Meet Michele Castro | Brazilian Singer & Guitarist

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

Hi Michele, what do you attribute your success to?
I sing Brazilian music, which is in Portuguese and the majority of my audience here in the U.S. is English speaking. My focus has never been on what the audience would think about me: how I looked or how I was singing. I was never worried about what they thought of me. But I am very connected to myself and my truth, and the most important thing for me and what drives my music is how I connect to people through feelings and emotions through my music. I don’t think I am reaching out to them as much as they are plugging into the feelings I’m putting out and ultimately, we connect that way. I transmit my feelings through my music but it is not about their interpretation that drives me. I just want them to FEEL what I’m feeling and you don’t always need language for that. Most of the people who come talk to me after a show here in the U.S. say the same thing. I don’t understand the words you sang, but I completely feel what you were trying to express. I am true to what I feel and try my best to transmit that to others. That’s success to me.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I come from a very humble background. I grew up in the largest slum in Latin America. I never expected to be here in the U.S. or to have been as well received as I was when I got here. It wasn’t easy. I am still learning English, for example and I still worry about saying things correctly. I’m proud of how far I have come in the almost six years of living here, glad to have met all the wonderful people I’ve met at my shows and the friendships I’ve developed from those interactions. I don’t know where music will take me but I’m excited to have connections with people, new people, old friends. That’s what recharges me and I’ve learned to just stay true to my voice, to my story so people can really see me. I’m always honest with the audience about who I am and where I came from and that allows us to connect on a deeper level. It opens up a door for them to be true to themselves too. All I want people to know about me is that you get what you see, I’m just being myself here up on the stage.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Finns Manor for drinking and dancing Denver Beer Co for beers
The Med in Boulder (if it didn’t close during the pandemic 🙁 )
The Big Wonderful in the summer
Anywhere with pool or games, arcades
Mr. Oso for tacos
Bull and Bush for beers and good ambiance

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Ian Brighton, Victor Mestas and Raoul Rossiter who play with me and inspire me to be a better musician.

Website: www.michelecastro.com

Instagram: michelecastro_rj

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOSP6LDkkMU

Image Credits
Chris Medina Carla Alves Rob Slowinski