“Linn da Quebrada, to me, represents the new voice of Brazil: a black Brazilian woman flaunting her intellect as much as her queerness. She is honest and assertive in her art, speaking poignantly about race, sexuality, sex work and the politics of her transgender identity. She’s a young phoenix making dance music that lifts your spirits as much as it is a direct reaction to the transphobia plaguing Brazil and the world” – Mykki Blanco, guest editor of Dazed, August 2018
“I am fighting for a place in the social imagination, I am fighting for the chance to occupy a place in your mind.” This is Brazilian singer-slash-rapper Linn da Quebrada speaking with intent, straight to the camera, in a new Dazed film directed by Valter Carvalho.
Da Quebrada is a trans rapper from the favela, a riotous performer whose sound mixes funk carioca and hip hop, a club-ready foundation for her sociopolitical message. She’s released her debut audiovisual album “Pajubá” (think Brazil’s answer to Lemonade), announced a European tour, and been the focus of a documentary called Tranny Fag, where she describes herself as a “Molotov faggot”.
In our film, we head backstage with Quebrada after a show in Lisbon where she’s hanging out with her performance partner and close friend Jup do Barrio, the two posing together, discussing their history, and planning their future.
“I met Linn da Quebrada in São Paulo last year where she performed alongside my boyfriend, Mykki Blanco, in a night of joyous and raucous performance,” says director Valter Carvalho. “By the time Linn and I met, I had listened to the majority of her work and was a huge fan. I knew the power of her music and the content of her lyrics were breaking many boundaries for her community; both Brazil at large and all Portuguese-speaking countries. What I experienced that night during her performance changed my own perception of the Brazilian funk genre and the role of femininity in it.”