Some artists are musicians. Others are storytellers. Then there are those who transform life itself into a composition.
Amadis is one of those talents.
A singer, songwriter, educator and experience host, his journey is as fluid as the rhythms he creates. With roots in Lisbon’s vibrant musical scene, he refines his own sound and nurtures the city’s creative spirit, uniting people through music. Whether in the studio, on tour or during impromptu jam sessions, Amadis embodies presence, finding inspiration in the moment and encouraging others to do the same, digging deeper into ourselves and uncovering the people we truly are beneath society’s masks.
He is not just a performer; he is also a curator of experiences and a weaver of connections, seeking deeper meaning through sound. We are honoured to open our Creator’s Blog with this interview about life, love and the creative process.
Q: Music has been your passion for many years, but where did that love first take root?
Both sides of my Family are music lovers. One side musicians and the other side dancers! Through the eclectic music that they listened to, I began my own journey of dance and music, as far as I can remember!
Q: Were there any artists or individuals who deeply inspired you during your early years?
In my early years, I was definitely inspired by watching my father play and other family members at first, but I’d say that the very different styles of music really got me and certainly over time many known artists (too many to mention) had influences on me. I was an avid listener of sounds and melodies and perhaps individual songs were my ear candy as I loved to dance.. Later I would look deeper into different bands and artists and also genres, like funk, Afro music, reggae, neo soul, rare groove.
Q: At what point did you realize that music was not just something you loved, but something you wanted to create yourself?
There was this changing moment in my life, that felt like it was not enough to express myself with just words… and after a fateful meeting with a friend at a pub called The Old Diary, in London… I returned the following week as I had been taken by the open mic occurring while we conversed and that made me want to play. It was here the real beginning of my dance with music started and where I was inspired to create my own songs… by musicians that took me in and guided me and became friends.
Q: Producing an album is a huge milestone for any musician. When did that dream begin, and what motivated you to take that step?
The dream of making an album came at a crucial point in my life where things seemed to align and an opportunity arose and I was able to make a dream a reality when I met Jonathan Rodgers, the producer of the album. He was the missing piece in making this a reality. So I seized the moment. I had the band and this was the moment in which I could find my sound and my place in this journey in music. It took just over a year from planning recording and having the album mixed. There are always challenges when making music and trying your best to convey what is in your mind to everyone involved when making such work. Very personal and profound experience. Through it all I learned new things and I’m ready for the next one.
Q: What does the title of your album “1979 Dig Deeper” mean to you?
The song suspicious chicken is dedicated to my grandmother Leticia! While I was writing the song I approached her and asked her to help me write some lines in her language Umbundu. At this point she handed me a Bible written in Umbundo. Upon opening the book I noticed and it read “Printed in Plymouth, England” dated 1979! History has been changed and given to us by people that have sought to change the narrative of the world, so sometimes we have to dig a little deeper and seek truth. Have you ever heard of the slave Bible? I’ll leave it there…
Q: Your music is very present, very much about the moment. How do you navigate between planning and improvisation in your creative process?
The moment you play music you are opening a spiritual channel into the collective consciousness of the frequency of the universe and inspiration arises. Creativity is the outcome and when you’re in harmony, in an almost meditative state, it manifests. The creator can improvise, plan to create and recreate the same work in different ways. I don’t necessarily have a particular structure in which In my writing, composing, I have learned to catch the moments that bring forth fruits of imagination, creation and feelings that transcends our understanding.
Q: You have lived in different parts of the world and music has been your companion on this journey. What is it that you look for in the world around you?
I guess as I travel, I keep my ears ever ready…arriving at a new place, new languages, delicate smells, listening to new instruments, the excitement of learning new scales and rhythms. While playing and jamming with musicians that share the same frequency creating lasting memories through sound that will forever be a part of the journey, binding people alike for a better understanding of humanity and love.
Q: You are deeply connected to the Lisbon music scene, and your “blind jams” bring people together in unexpected ways. What inspired you to create these experiences?
I had a deep connection with the music scene in London and this is certainly happening more and more in Lisbon. The blind jams were born out of this very process. It’s my way to continue to contribute to the very process that helped reach where I am today. I was asked by a friend to create a cool musical concept for an event in Lisbon and via Jose Saramago’s book Blindness, and the desire to create a jam that enhanced the experience of musicians, no matter what level, to play together and listen to each other. After an experience that I had playing blindfolded in India, left a mark on me… so I decided to mix the idea with jamming, for everyone and so the Blind Jam started. One of the persons that experienced it, said she felt free to sing and express herself while not seeing, but just listening. It is deeper than just participating, it brings all kinds of psychological factors into play when you can only listen, it helps to create more space and energetically bring the music together.
Q: Beyond performance, you are also an educator and experience designer. What role does teaching and community play in your journey?
I was helped and encouraged by many unknowing educators, great musicians that became friends and guided me along the way and in the same vein, to share what I have learned about making music.
Q: Music is often a reflection of life. How do you personally stay in balance? What’s your secret to happiness?
Maybe everyone has theirs, but balance is for me a key to contentment. Respecting the balance between us and nature, in this ever changing world. Understanding the energies that are for us and the ones that do not serve us. Nina Simone said “… the artists are the mirrors of the world… ” So I keep it simple and try to expand my knowledge and sing for the freedom of all peoples, physically and mentally.
Q: Many artists have a philosophy that influences their approach to creativity and life. Do you have one that resonates deeply with you?
Maybe my philosophy is more tied with nature and with fair survival and non destruction… all the experiences that I have had so far in my life have given me gratitude, sense of value and resilience to continue to make music and write new songs. My experience as a human being, an observer, was mostly a reflective expression. There is so much to learn that as the human paradigm shifts happen, future philosophies will make us work closer with nature and truly prosper… music is my philosophy!
Q: Looking ahead, what excites you most about your creative journey right now?
I’ve been writing and planning a second album, with the preliminary title “From the root to the fruit” and there’s a song that I have been singing quite a bit called “How does Love grow” so I feel really good about this second album, hopefully we start recording next year. But new music is definitely on the way.