We already knew about her guitar talents, but what we didn’t know until last night was that Flavia Coelho also plays drums, keyboard and trombone. Yes, that’s right, as well as being an excellent dancer and storyteller.
It only took a few seconds for the Olympia to come to its feet when the Brazilian diva appeared on stage, dressed in a tight outfit, native-inspired boots and two ponytails, determined to set the hall alight. Indeed, seating made no sense when you know the boundless energy of Flavia Coelho, whom I like to call “the most French of Brazilians”.
Even her entrance to the stage was dramatic: lighting effects, a distant voice announcing her arrival, and off she went. 90 minutes during which the artist danced, sang and played several instruments, moving from one to another quite naturally. “I set myself the goal of learning a new instrument, and that’s what I’ve done,” she confides, before introducing a piece on which she plays the trombone.
Accompanied by her loyal producer and keyboardist, Victor Vagh, Al Chonville, her Martinique-born drummer who has been with her for several years, and a newcomer, Brazilian Caetano Malta, on guitar, she was well surrounded to deliver a show that festival-goers won’t soon forget.
She opens with “Sunshine”, from her 2009 album Bossa Muffin, on which she inserts her trademark ultra-fast rap. She interacts with her audience several times during the show, in both Portuguese and French, either telling them funny anecdotes or having them sing along to her choruses.
“I’ve just released my 5th album, Ginga, she proudly tells us before “Mama Santa”, the hit that pays tribute to all the women who have contributed to the artist’s upbringing, from childhood to adulthood. Probably one of the highlights of the evening.
She also shared some songs from the DNA album, released in 2019 like “Billy Django”, but also Mundo Meu, released in 2014 with “Por Cima”.
At times it felt like a Haitian evening, while at others it was like being transported to Kinshasa, much to the delight of the audience, who danced non-stop. She adapted her concert very well to the Nuits d’Afrique context, bringing back that Afro touch.
Of course, reggae remained present throughout the show, a genre she is particularly fond of. In fact, she gave way to her drummer for a few minutes of intense dub with reverb, while she replaced him on drums.
As is often the case at her concerts, Flavia invites an artist on stage, and it was none other than Griotte Djely Tapa who delighted us for a few minutes.
As an encore, we had my favorite song by artist “Temontou”, alluding to her admiration for author Dany Laferrière and his relationship with exile, before closing with the hit she created with producer and DJ Poirier, “Café com Leite”.
Niger’s Boubé opened the show in a trio format, also featuring in the program of the 39th edition of the Festival international Nuits d’Afrique with his desert blues. Naturally, Flavia mentioned Boubé during her concert, encouraging the next generation as only she knows how.
Photo Credit: Peter Graham
