Ivete Sangalo: “Gil will feed us forever and ever”

My first memories with Gil come from his album covers, when I started to recognize that artist’s voice and associate it with his image. And also putting his music on the radiogramophone we had at home, which my dad had bought. So, I remember Realce, Luar, Extra.

I loved several records, several songs. When I started listening to Gil, under the influence of my older brothers, I had no idea who he was, but I recognized his voice. And through the album covers, I started to understand a bit of Gil, his behavior and vibe.

Through the records, I started to realize which songs were written by him, which were most of them, and which by his partners. A lot of that I brought to my own life.

There is this force in Gilberto Gil, because not only does he make beautiful songs, but he brought on my taste for music, arrangements, the band. My interest in these things came from him.

I met Gil at a situation in which he made me completely comfortable. This was long ago. He made sure not to leave me cagey, embarrassed by something, by being his fan, liking him so much and being there with him.

It was as if I realized, in that presence, something else in Gil that I didn’t yet know: a joy, a lightness, a sweetness in talking and hearing. I’ve known Gil for a long time.

I remember us bonding and him always inviting me to a lot of singing events. I sang in a Carnaval trio with him (Expresso 2222), in the Paris Olympia. He was always extremely careful, a true partner.

And this extended to his Family, Flora, Preta, who today is one of my great friends. Our relationship grew slowly, and he never let me falter. He was always very open, a very nice guy. That made me like him that much more.

And that was that: I was crazy about him, his songs, his records, his story. And there, having that slow contact with him, I realized the reason for all the poetry in his songs, because he is a guy who loves poetry.

I started owning all his records. Naturally, we started to have a sync. It wasn’t on purpose, something like “I’m going to be Gil’s fan.” It was really natural. As Gil released the albums, my brothers bought them. I wanted to hear more and started to ask for the records.

I’m the youngest in a family of six children and was very influenced by my brothers, especially with music. I remember us gathering to open the new albums by Gilberto Gil and other figures like Djavan, Caetano Veloso, singers who inspired me:

Gal Costa, Maria Bethânia, Nana Caymmi, all the women from Gil’s generation. When I started seeing Gil on TV and his concerts, I started identifying with that artist, with his performance. The identification was immediate. I thought he looked good on stage, in his relationship with the band.

As a musician, he plays guitar beautifully and has a voice totally unlike any other I’ve heard. I became a huge fan. He can always make himself new, recover something in himself. I think that’s genius. In my top 10, he was always first, because of everything I’ve said.

Beat Beleza was a very enjoyable album, but with very bold arrangements. And “Balanço Black” had king of a Gil vibe, because I liked the way he sang, his rhythmic divisions.

Gil is a fan of Luiz Gonzaga’s forró music, of Jackson do Pandeiro, some guys who gave out a rhythmic thing of the highest quality. He heard a lot of these guys and created a very particular interpretation. And I loved the way he divided the songs.

Then, as we say here in Bahia, I “went all out,” [“botei queixo”] and asked him to record with me. He immediately said yes, and the song came out delicious. I was a beginner and, next to Gil, I still am.

I had never gone to Paris and singing with him in such a regarded theater, with him blessing that performance, was very nice, very special. The year Brazil was playing the World Cup in France, I had followed Gil’s tour there, because I was touring with Banda Eva.

When I wasn’t on stage, I went after Gil to hear him sing.

I remember enjoying the sound tests, a very pleasurable thing. This experience of being with him was awesome. An emotional memory of a time when I got my backpack and went for things.

I have a lot of Gilberto Gil in me, and one of the strongest suits is Carnaval. He is a guy who thought me millions of things just by watching him. Gil is that guy that we can say “doesn’t drop the ball.”

You go into a Gil concert and the vibe is always incredible. The concert is a bomb, a power. He has a way of interacting and leading the concert, he dominates it. He never drops the ball.

And I brought this to my Carnaval, this Gil Carnaval, this personality, this attitude. He is a frevo guy, a guy that relates very intimately with the Carnaval in Bahia, obviously a son of this land, but who understands things from Bahia.

So, I have that, this Carnaval being, this happiness of his, this shaking on top of the stage when a song is joyful, happy, Carnaval.

I think the world, from time to time, needs people who come ready to translate a series of things that we, normal human beings, aren’t able to do. And then comes a guy like Gilberto Gil, extremely creative, emotional, sensible.

He can really throw into his songs experiences that seem like ours. Experiences of his, his search for knowledge. He throws into his songs his understanding of questions about the world. And he leaves an absurd musical talent, knowing how to weave all this together.

His knowledge with words is weaved into his musical talent. Gil means so much because his content will feed us forever and ever. And that is his legacy. He leaves at our disposal a popular, sophisticated, lucid, crazy work.

I think he is a “multi” guy, and that is why he will leave a lot for everyone. Especially, obviously, for the culture in our country and the world. Gilberto Gil is and will always be mentioned when it comes to culture, force, identity, and address.