What is the thread of this album?
SF: The thread of this album is the same for 15 years, we are always adding experiences, which are the live concerts, recordings, work in the studio, what the musicians will add and what artists that work with me, which is of great importance. What changes is basically my language when I do a new album, but the way of feeling it must always be something innocent, that is, we can never go to an album thinking that everything is won, when is not. When I make a new album is like taking a blank sheet, so I do not birth something new based on maturity, it does not make much sense to me.
You talked about Musicians, Jorge Dexler, how did this partnership arise and how it fits in this work?
SF: This partnership begins the day I heard "the age of heaven" which is one of the songs that I have in this record, it's his and When I heard the lyrics I thought I would like to have writen it (laughs). Even I thought I liked to record this music, because to me it makes sense. However, I made a contact with the Uruguayan singer Jorge Dexler, who has won an Oscar for best soundtrack, then I was fortunate he was very happy about because I wanted to sing this song but no as far as to sing it with me on this record. The song appears in duet with the author of the song and it was a very good and a very happy sharing, it's great when we realize that musicians like him, who has a more firmly established worldwide career, is generous enough to get excited about a duet with a song in my album, it was a time of great musicians sharing in a healthy and natural way.
This new work what adds compared to previous ones? Because there is always this comparison almost inevitable with your very striking previous album which is "indigo"?
SF: The "Indigo" was a very remarkable album especially the way it was done and it is very important to me because it was the record where I started writing lyrics, that is, I composed, when I start to translate all my language for words, which is more direct with people and to me, it is natural that the clothes suit me better. There turned out to happen and be a landmark album, was very fair to my way of thinking, living and feeling. "Looking up" has arise in this way, two albums after with great road through the middle, with many musicians. It is natural that it is straining our way of being in life and I think that you can hear it.
They consider you a nostalgic singer. Do you see youself in this kind of picture?
SF: I am without a doubt. I usually say that I am a non-practicing fado singer (laughs). I started singing fado when I was a kid. I am very feminine writer and am very Portuguese. I write a lot about the sea and all this leads us naturally to a great nostalgia, against myself and this is also reflected in the lyrics I write. I think this has to do with the Portuguese soul.
About what you like to write in your songs?
SF: I think like everyone else when you read a book and have that awakening: that funny'd never thought about it, it's about those moments I like to write and can happen in a conversation about anything on the road. It is inspiration that is what we need in everyone's life to breathe deeper every day. Now I'm almost doing a definition of what culture or art is? Which is a basic necessity in our life to walk with a fuller chest. That's what makes me write. What sets the artists? It is these moments when they grab the paper or guitar and say anything.
The Portuguese music is in good health and is recommended?
SF: We are so, because we have survivor and talented people, because to continue making culture in this country only people with a lot of vocation and geared to making art.
And tough?
SF: Yes, resistant, but also because we cannot live without ... for mental health reasons, of our own people around us and that there is a vocation. No one at this time is doing art in Portugal by interest.
