Whispers from the edge
Life has taken a whirlwind turn, and I feel like I’m standing on the edge of a cliff once again...
I just have to jump, knowing I’ll find a wave that will carry me ashore—I won’t drown. But, sometimes, it’s so difficult to trust the unknown or “the process” as artists say. I’ve been unable to keep up with my monthly newsletter because life took over! In a very good way, I must say. Patreon is working too! But I also experienced some of the worst days of my life before finding faith in myself again.
This is the life of an artist: one day, you feel on top of the world, and the next, you’re exploring the deep abyss, unsure if you’ll ever see the surface again. I was working with a production that was chaotic on every level. I reconsidered my life choices a lot. I decided to give up. Then, I looked for my people and found their hands reaching out to me, saving me once again. I regained my confidence. I listened to a lot of music and painted. And then, good things started happening again. Now, I’m struggling to enjoy it because I’m afraid it will slip away, and I don’t want that to happen!
I’m working on a few commissions and have new incredible supporters. My agent is always by my side, accepting me as I am and believing in me even when I don’t. We put together the first gig of an incredible show, and we won’t stop. But it’s the everyday life that I have to figure out, and it’s not always easy. Working on commissions helps me feel validated and like I’ve found my place in the world. I’m not a fool. Someone sees my vision too! I’ve proudly delivered a triptych and am now starting a six-wall mural that will keep me busy all June. Plus, I have another commission waiting for me in a unique type of residency. In the meantime, I’m writing new music because I want to release a new concept album. It’s been a long time since I released music because I’ve been focused on live performances, but I think it’s time. I’ve grown, and I have new things to say. I’ve changed my life so many times and probably will even more soon. A good book is made of many chapters, and I feel like I still have so much to do.
I already have six new songs to produce and a visual idea that I’m eager to bring to life. The project is called (maybe) “Aqui Sento-me Eu" in English “Here I feel like myself” and involves a series of performances across various locations on the island of Madeira. In each place—where I truly feel myself—I will perform and create art, capturing the essence of the location and translating it into a unique sensory experience. We’ll record these performances and link them to QR codes placed at each site. Visitors can scan the codes and immerse themselves in the performance without altering the environment. But it’s not just this. I want to create a map and aim to do it all over Europe if the concept is successful. I’ll then print vinyls with the map so that everyone can experience a different kind of travel. And yes, I’m sharing this idea openly despite the risk of it being copied (it happens a lot!) because I know that others might try to reproduce it, but it will never be the same! All the details are on my Patreon account because I feel this is a participative project. This is all I can think about lately. When you know, you know, and it’s hard to resist the urge to create—I feel like I shouldn’t!
Also here a little preview of one of the things I’m writing:
Verse 1:
In the hush of dawn, I find my feet,
Treading lines where borders meet,
A canvas of sky, the earth beneath,
Whispers of change in every beat.
Far from the soil that birthed my name,
Roots untangled, a foreign flame,
In the silence, I carve my space,
A stranger’s heart in a new embrace.
Chorus:
Echoes of the unknown,
Through the void, I've grown,
Alone but never lonely,
Strong in this new home.
Verse 2:
Unable to explain the flight,
Of wings that no longer soar,
Dreams left undreamed in the night,
New ways to think about life once more.
What’s the next chapter? Many things are unfolding, including my search for a female producer. I’ll keep you posted as usual! :)
B.