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Titica

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Titica
Birth nameTeca Miguel André Garcia
Born (1987-06-26) June 26, 1987 (age 37)
Luanda, Angola
GenresKuduro, Pop, Kizomba, Semba, World Music, Rap
OccupationSinger
Years active2011–present
LabelsLS Produções, Banzelos Nation

Titica is an Angolan singer and dancer, who is a kuduro musician. She was named "best kuduro artist of 2011".[1]

Career

Titicia's popularity stems from the artist's ability to fuse different styles into her ability and embracing her uniqueness in the Angolan music industry. Her stage name is Portuguese for worthless or useless; she chose that stage name to reclaim the hateful words that people have thrown at her as a trans woman. Her success in the industry combats the homophobic and transphobic sentiments that exist in Angola and globally. She combines her training in ballet with traditional kuduro dance styles to portray a unique and personalized brand of femininity and control over her body.[2]

Early career

Born Teca Miguel Garcia in Luanda, Titica began her career as a back-up dancer with acts such as Noite & Dia, Propria Lixa and Puto Portugues.[1][3] Her first recording of a single was unplanned. She had only been intending to help Noite & Dia with inspiration to develop a chorus for a track, and the studio session resulted in recording Titica's voice for the track. This experience began Titica's music-recording career. A year later, in October 2011, she recorded “Chão” and became an international success, particularly within Angola and the Angolan diaspora.[1][4]

Influences

Titica is very public about her Congolese background and the influence that this has on her music. In her Red Bull Music Academy lecture in Berlin 2018, she discusses some of her influences: “I have a Congolese background. I listened to lots of music from Congo. Pépé Kallé [and] Koffi Olomide, who inspired me a lot.” She further states that her music combines kuduro with the Congolese genres Kallé and N’dombolo.[4]

Another source of Titica's inspiration is female kuduro artist Fofandó. Titica discusses this influence in the same Red Bull Music Academy lecture, “One of the most important female artists in the kuduro scene was Fofandó, who is the queen of kuduro. You hear around the world, in Brazil they say that I’m the queen of kuduro, but kuduro has a queen who inspired us and I looked up to.”[4]

Activism and Advocacy

In 2013, she was named a goodwill ambassador for UNAIDS.[5] Through this role and her international popularity, Titica has increased awareness of HIV risks and treatment, sexual health, and issues regarding the LGBT community.[6] In her statement with UNAIDS, Titica shares, "I have been beaten and stoned for who I am. I have suffered so much humiliation but I am ready to lead by example and help overcome stigma and discrimination in my country and beyond."[7]

In addition to her platform as an internationally acclaimed public figure, Titica spreads awareness about these issues through the lyrics of her music. In her 2012 collaboration with popular Angolan singer Ary, “Ohla O Boneca”, Titica makes “a bold stand for equal love.” BBC also reports that her 2016 release “Abaixa” featuring DJ João Linho “became an anthem for how to fight homophobia in Angola”.[8]

International Performances

Titica performed in Brazil in 2017. where she released her song, "Capim Guiné" with the group BaianaSystem in Rio de Janeiro.[9][10]

Present 2011–2012: "O Chão..." and "Olha o Boneco" song

On 15 December 2011, Titica announced her first work called O Chão. With the gorgeous single "Olha o Boneco" featuring the African-Portuguese Ary. The song joins a few kuduro moving and 'créu'. It was released for the first time on 'Cultura Angolana Radio'. In Portugal and Brazil the song has stayed in first place on the music charts for 3 weeks in Portuguese program TOP + and 7 weeks in Brazilian show Rolando Música.

"Olha o Boneco", had a lot of success in discos, and TV shows in the PALOP (African countries whose official language is Portuguese) and some European countries. Titica in this song wants to give a message to the sexuality of some people in a few sentences she makes her meaning «outrora fui bailarina, agora sou à menina» and when Ary sings «venho de forma diferente, e quem quiser que comente... bem ou mal é de mim, porque estão falando assim»; that we are all different but all human, all equal, just "one love".

The second song of O Chão's album is "Ablua", recorded in Angola. The third single is known as "Chão Chão" and is included on the bonus track album.[1]

Pra Quê Julgar? – 2018

Pra Quê Julgar? (Why Judge?) is the third studio album by singer Angolana Titica. The songs are sung mostly in Portuguese and Angolan Portuguese, but there are also songs in French and in Lingala. The release of the album was preceded by the release of some promotional singles that were incorporated into its tracklist.[11]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Redvers, Louise (2012-04-12). "Transsexual artist Titica takes Angola by storm". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved April 12, 2012.
  2. ^ Young, Hershini. “‘Sound of Kuduro Knocking at My Door’: Kuduro Dance and the Poetics of Debility.” African American Review, vol. 45, no. 3, 2012, pp. 391–402., doi:10.1353/afa.2012.0037.
  3. ^ Pauron, Michael (2012-07-28). "L'Angola en transe avec Titica". Jeune Afrique (in French). Retrieved 2017-10-05.
  4. ^ a b c Mistry, Anupa. "Titica". Red Bull Music Academy. Red Bull. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  5. ^ "Angola's transsexual UN ambassador". Open Society Initiative of Southern Africa (OSISA). 2012-02-29. Retrieved 2017-10-05.
  6. ^ "Titica". Okay Africa. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  7. ^ "UNAIDS appoints Angolan music icons, C4 Pedro and Titica as National Goodwill Ambassadors". UNAIDS. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  8. ^ Spencer, Clare (12 October 2017). "Trans Angolan pop star Titica shakes her way to success". BBC. BBC. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  9. ^ "BaianaSystem e angolana Titica antecipam show no Rock in Rio com clipe". Diario de Pernambuco (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2017-09-22. Retrieved 2017-10-05.
  10. ^ "Cantora angolana Titica leva o kuduro ao Brasil". Deutsche Welle (in Portuguese). 23 September 2017. Retrieved 2017-10-05.
  11. ^ "Pra Quê Julgar", Wikipédia, a enciclopédia livre (in Portuguese), retrieved 2018-06-23
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