent the intersection of all this. Because, if you see, it's all art and culture. Pretty much everything that's original, bold and creative is considered "inferior" until one decides that it's not - or until the "inferior" ones make enough impact for the "superiors" to recognize them. And that's where empowerment is important. So, I am always looking for songs that show diversity and empower people to believe in themselves too.
I love hip hop and rap, but that's not my background. I'm not rich, but I didn't come from the streets. So, somewhere between "I won't refrain myself to talk about hip hop just because it's not my reality" and "but I need to make sure I won't be objectifying it", I decided that the "Dali & Jay-Z Lovers" would celebrate and respect the voices and works of the artists through their music, considering their background and everything that they are and stand for.
7/ What does a track have to have to make it onto your list, is there something special that you look for?
"Music to Dali & Jay-Z Lovers" revolves around the concept of a soundtrack for an art gallery located in the ghetto streets. Sonically speaking, I think such type of music would sound as a mix of hip hop and jazz or ambient/lounge music, so that's what most songs of the playlist sound like.
8/ What can an artist do in their track submission to your list to ensure that you'll listen to their track?
I think we all appreciate when they take the time to understand the playlists' concept and only submit the song if they think it fits, explaining why they think if fits! :)
Because, truth is, we receive a lot of great songs but some of them don't fit our playlists at all... So many artists deserve more praise and recognition, but yeah, each playlist has its own concept for a reason. If we don't remain cohesive, a playlist will become a great mess.
9/ We know - these change all the time - but as of this week - what are your all time top 5 favorite tracks.
Oh my, only 5? Okay, ahahahah, I'll do my best:
- No Doubt - Spiderwebs
- Elis Regina - Como nossos pais
- Kanye West - Monster (feat. Rick Ross, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj and Bon Iver)
- MFBTY - Beautiful life
- Red Velvet - Cool world
Don't try to find a pattern between those songs, hahahaha - or do, I'd love to talk about it, because I see one! :)
10/ And finally - which Music to Curator should we interview next?
Sorority and female empowerment have a lot do with my playlist too (although I've been lacking tracks from women in the last weeks, shame on me), so I'd love if the next one would be Julia from Music to Conquer Mountains!
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