Sarah Roston’s debut single "Eu Incomodo" (I Bother), directed by producer Ed Côrtes, has gained more than 20,000 views so far since its release earlier this month. The song is a melting pot of funk, soul, reggaeton and traditional Brazilian rhythms livened up by Roston's raw vocal talent and the video, filmed in downtown São Paulo, aims to challenge the country's far-right political regime drawing inspiration from the neglected communities currently under threat. The song sends the message of always expecting and hoping for the best, spirited by the groove-based music and dance choreography.
Sarah Roston grew up around different communities and cultures that define Brazil. She always expressed herself through art but the world of music captivated her. She always knew she wanted to be an artist , just as his brother, Saulo Roston, who is also a musician. Saulo opened many doors of opportunity to Sarah and from then on, good things started to happen on her career. She participated in "Na Voz Delas", a TV programme where young singers interpret national and international music by artists who have marked musical styles of certain times.
Roston has worked closely on her EP with Ed Côrtes, an internationally respected Brazilian composer and musician who has worked on different projects such as film soundtracks (including the Oscar-nominated 'City Of God'), contemporary dance and ballet music, as well as chart-topping Brazilian pop hits. Sarah was working on a play about Amy Winehouse when she met Cortes and immediately after , the two started working together to explore and express their interpretations of Brazilian music.
In 2019, after a meeting between the music company Audio Network and Ed Cortes, it was clear that Sarah was a major talent in waiting and Audio Networks reelase her current single.
- What got you into the music industry?
The will to create a Brazilian body of work for world pop music.
- Who inspired you to start doing music?
That is a hard one, Brazil is very musical, there are many cultural habits that include music and many traditional parties throughout the whole year. I have a very musical family, at home we listened to all great music idols and have watched them making everything look so easy. To mention a few of them I would say Gilberto Gil’s “brazilianess”, Simonal’s elegance, the love in Michel Jackson’s voice, Elis Regina’s energy and presence, Tim Maia’s groove and Beyonce’s swag. Singing is beautiful magic.
- What you enjoy the most about your career?
I love the shows, to feel the crowd, to surrender myself to the song and dance. Those moments are pure happiness in my life.
- Can you tell me more about your latest single “Eu Incomodo”?
I needed to talk about “Brazilian Funk” and bring forward the reality that we all live and feel. Transforming the hard aspects of daily life into music and dance is what keeps us enduring, Brazilians are the masters of that.
- What inspired you to write this song?
Many things, to live here is to have great joy and imminent pain, at any time.
Many things happen here, there’s a repression towards funk music just like there was to samba many years ago. There is hypocrisy from the majority of people who try to diminish the beauty of this art expression, but at the same time “…when no one is looking, you get down to the floor”.
To talk about Brazil, even whilst living this reality, it dances, it sings, creates, embraces and shares; always happy.
- How was the recording and the writing process of the song?
it was beautiful, I had my friend and producer Ed Cortes by my side. I said that I wanted to talk about Brazil, it’s people and the funk, so we made a funk song that talks about the funk! in the process ideas of typical melodies from the times of slavery emerged alongside percussion elements from different African religions where the beat of the funk was born.
- What would you want to transmit with this song?
I wanted to transmit the power of our happiness that also lives in the chaos.
- One thing that caught my attentions was that you decided for your video to be in black and white. Why black and white?
When we thought about the script, we thought about filming what bothers people but also celebrating: vivid realities, homeless people, gay couples, trans bodies and Drag Queens along with happy young bodies dancing. Because we didn’t use any actors, there was no costume preparation, or even colour palette, everything was organic, real people with their own clothes at that time, so the choice of a black and white image was a way to give a sense of unity to the many universes that we filmed.
- What is your favourite part of the song?
In the minute 3:37 when I say a few words, the percussion rises up, I salute an Orisha, then the chorus comes back and we dance like there’s no tomorrow.
- What is going to happen next in your career?
There’s a magical EP coming up which I did with my brother Saullo, who also features on one song on this EP. it has many brazilian elements and we sing in both languages Portuguese and English, talking about love, very POP driven.
