Todays MiamiEncode artist interviewis with Laura de Vasconcelos, notable as she forges ahead in recent years. We are big fans of her output so thought it would be a great time to get in touch and find out more about her, whats important to her and what she is up to next.
My DJing style is a bit more experimental. It’s about playing what speaks to me, and mixing tracksthatarenormallynotputtogether.SoIbringgenresandinfluencesintomyworkina way it gives that experimental feel to how I play. All in all, I bridge a wide-ranging House and disco, classics and rarities to create raw and energetic sets. That is my signature. My job as an artist is to innovate so I can explore more. I appreciate artistic freedom to play what I feel inspired by, and the sounds that relate to my musical background, experiences, and preferences. The result is that I start off at one place, then I add more complex and unusual cuts, building up until I bring it sonically together. And I’m always on fire that everyone is following me along.
I’ve been actually experimenting with AV. I just released a series of music-videos, self produced and shot from scratch
I was revisiting a collaborative work with Annabel Guérédrat, a fabulous French contemporary dancer.Itwasbackin2013and2014,andIwassamplingKraftwerkforthesound installation we developed during her performances in Paris, Biarritz, Bourge and Martinique. That inspired me to dive into mixed-media work, so I rescued my camera and from that, things just came together. I invited some friends, who are dancers and performers and we brought to life a series of stunning city landscapes, mixing sound, dance and movement. The landscape evolves into a visual soundscape, in which my intention is not only to portray, but to evoke. And they are absolutely gorgeous artists. Those wacky ideas I have and they embark with me, I can’t believe it haha.
Whatmessagewouldyouliketoconveytothepublic?
Iliketocreatesomeupliftingtensionthatrarelypeaks,butalsorarelyresolves,deploying sophisticated voices and rhythms. Because my sound reflects my state of mind, my experiences and also what’s happening in the world around me, I have to live up to the challenge of bridging such disparates to reflect those stories. And I want everyone to feel freetobewhotheyare.Iamanautisticartistinthisindustry.Iliketheideaofpeoplejust being themselves, not conforming, but having fun, meanwhile.
Howdoyoumakemusic?Whatismostimportantforyou?
I have to be passionate and inspired by the music I play, which is very carefully curated, mixed and thought. I don’t keep records for the sake of my collection. I want to play something different, evocative. I want to design an experience for people on the dancefloor that is fun and warm and sexy. Otherwise I feel I’m just like any other DJ, playing the same music as everybody else’s, conveying the same feelings and experiences…
Isthereaunifyingconceptbehindyourart?
Well, I’m an old school clubber from the 90’s. That plays a role in how I sound and the music I like. I want to give clubbers of today a glimpse of that. However, there is a wide rangeofgenresbeingmixedtogetheranditisthewholesetthattellsthefullstory.Ithink being from Brazil helps me travel through different influences. I feel what unifies my work are sophisticated voices and rhythms that wash off inertia and keep your ears away from numbing repetition. It brings a lot of energy into play, it’s fun and extravagant.
Whatmakesyouunique?
To start off, I am an autistic woman DJ, that is already a lot. But I feel like my background alsoplaysahugeroleinthewayIcaptureandinteractwithmusic,thatmakesmeuniquein thescene.Thathelpsmetoblenddifferentpatternsthatmightsoundraw,butitalsogrows into something more classy. That brings a lot of that energy I mentioned to the dance floor. I want to fire things up and playthemusicIlike,thesoundsIfeelinspiredby.Thereisabit ofmadnessinthat,it’suntamed,butit’salso sexy.
Asforyourstudio,whatisitcurrentlycomposedof?
It is very basic, actually. I’m a minimalist and use mostly two Technics turntables, a mixer, a pair of speakers, headphones, my vinyl collection, an audio-recorder, a camera, a computer, and Persian carpets.
I really like the piano. Every time I hear it, it works its magic. I used to play piano as a child and it is still with me. When it’s played in a track, it works every time: the crowd goes wild haha
Doyouhavehopeforthefutureofmusic?Howwouldyoulikethefutureofthemusic industry to be?
Thatisatoughonetoanswer.Thereisalottounpackifyouwanttobehonestaboutwhat the music industry is, what it could be or what I want it to be. For me, there is neurodivergence; being a woman also plays a role in a still male dominated industry.
Well, you get the gist. I’m not fully optimistic, but I hope to see an equal opportunity, treatment, and influential roles for queer and women voices. Things did change in the past 10 years, but there is still a long way to go.
Can you reveal some future projects to us?
For now, I can only think about vacations haha I have planned forty days on Brazilian shores. But rest assured I will come back to fire up the dance floors. This winter will be a long one. Apart from that, I will see what comes. I am very interested in audiovisual and I have been producing and directing videos, adding mixes and finding new creative collaborations. I don’t always know ‘what’s next’, I prefer not to treat my life as a business plan. But AV projects have been taking my time and creative energy lately. Not knowing is maybe how I reminisce about a somewhat punk naivité, but it also keeps me on my toes, fresh, and helps me to resist the sometimes crippling pressure to conform to adult life.
What makes you happy?
To have time. Do you know what I mean? I think I am all-in for slow living. Taking my sweet time to play music, to get involved with my AV experiments, but also nature, travel, read, watch movies and to have close friends around. I am a slow burner, and taking my time to be present and enjoy the things I am discovering makes me happy.
What annoys you?
The glorification of busy. Busy became the new ‘fine’. ‘It is fine’. No, it is not fine. It is just another way of pretending we are ‘on the right track’. I think it is the wrong way of being comfortable. We all need time for feelings and emotions, you know?
Connect with Tamara on Facebook and Instagram. Nashville-based Australian-born singer/songwriter Tamara Stewart is one of Music City’s most revered creatives, having established herself in the city since relocating in 2014. However, she has flown somewhat under the radar in the UK until now, and all that is sure to change as a new potentially career re-defining chapter commences for the esteemed performer. As a songwriter, Tamara has penned […]