As ARgENTUM’s Flagship Store Manager, Vera Araujo is both the face of the brand and a true brand hero ~ warmly welcoming clients, suppliers, influencers, collaborators and other members of the team ~ explaining the products with authority and charm ~ and delivering a fragrance reading with artistic flair and perceptive empathy. So she seemed the natural choice to curate the HERO soundtrack. Her birthday is also in September, so this is her New Moon and the archetype resonates with her.
For Vera, the HERO is a very feminine figure ~ the strong, courageous woman ~ and her soundtrack consists entirely of women artists, and is a homage to all the heroic women in her life. Included in this female Valhalla are her father and her nephew. Devotion is a key characteristic of the HERO archetype and family and friends are of the utmost importance to Vera, as is her homeland ~ Portugal ~ and its cultural cousin across the Atlantic, Brazil ~ the Old World counterpart leaning into yearning and melancholy and the New World counterpart leaning into carnival and joy. Alongside these influences of heritage which came from Vera’s mum, everything rock, punk and blues came from her father, who was heavily into the music coming from the US. In fact, the most amazing revelation was that Vera, whose mastery of the English language is impeccable, improved her vocabulary from a book called “A perola branca dos blues ~ poemas de Janis Joplin” – Joplin’s lyrics, side by side in English and Portuguese. She deserves a Mercedes-Benz. Or at least a night on the town.
Haja o que houver – Madredeus
This band doesn’t exist anymore, but I love Teresa Salgueiro’s gentle singing voice that embodies the strength of women waiting for their men at sea. The title translates as ‘Come what may’ capturing the women’s longing, not knowing whether their men would return alive. This is a good example of Portuguese guitar ~ we say the Portuguese guitar ‘cries’. Very melancholic, the crying of our souls. This is for my mother, a constant presence – a super powerful woman.
Sodade – Cesaria Evora
These first four songs are about back home and my childhood with my family. This artist is from Cape Verde, 10 islands off the coast of Africa which used to be Portuguese colonies. Cesaria has a beautiful voice and I used to love listening to her back home. I don’t speak Cape Verdean Criole but understand quite a bit. There is not a specific translation of ‘sodade’ but it means that feeling of longing. Here, a longing for home, the place I was born. This song has a very special place in my heart.
Talkin’ Bout a Revolution – Tracy Chapman
My dad loved female voices and he loved Tracy Chapman. And my group of friends listened to so many different styles of music but when we heard Tracy we just stopped everything and listened. This is the track we used to listen to at home and I love her gentle voice, gently getting her message across – a soft revolution, that mirrored her own experience of being the only black girl at a boarding school. She wrote this aged 16.
Cry Baby – Janis Joplin
My mum and dad were amazing human beings. We were all allowed a voice at home. I speak loudly and express myself through fire. Sometimes outside the bubble of home I’ve been told to calm down. Pah! My dad loved Janis. The epitome of hippiedom. And she is loud! Mum didn’t much like the shouting but we all got so much joy out of listening to her incredible emotional and powerful voice. And we all read that book to better understand the meaning behind the words!
Yes It’s Fucking Political - Skunk Anansie
Into my teenage years, discovering my own music, outside of the influence of home, exchanging ideas with my sister, cousins and friends – music was everything! Grunge, Punk, Nu Metal, Post Punk…and here was Skin, a London girl with a very raw gentle voice – a ruthless voice. She was the first one that was a woman’s voice singing my style of music – she rocked my world immediately. And of course – everything is political. If you don’t care about anything no-one will care back.
Vogue – Madonna
Madonna – she was everything to my generation. I’d never been into Pop but she was the female version of Cool Pop. Very powerful, very sexual, absolutely her own person – a Queen. She expressed herself in any way she saw fit. She re-invented herself many times and made many sacrifices to be true to herself – dignity, love. It takes a lot of courage. Courage and sacrifice – key HERO traits. She paved the way for women for both my and my sister’s generation. She was key for both of us.
If I Ain’t Got You – Piano & Vocal Version – Alicia Keys
This was my best friend Sandra’s and her sister’s favourite. It’s a beautiful song. I’ve seen Alicia Keys live with my sister and am impressed with the artist she is – expressing such joy doing her job. She has an incredible voice and started writing songs very young – about love, longing – putting things that matter first, over material stuff.
Esta Melodia – Marisa Monte
Brazilian Marisa Monte is my favourite artist. I saw her live for the first time in Rome this year. I love everything she does. She reminds me of when my sister and I still lived together in my parents’ house – dancing, trying to do a bit of Samba. Brazilian music is pure joy, sexy, happy – we danced non-stop, in our element! The Brazilians also have this feeling of longing, but they do it in a joyful way – the nuances of the Portuguese are so interesting. The more I study my language the more I love it. Brazil calls!
guerrera – Valeria Castro
This is my only Spanish song. It means warrior. Valeria is the youngest singer on my soundtrack. The lyrics are lovely, very gentle, about a powerful fighter. It’s for Jacquie (ARgENTUM’s financial director) who, in hospital with cancer, fought for her life until she could fight no more.
My Love Mine All Mine – Mitski
Mitski is an American singer. The younger generation absolutely love her. Another gentle voice – an easy listen. It’s for my nephew, Jamie. Mitski is his favourite artist. I’m expressing my love here for my nephew – I think he’s amazing.
Chuva no Mar (feat. Marisa Monte) – Carminho, Marisa Monte
Carminho, a new generation Fado singer, invited Maria Monte to sing with her. Fado is often considered very traditional but new artists like Carminho bring new life, new blood to it. I really like her voice, it cries along with the Portuguese guitar. It’s a unique piece. The title means ‘Rain on the sea’. The sea is always being invoked. The song speaks of the power to transform yourself, water upon water, weeping together. Portugal and Brazil together. Carminho sings in the movie ‘Poor Things’ which brought her worldwide fame.
Proud Mary – Tina Turner
There are a number of powerful black superstar American singers. I chose Tina Turner. She’s brilliant. She has that voice. She touches me in a different way – along with Tracy Chapman she connects me to my tribe in London. When I’m with my friends – us girls – we make a point of playing Proud Mary and find ourselves dancing. And Tina Turner is a true HERO. She went through so much. She would not be defined as the woman who suffered at the hands of her husband. She became a bigger self. She became a successful woman, a loving woman, a happy woman. Proud Mary reminds us all of that.
Listen to the HERO Soundtrack, curated by Vera Araujo:
