Meet Fernanda Noronha | Singer and Songwriter & Cultural Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Fernanda Noronha and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Fernanda, other than deciding to work for yourself, what was the single most important decision you made that contributed to your success?
I think that the most important decision that I made that contributed to my success was never give up and believing in my talents as an artist and promoting my work, taking advantage of opportunities that were aligned or linked to the visibility of my art and what I produced as a cultural contribution to society in general. As an artist, for example, I created an attractive and quality phonographic portfolio, I sought to participate in festivals, events and promotional activities of artistic content that could promote me as a singer and songwriter and, as a cultural producer, I always promoted social activities that involved different communities and cultures, creating interaction and positive reverberation in the actions taken.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
It’s been 25 years of career, 13 honors and/or awards received, 11 of them in the United States, international tours, 2 albums of career and participations in several phonographic projects around the world, and even the titles of “Commentator of Bahia state – Brazil”, (the highest honor granted by the Legislative Assembly of this State, for the work of promotion of Bahia in the world, through musical and cultural activities) and “Cultural Ambassador of Brazilian arts in the world”. Certainly, in order to obtain such positive and encouraging recognition, there were also several challenges that made me think about stopping my artistic activities.

Fortunately, my love for art and my persistence in seeking my professional improvement, along with my personality of always overcoming difficulties, looking for alternatives that would allow me to continue my artistic skills, which kept me in the market and brought me where I am today professionally. It was not easy. The challenges happen every day but I decided to overcome the challenges, keeping me positive and being creative and persistent, reinventing myself and allowing myself to experience other ways that would cooperate with the reverberation of my art.

Fernanda Noronha (Biography):

Fernanda Noronha is a Brazilian singer-songwriter whose first album “Fernanda Noronha” was recorded under the You Music Records label in April 2005 in Brazil, produced by the American producers Norman Connors and Duke Jones. The Executive Producer was Clarence O. Smith (co-founder of Essence Magazine). The album was recorded in both, Portuguese and English, but only released in Portuguese. The English track version of the album had the famous singer Jean Carne as record/vocal producer.

Her second phonographic Project was an EP that was released in 2015 under Tribo Records in association with Ropeadope Records. The album features four songs of her authorship, and produced by Khari Simmons Cabral, Julius Speed and Darren Benjamin.

A big admirer of the Brazilian Popular Music and “Black Music”, her shows and performances include, not only material of her own creation, but also repertoire of Brazilian Popular Music (Samba,Bossa Nova and afro-brazilian beats) and International songs as well.

With a voice, marked with strong vocals, extended high and low keys, her sophisticated repertoire doesn’t sacrifice the popular appeal and the artist has been charming and drawing attention of a very diverse crowd of followers coming to her shows.

FERNANDA NORONHA’S AWARDS

2015 – Winner of the Brazilian International Press Award 2015 for “Best Female Singer Residing in USA”, presented by Focus Brasil Foundation (FL) and Globo International Television.
2015 – Winner of “Personaje Destacado” (Notable Individual Award), in the category “Artist”, presented by Mundo Hispánico Newspaper (GA)
2016 – Winner of “Notáveis 2015 USA” (Notable Individual Award 2015), in the category “Artist”, presented by Brazilian Times Journal (NY) and Brazilian Community Heritage Foundation (NY).
2016 – Winner of the “Portuguese Brazilian Awards 2016”, presented by Brazilian Portuguese Community (NY) and Radar Vip Magazine (NY) for “Notable Individual in the Brazilian Community in The United States”.
2017 – Winner of the “Brazilian international Press Award 2017” for “Best Brazilian Show”, presented by Focus Brasil Foundation (FL) and Globo International Television.
2017 – Honored with a photo of her in performance at the exhibition “We from Jazz” in 2017 by famous and prestigious Russian photographer Andrey Safonov, in Moscow – Russia.
2018 – Winner of the Brazilian International Press Award 2018 for “Best Female Singer Residing in USA”, presented by Focus Brasil Foundation (FL) and Globo International Television.

2018 – Honored as an International Ambassador for Brazilian Arts & Culture by Focus Brazil Foundation (Florida, USA).
2018 – Winner of “Notáveis 2017 USA” (Notable Individual Award 2017), in the category “Artist”, presented by Brazilian Times Journal (NY) and Brazilian Community Heritage Foundation (NY).
2019 – Honored as “Héroe de La cultura” (Culture’s hero) by Telemundo Atlanta (GA).
2019 – Honored as “Commander” of Bahia State by The Legislative Assembly of Bahia (ALBA) (GA), with the “Comenda 2 de Julho” award.
2020 – Winner of “BDO Live” (FL, USA) for “Best Brazilian Singer in USA”, singing the song “In an instant”, song composed by Fernanda Noronha & Peu Pereira.
2021 – Honored with “Iberia American Award for Culture and Arts” by FIBAC (Brazil).

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Atlanta is a city with a huge and very creative cultural scene. I would certainly be very happy for my friends to get to know this extraordinary city. Places like “High Museum of Art”, “Apache Cafe”, “Velvet Note”, “Rialto Center for the Arts”, and the “Buteco Atlanta” always guarantee beautiful shows with local and international artists and excellent entertainment for who appreciate activities related to the arts in general, especially music. If you can come in the North American summer, don’t miss the “Atlanta Jazz Festival”, an event promoted by the city of Atlanta and considered one of the twenty most important jazz festivals in the world, with a diverse array of renowned and emerging artists and which I had the honor of being part of its artistic program in 2015

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I dedicate this shoutout especially to my parents, my family, my Uncle Adilson, my fans and partners who have always supported my trajectory as a singer and cultural producer. I also thank my partner Peu Pereira for the partnership in the current cultural projects that we see doing together and also to dear Demetrius Williams for giving credibility and presenting my art through this respected vehicle of communication, the “Voyage ATL.com”.

Website: https://www.sugarloafentertainment.com/fernanda-noronha

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cantorafernandanoronha/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernanda-noronha-50587929/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/fernandanoronh

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fernanda-Noronha/464331873685367

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClJqK-CZKjGWWxPKxfGykVw/featured

Image Credits
One of the photos is by Demetrius Williams – photo with Fernanda Noronha and the guitar player Peu Pereira.