Multi-Talented Brazilian Pop artist, MANDA, has just released her Self-Titled EP in January. The EP is a collection of uplifting, positive, productions combined with stunning lyrics and beautiful melodies.

PopWrapped (PW): First off, congratulations on an amazing EP. I want to first talk about being a Brazilian pop artist in Nashville – the heart of country music. How has being in Nashville influenced your sound and how to do you stay true to your Brazilian roots?

MANDA (M): Thank you so much! I originally came to Nashville to study music at Belmont University and I didn’t know then that I would be a latin pop artist. Belmont gave me the space to figure out what kind of artist I wanted to be, and Nashville, being a city that draws people from all over, gave me a community that supported me and my creativity. Nashville is the kind of place where people want to see you succeed, and they genuinely want to help you do it. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a healthy dose of competition in Nashville, but people have come to the conclusion that if we help each other succeed, we’ll all end up succeeding in the end. We make it together in this town. Because of that, I stay in Nashville – I know it’s not a hub for Latin music, but we Latinos have a way of finding each other. Plus, my music is so different from other Nashville artists so, the way I see it, it’s pointless to compare myself with the artists here because I’m doing my own thing. At the same time, I’m inspired by the many songwriters and artists here—the drive they have to make it and not compromise themselves while doing so. Although Nashville doesn’t have a huge Latin scene, my music is still heavily influenced by pop, which is growing quickly in Nashville. I stay true to my roots by incorporating Brazilian and latin rhythms. All of my songs have a latin beat or some kind of latin percussion. These rhythms come naturally to me, as they remind me of the Brazilian songs I listened to growing up, and pop music today is so heavily influenced by latin music, that it is second nature for me to combine these influences into my music. As a multicultural American, I choose to include all languages I speak in my music. Brazilian-Portuguese was my first language, and because of the sheer Latin American presence in the US, I also write in Spanish. Many Brazilian artists sing in Spanish as well as Portuguese because we have so many Spanish speaking neighbor countries. I love switching between English, Spanish, and Portuguese in my songs like in “Yo Misma” and “Solo Necesito.” Plus, it makes the writing process more interesting because if I can’t express something in one language, I have two other languages to choose from! I also love how inclusive it is; I like that people from all over the world can hear a line in these songs and feel heard. 

PW: The first track of the album is “Feel Alive”, is an upbeat, very Brazilian track. It talks about kicking back and just letting the music feel you and as you say, ease your mind. Who would you say are your musical influences for this track and what do you feel when you hear this track?

M: Feel Alive” embodies Brazil. When I hear it, I think of celebrating life, culture, dance, and song through all the hard times. The song is influenced by Brazilian samba songs but with a modern, pop twist. The producer, Alex Rivas, and I introduced elements that are distinctly Brazilian like the samba beats, gang vocals, and the use of the cuíca instrument that is unique to Brazilian music. Alex really helped the song come to life. He was able to add that Latin element while also staying true to the Brazilian roots of the song. When I hear this track, I think about how despite how hard we all work and how tired we are, with community and culture, it’s what makes life worth living. 

PW: “Find it Here” talks about taking shots of patron at the bar with men that will end up forgetting you exist if you don’t end up going home with them – a story that many women and even men can relate to. Do you have any personal experiences with this that may have been apart of the development of this track?

M: While I do love a good night out dancing, this song is more about witnessing a close friend look for love in all the wrong places—in a bottle, in a club. That’s why the song starts with going out with a friend who ends up ditching me to get attention from a guy who won’t even remember her if she doesn’t go home with him. I’ve been through that situation many times with friends, but this song is not meant to shame anyone. With “Find it Here,” I really wanted to express that even if you are frustrated in seeing your friend accept less love than they deserve, you have to stick by them and remind them of their worth. The dating world is complicated and hard, and it’s difficult to know the love you deserve when you’re still working on figuring out who you are. I think a lot of people can relate to both people in this situation, whether they are the one who wants what’s best for their friend, or the one who’s trying to find love. Emma Klein and I had such a fun time writing this one. Emma’s one of my best friends, so it’s easy for us to get down to the vulnerable stuff. I think that’s why it is one of my favorites from the EP.

PW: “Thick Skin” a collaboration with Danny G, another fantastic emerging artist that PopWrapped has had our eyes on for quite some time. Danny and yourself are represented by the same team, what was it like working with him on this collab?  Was there anything special you felt that he brought to the track that stands out to you?

M: Danny G and I have been great friends for years now—he’s  practically  a second brother to me; he was my husband’s groomsmen in our wedding!—so, writing together comes easily for us. We loved the idea of writing a song between two friends that was like a conversation demonstrating both the love they have for each other and the concern they feel when they are displaying bad habits and ignoring them. I definitely couldn’t have done this one without him, as it’s a duet and based on the unique sibling-like friendship we have. Plus, danny G added so much to the song with his songwriting; he practices the craft more than anyone I know. We felt this song provided listeners with a new perspective, and it was so fun to write! It’s also been great working with Innovo Management on this project. Sam Saideman, Co-Founder and CEO of Innovo, has done so much to help us with this release. He’s a huge supporter and a great friend of ours. The whole Innovo team made sure that everything with the release went smoothly so we could focus on the music. 

PW: Finally, what do you hope that your audience as well as our audience takes from this collection of tracks that you crafted oh so beautifully? Additionally, of course we have to ask, what is next for MANDA and what do you plan to do while we’re having to limit ourself during covid times?

M: I hope that people can dance around to my songs and have fun! Even more than that, I hope people can feel the culture and community that my music emulates, relate to it, and feel heard. Up next, I plan to release a music video for “Thick Skin” with danny G and release a website—so, be on the lookout for that! I also can’t wait for shows to start up again because when they do, I’m going to have a huge, over the top show with lots of dancing. In the meantime, I’ll be writing new songs with my favorite people! Thanks so much for chatting with me. 

MANDA’s self-titled EP, “MANDA” is out now on all major music streaming platforms.