New York Times chooses Xênia França as one of the best performances at GlobalFest
The 17th edition of GlobalFest was an exciting showcase of musicians from all parts of the world that were eager for international attention. The New York Times created a list of the eight best performances in that event, and Brazilian singer Xênia França was one of such artists.
The newspaper said Xênia had a remarkable presence on the stage with her powerful and touching voice, and she sang songs about love, hope, transcendence and pride. With the song “Respeitem meus cabelos, Brancos”, by Chico César, Xênia captivated the audience, thanks to her unique style and the fusion of hard rock and jazz in the chorus.
The singer was born in the countryside of Bahia and moved to São Paulo to pursuit a career as a fashion model before becoming aware of the power of her voice. After collaborating with other musicians, such as Emicida, Xênia had her first homonymous album released in 2017. Her influences of pop, soul and American R&B are combined with the Brazilian style of Margareth Menezes, Gilberto Gil and Olodum, rhythms that are part of the recollections of the youth of the artist. Her album was nominated for the Latin Grammy Awards 2018 and for the Women Music Award in that same year.
The solo album of the singer is composed of 13 tracks, 3 of them written by her: “Perfeita pra Você”, “Miragem” and “Pra que me Chamas”, this latter in a partnership with Lucas Cirillo. In such work Xênia combines her Bahian references with her experiences in the city of São Paulo, translating into music how it is to be a black woman from the Northeast region of Brazil living in the capital of the State of São Paulo. Fusing such elements with Xênia’s spirituality, the album addresses affection, heritage, intimacy, faith, anxiety and identity. The record is a synthesis of her development of self-assurance in a big metropolitan city in the Southeast region of Brazil.
GlobalFest is a highly respected festival that gathers artists from several countries during the conference of APAP – Association of Performing Arts Presenters. The conference aims for the professional development of the music industry. The festival takes place every January and attracts over 1,500 professionals from the music industry, plus journalists and fans.
Listen to the album “Xênia”: