Selma Uamusse (Mozambique/Portugal)

• country:Mozambique
• style(s):World
• label:Ao Sul do Mundo
• type:Band
• gender:female
• instrumentation:electronic, percussion
• artist contact:Ao Sul Do Mundo

Line up

• Augusto Macedo (keyboards, bass, percussion)
• Gonçalo Santos (drums, MPC, cavaquinho)
• Milton Gulli  (guitar, backing vocals)
• Nataniel Melo Rego (percussion)
• Selma Uamusse (vocals)

Links

• Website
• Mozambique live at Eléctrico
• NGONO UTANE VUNA KUDIMA (live)
• SONG OF AFRICA (live)
• No Guns (oficial videoclip)
• Instagram

Singer, author, songwriter, performer, sometimes actress, Selma Uamusse was born in 1981 in Maputo, Mozambique, and has been living in Portugal since 1988. She is a Mozambican emigrant woman, who fled her engineering training and now emerged in music in several of its aspects, in the country she chose to embrace, Portugal.
Vocal in social issues that disturb her, a woman who moves in faith and compassion for others and who looks at society as a whole, a kind of global village that worries when one of its parts does not work well. And here lives the inspiration of the songs of this ordinary citizen who chose music as a vehicle for the transformation of society.
The energy she transfers in her live concerts through the strength of the dances that she performs, the strong and very projected voice or the looks and hugs she often offers are just a reflection of the lyrics that accompany her songs, often sung in Mozambican languages such as changana, chope and macua, as well as the Mozambican polyrhythms and polyphonies that she has always sought to rescue in her songs through the use of traditional Mozambican instruments.
Her debut album, "Mati", which means "water" in Changana (one of the three most spoken languages in Mozambique), released in 2018 by Ao Sul do Mundo and distributed by Sony Music, produced by the precious hands of Jori Collignon (from Skip & Die) was widely praised by national critics, having been presented on several prestigious national and international stages, on a tour with more than 60 concerts around the globe, such as Portugal, France, Mozambique, Brazil, Poland, Spain, USA, Brazil, Luxembourg and the Czech Republic.
Her most recent album "Liwoningo", which means Light in chope languages, was released in 2020 and produced by Guilherme Kastrup, a Grammy-winning producer for the albums "A Mulher do Fim do Mundo" and "Deus é mulher" by the acclaimed and also awarded Elza Soares. This is an album that accentuates the African intangible heritage of Mozambique, an Africanity that continues to inspire lyrics and melodies, but that mixes around the world, in themes and arrangements, some closer to the tradition of folklore, others that wander between electronic, rock, afro-beat and experimental, always keeping the power of rhythm as commonplace, of the African language or sounds, making room for other influences, of Portuguese and Brazilian music." Liwoningo" features the incredible participation of the Brazilian band Bixiga 70, Mozambican artists Chenny Wa Gune, Milton Guli and Lenna Bahule and Korista Mbye Ebrima from Gambia.
Selma Uamusse's musical training went through Hot Clube de Portugal, a renowned jazz school that she sometimes still accompanies in orchestra mode. It was in this same school that she created in her own name the projects Souldivers, Selma Uamusse Nu Jazz Ensemble and Tribute to Nina Simone, where she collaborated with Ana Bacalhau, Rita Redshoes, Marcia, The Legendary Tigerman, Luisa Sobral, Elisa Rodrigues, Gospel Collective, among others. She participated in albums and shows by several artists such as Samuel Úria, Maria João Pires, the composer Rodrigo Leão, the musician Moullinex, Medeiros/Lucas, You Cant Win Charlie Brown, Joana Barra Vaz, Orquestra Todos entre outros.
Selma Uamusse's powerful vocal instrument and performative genius have led her to shine in the most different musical genres, from projects such as WrayGunn, Cacique'97, Gospel Collective or Rodrigo Leão, and her versatility is also recognized in theater, cinema and visual arts.