BRAZILIAN STAR MARIA GADÚ TALKS EXCLUSIVELY TO HOT PRESS AHEAD OF HER SOLD-OUT DUBLIN SHOW

Reflecting the massive success she has enjoyed in her native Brazil, singer Maria Gadú sold out her Button Factory show well in advance – and deservedly so.

Vibrating with traces of samba and afrobeat, Gadú’s self-produced 2015 album Guelã was hugely popular in her home country and received a Best MPB (Brazilian Popular Music) Album nomination at the Latin Grammy awards. It will be fascinating to see how what is an excellent album translates onto the live stage.

Gadú is coming to the end of almost 18 months of promoting the record, and recently filmed one of her concerts, to document the current Guelã-inspired stage show.

“The tour overall has been wonderful so far,” she enthuses. “It has a very different sound and has been a spectacular experience”.

Is there a big difference between Guelã and Gadú’s other albums?

“Time influences our work,” she replies. “We start reading and listening to other things. The artist's work is reflective of what he or she lives. My first album was more acoustic, and had a Brazilian tonality, because that was what I was into at that time.”

Listening to Guelã, I can't escape the feeling that it calls for an intimate style of concert. Gadú isn't so sure.

“There are controversies. It is an exceedingly alive show,” states Maria. “People expect a more intimate show, but this one is our rockiest yet”.

Fans may not be aware that Gadú actually played on the streets of Dublin's Temple Bar for two months, when she first came to Europe, all of ten years ago. “It’s funny that now I’ll play at a venue in Temple Bar,” she laughs.

The singer has special memories from her first visit to Ireland.

“The busker experience was wonderful,” she says. “The street musician profession did not exist much in Brazil back then. Over here, people gave so much value to street artists, which made me feel very good as a musician.”

Gadú notes that the Brazilian community is currently booming in Dublin – and anticipates an amazing night in the Button Factory. Having come back to Europe many times, but never to Ireland until now, her sense of anticipation for tomorrow night is high.

“I am really looking forward to coming back with more maturity, and new experiences and memories," she says. "It’s very exciting: Dublin brought me many beautiful things.”

2017 will bring the Guelã tour officially to an end. But we can look forward to the release of the aforementioned concert DVD. After that, the singer wants to study and travel in search of fulfillment and inspiration. “Gradually as an artist you feel an emptying," she observes. "Your creative energies need to be replenished again.”

However she will not be going completely off our radar. “There will be new projects," she explains, "but I will try to leave next year as light as possible since I’m turning 30!”

• B&M Productions presents Maria Gadú at the Button Factory, Dublin on October 20.