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Bebel shot to fame in 2000 with Tanto Tempo; bolstered her position as the female face of Brazilian music worldwide with the eponymous Bebel Gilberto and is now back with her third solo album - Momento.

“If you find any musician that knows how to describe their music they are full of shit.”

The first album was filed under the label electro-bossa, the second went for a more acoustic feel and Momento slips in somewhere between the two, Bebel explains. “I took a lot of risks trying different approaches, experimenting with sounds and getting away from the perfection of the studio. This one is about my feelings and views.”

In Bebel’s view what she does is not bossa nova, a label she is doing her best to escape. When asked what kind of music it is she was dismissive, “If you find any musician that knows how to describe their music they are full of shit.”

Bebel lived in London for a while and clearly still has an affinity with the city, hinting she could be convinced to return to the place that makes her both lonely and complete

The majority of the album was written by Bebel herself but it also contains three impressive covers; ‘Caçada’ by her uncle Chico, ‘Tranquillo’ by Rio producer Kassin and a bossa-jazz version of Cole Porter’s ‘Night and Day’. It’s a mixture of Portuguese and English and Bebel has no problem flitting between the two, “it just depends what comes out.”

Momento was recorded in three different cities; five tracks in London, three in New York, some in Rio and others somewhere in between. “It’s strange how it affects you,” she told me in her near perfect but heavily accented English, “depending on the city you are in, you see things differently. It’s really amazing to see how you are influenced by the environment.”

At least two of the ‘London’ tracks (‘Closer to You’ and ‘Azul’) have a distinctly melancholic feel to them while ‘Tranquilo’ recorded in Rio is considerably more upbeat.

Bebel lived in London for a while and clearly still has an affinity with the city, hinting she could be convinced to return to the place that makes her both lonely and complete. “There is something about the culture, the eccentricity, the people, the inspiration… It’s in the middle of Europe” and, she jokes, “I speak English but not French.” Bebel currently lives in New York, as to where home is, it’s inside her luggage, and no we can’t expect a return to Brazil.

“I never thought I could but I can. It was a big challenge, a big responsibility but very nice.”

She has a strange relationship with Brazil: it is of course the country where she was born but also the place she left in 1991 to escape the pressure of her father’s fame (he is know simply as O Mito, the legend). She released two albums before leaving to moderate success but Tanto Tempo the CD that brought international acclaim failed to cause much of a stir in her homeland. Bebel is quick to dismiss that observation and insists things are changing; she doesn’t make music for Brazil anyway, or America or England for that matter - she just does music.

Bebel does however feel a certain responsibility to Brazilian music; since the days when the ‘Girl from Ipanema’ (written by her father) charmed the world, it has become “lost on the map” somewhat. But things are getting better and while she takes her responsibilities seriously she is happy to take some of the credit for the improvement.

As well as writing most of Momento Bebel co-produced every track — an experience she thoroughly enjoyed. “I know I shouldn’t dare but sometimes we have to try,” she cheekily admitted. “I never thought I could but I can. It was a big challenge, a big responsibility but very nice.” Bebel’s taste for control means the influence of other producers such as Guy Sigsworth is much less obvious than on previous releases.

She also admits that production is something she is keen to do more of; her two previous albums were both followed up by remix versions so perhaps we can expect a Bebel mixes Bebel EP? Bjork, Beck and Air all appear on the list of those she would like to produce though her uncle Chico Buarque is clearly the favoured option, “I don’t think he’d have the courage to do that but I’d love to try.”

Momento is out on V2 Records on 2 April and Bebel will be returning to perform in London on April 27th as part of the La Linea festival.

Links:
www.bebelgilberto.com
V2
More about the concert