Gal Costa died on November 9, 2022, however, one of the greatest voices in MPB will continue to live and be immortalized by the street blocks that will parade at the São Paulo Carnival in 2023. with the intention of taking Gal’s songs to the streets of the city during the party.
Acadêmicos do Baixo Augusta, one of the most traditional in downtown São Paulo, will have the theme “Atentos e Fortes”, in reference to the song “Divino Maravilhoso”, written by Caetano Veloso and immortalized in the voice of Gal in his first album, released in 1969.
Wilson Simoninha, a samba dancer, son of Simonal and one of the participants in the procession, told the CNN that a feature of the block is always to pay homage to an iconic personality in Brazil. In 2020, the chosen one was Elza Soares. For 2023, it’s Gal Costa’s turn.
“Gal has always had a relationship with Carnival throughout her career”, explains Simoninha. “It was also a way for us to combine the two things: the great and wonderful artist that Gal is and her relationship with Carnival”.
For this year’s parade, which takes place on Av. Paulista with Consolação on Sunday (12), the Academicos do Baixo Augusta invited Olodum, the singers Céu and Marina Senna, as well as Sophie Charlotte, who plays Gal in the artist’s biopic. In the repertoire, there will be Divino Maravilhoso and other songs that were immortalized in Gal’s voice.
Tarado Ni Você was born to be a block in honor of Caetano Veloso. However, in 2023, the honoree will be one of the greatest partners of the singer from Bahia.
Mari Santos, singer of the block, said that the objective was to bring a purposeful image, of reconstruction and value to life for this year’s Carnival. “The death of Gal Costa was an absurd blow and an inestimable loss for the culture of Brazil. We felt that Gal represented all of Brazil that we think about for the future and that we cannot forget”, she says. The theme is “Gogóia”, in reference to the song “Fruta Gogóia”, recorded in the voice of Gal.
The Pagu parade, made only by and to represent women, also chose Gal Costa for the 2023 theme. Mariana Bastos, one of the creators and organizers of the block, told CNN that, after Gal’s death, they could not fail to honor it this year. “She was an artist with an immeasurable legacy.”
Pagu always features songs by iconic singers in its repertoire, but this is the first time that it will honor a single figure. This year, the theme is “Divinas Maravilhosas”, in reference to the song “Divino Maravilhoso”. The singer Ana Cañas participates in the block, which will have costumes for the members of the cortege to represent each of Gal Costa’s phases.
In São Paulo, there are also ones that were created with the aim of honoring Gal in every parade, not just in a thematic procession. The Bloco do Prazer refers to the song of the same name and emerged in 2018, after the organizers noted that the São Paulo Carnival needed one inspired by Gal Costa, as there are already Tarado Ni Você, Explode Coração (for Maria Bethânia) and Filhos de Gil (to Gilberto Gil).
In an interview with CNN, Francisco, one of the founders of the Bloco do Prazer, says that the desire to create the parade came precisely because there was not one that was completely dedicated to the singer. A block was then created with a repertoire composed of songs recorded by Gal.
“For this year, we’re going to make the parade in a special tribute and we’re going to continue honoring her entire repertoire, with the theme to reinforce all the adjectives that represent Gal”, he says. The theme of this year’s Bloco do Prazer is “Eterna Profana Divina e Maravilhosa”, in reference to Gal being eternal and the songs “Vaca Profana” and “Divino Maravilhoso”.
In 2023, the Gal ToTal block will also debut. Zu Laiê explained that the procession was created by a collective of women who also sing at Samba Bruta Flor, but who were looking for a welcoming space for children, women and older people in Carnival.
The choice of theme for the block had to be made to finalize registration in November 2022. After Gal’s death, the female procession decided to honor her. “When Gal passed [deste plano para outro]many people sent me messages because they knew about my personal relationship with Gal, how important she was to me”, he says.
“So I made this decision with the girls, to pay homage in a block format”. “Gal is fundamental to understanding Brazil from an aesthetic, musical, historical, artistic and geographic point of view”, explains Zu Laiê.
In the repertoire, the female block puts several songs recorded by the singer from Bahia. The differential is that the block is stopped in a square, so that children and elderly people can follow the party.
The pre-Carnival in São Paulo starts this Saturday (11) and also takes place this Sunday (12). Carnival is between the 18th and 21st of February, while the post will take place on the 25th and 26th. The complete schedule is on the São Paulo City Hall website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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