Text by: Carlos Albuquerque
In 2002, the many facets that coexisted inside Marco Aurélio Marinho – publicist, manager, entrepreneur, surfer, skater, yogi, environmentalist, candomblé devotee, broadcaster, curator, DJ and musician – became a single personality represented by his initials: MAM. That´s how he debuted with the sun-drenched “Brazilian lounge” album, alongside saxophonist Rodrigo Sha and keyboardist Davi Villefort. And it´s with this multiple and diversified profile that he has become one of the most active figures in brazilian pop music, inside and outside the country, mixing tradition and modernity, roots and electronics, party and activism, always with the motto “unity makes strength”.
– I´ve always liked to people together, to promote meetings, to call people to work with me -says Mam, who was born in Rio and has played in festivals such as Roskilde and Womad, in addition to performing at the famous Copacabana New Year’s Eve, in 2015 and 2019.
Mam’s frantic pace of production was not even stopped by the pandemic. Even isolated at home since march, he organized a festival (Sotaque Carregado Online), with 50 personalities from Brazil and Europe discussing from artistic exchanges to the female creative process; took part in a music project of indigenous rights, (Demarcação Já Remix), alongside artists such as Gilberto Gil, Chico César, Tropkillaz and Ney Matogrosso; and keeps releasing singles on his own label, Sotaque Carregado (the name refers to the accent of Brazil´s northern and northeastern population).
– Brazilian music is very fertile and you need to give it a go, even in these difficult times – explains Mam, who has just released the single “Sacolejo”, alongside Sha, and will soon release a single from Coral Guarani Tenonderá. – It´s a indigenous group from the Sapukai village, in Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro.
With costumes inspired by Oswald de Andrade’s anthropophagy and carnival – headdress, face paintings and white clothes – Mam struggles to maintain his own identity when the country’s culture – as well as the environment, education … – is under attack during the far-right government of Jair Bolsonaro.
– I’ve been cursed because of my look, I’ve been told to stop playing macumba, but I don´t care. I just keep going. I´m proud to take sounds from Brazil´s periphery to the world. My job is to act for art, to act for culture. Music is my life.