You may be familiar with this name, as I mentioned it in my review of the Gilsons concert, where she was the opening act. This time, the Toronto-based artist returned to Montreal as part of a trio, accompanied by Mari Palhares on percussion and Samyle Carvalho on guitar and backing vocals. JØY, meanwhile, plays several instruments during her songs, including the triangle and kazoo, which I discovered that evening.
She began a cappella, her voice rising in a crescendo. She started with her own original compositions, such as A Calma Acalma and Vem, before performing a few covers of Brazilian classics, such as Morena Tropicana, which was very well received. The venue filled up as the evening progressed, mainly with Brazilians and fans of Brazilian music.
Some parts of the concert felt like spiritual ceremonies, with JØY occasionally attempting to express herself in French before returning to Portuguese.
“I am a Brazilian and Canadian singer and songwriter, and I come from northeastern Brazil,” she tells us.
The synergy with her musicians was palpable, particularly with guitarist Samyle, who had a smile on her face throughout the concert. In addition to her impressive guitar playing, she also provided backing vocals on several songs.
“The next song is about our thoughts on our worldview and how we use our time,” she says between songs. The party really got going when she sang Vumbora Amar and the whole room started dancing and clapping along. JØY seems to enjoy forró, a Brazilian music style from her region, the Northeast, while adding Latin and folk rhythms.
Curiously, there was no admission fee for the concert, as the artist opted for voluntary contributions, which the audience generously provided. Her manager, Ulysses de Paula of Showzaço Productions, was on hand to collect the contributions. He is behind many of the concerts by Brazilian artists in Canada.
She ended the concert with a walkabout, while the guitarist took over on vocals. She danced steps that seemed to come from her region, moving to the center of the circle surrounded by happy spectators.
“I’m going home with my heart full of joy,” she says in conclusion, before making way for the next group. My favorite was undoubtedly her cover of Tô Sem Você, a song I discovered this year and which is currently in my top three Brazilian songs.
This concert allowed Montrealers to discover her, and others to see her again, but it doesn’t seem like this will be the last time we see her in the city. She has a large network of Brazilian artists based in Montreal, and it was with them that she continued the evening in a more intimate “roda de samba” style, until we see her again on an even bigger stage than the Marche à côté.
