From Rio de Janeiro to London, England, singer-songwriter and genre-bending recording artist Mateus de Sá discusses feelings of displacement and change in his latest single, "My Paranauê."
The 23-year-old Brazilian singer-songwriter prides himself on creating explorative music, ranging from folk and pop to hip-hop and r&b. With his many releases in 2020, like the 9-minute experimental track "99, Ocean Falls," Mateus de Sá is quickly putting himself on the map as an artist to watch.
More recently, Mateus de Sá released his latest single, "My Paranauê," which explores the experience of moving from Rio to London at the tender age of 7. His feelings of displacement and uprootedness linger throughout the song, highlighting the theme of change and diving headfirst into the unknown. This song is also the lead single from Mateus de Sá's upcoming debut album.
The new single, "My Paranauê," softly opens with samples of a rainshower that linger into Mateus de Sá's chilling acoustic guitar melodies. As his lush vocals rain down from above, Mateus de Sá's layered vocals and dreamy melodies sing incredibly honest lyrics of his experience hopping on a ferry to what seemed like another world.
The overall atmospheric and ambient folk sound chills the listener, while Mateus de Sá includes Brazilian elements like language shifts and harmonious acoustic guitar picking. We totally understand why Mateus de Sá says this might be his most personal and moving song to date, as the entire piece comes together cohesively to convey such tender emotions of feeling out of place, something we've all experienced at one point or another.
When the path ahead is dim, shine your inner light with the help of Mateus de Sá's moving new single, "My Paranauê," available on all digital streaming platforms.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, Mateus de Sá. You’ve truly moved us with your honest and personal lyrics in ‘My Paranauê.' What inspired you to create a song about moving countries and feeling out of place?
Thank you! With My Paranauê, I wanted to write a song about moving countries and feeling out of place based on my own life experiences. I moved from Brazil to England as a child, and this kind of experience tends to bring with it a lot of confusion, homesickness, and a feeling like you don’t belong. I think these raw emotions have helped craft a musical landscape that is dark, sorrowful, and somewhat unsettling - but as with almost all my music, there’s a tinge of hope in there too. It's a sad song, but it’s the start of a journey, not the end of the road.
Did you face any personal obstacles when writing your emotional lyrics for ‘My Paranauê?' What was that songwriting process like?
Writing a song based on such a personal experience can be quite a therapeutic experience. I aim to convey my emotions through both my lyrics and musical language, but I don’t necessarily like to be blunt or direct with my wording. I want to leave room for listeners to attach their own meanings which will be based on their own experiences. With this song, I sought to use my words to build a visual world that reflects the landscape you can find yourself in when uprooted from a country of origin or ‘home’ and trying to adapt to a new and unfamiliar place and its many challenges.
What do you hope listeners feel and take away when hearing ‘My Paranauê?' How did you want this song to impact them?
I hope those who listen to this song can relate in some way to this idea of ‘uprootedness’, which is so central to the message and one which can arise from other experiences in life too. I want them to enter this landscape of sorrow and confusion with hints of hope and the possibility of growth and to come out feeling like they want to see more of the journey.
Why did you want to release ‘My Paranauê’ as the lead single from your upcoming debut album? How does this song prepare listeners for what’s to come?
I chose My Paranauê as the lead single for my upcoming debut project since the project will revolve around the themes of ‘home’ and ‘belonging’. My Paranauê is the first song in the album and represents the initial shock and sadness brought about by displacement and the emotional consequences of this sudden change. But the album will, overall, take a positive trajectory. It will deal with the hurt and anger generated by this move in its various forms but then gradually show the journey toward happiness and finding belonging in a more internalized and fulfilled sense.
What’s next for you?
I will be releasing more singles within the next few months for my debut project, which I aim to put out towards the tail end of 2023! And as always, I will also be uploading covers to my Instagram and YouTube.
