More than an excellent voice, Selma Uamusse is an incredible performer, with a contagious energy. On stage, her delivery is overwhelming and the public is not indifferent to the depth of her voice. Selma sings to us directly from her soul.
Selma Uamusse has always been linked to the music scene with projects like Wraygunn or collaborations with Rodrigo Leão, Throes + The Shine, Moullinex and Octa Push. Selma also explores theater and cinema, being regularly invited to act on different roles and films.
Her powerful voice, genius performances and versatility have led her to shine in diverse realms: from rock, to afrobeat, to gospel, soul and jazz bands, she has enriched her journey with different languages, always conscious of the social and political transforming power of music.
Her work reflects her path and being: a young and energetic singer that was a teenager during the golden rock period in Portugal, knower of the traditional north American jazz and soul songbooks, an expert in her vocal references (like Nina Simone, Miriam Makeba…), interpreter of African rhythms and sonorities...
But the refined blend that Selma offers is much more than a collage of all her artistic adventures. It’s a living and unique organism, individual, fresh and up-to-date in a surprising and unmistakable fashion.
Her debut album, Mati, which means "water" in the Mozambican dialect Changana, edited in 2018 and distributed by Sony Music, is a reflection of all Selma worlds, and lives between the machambas of Mozambique, the European nightclubs and the energy of rock music; between traditional African languages and rhythms, and electronic production charged with psychedelicism; between timbilas (Mozambican balafon) and synthesizers.
The link with her native land, Mozambique, is constantly present in this record. Many of the lyrics are written in local dialects changana and chope. Also, traditional instruments like timbila e a mbira, helped creating a genre that, curiously, is anything but a replication of the typical sounds from Mozambique.
If there is a musical encounter between Selma and Mozambique on her first album, there is also a spiritual encounter with the African continent. Produced by the precious hands of Jori Collignon (Skip & Die), it is heard as two simultaneous journeys - a geographical one, a visit to Mozambique, where the singer feeds on sounds and shares her identity; and an interior one, a spiritual map that is discovered while listening. Mati is, therefore, a manifesto to the harmony that surrounds us, a positive outlook of the world and its possibilities. An album that is simultaneously of struggle and hope for a more loving and free society.
“Mati” has already been presented in many prestigious stages such as Rock in Rio (Portugal) and SIM São Paulo (Brasil) the tour continues with acts in Germany, France, Poland and Mozambique.
PRESS
“As special» and unique», the attribute magical» will be one of those that we least use when we want to praise someone's work or character. For Selma Uamusse, however, it fits like a glove, never like hyperbole."
Lia Pereira in Blitz
"Selma besides being a very beautiful woman, 'owner' of a great presence on stage and with great power of communication, brought us the strength and warmth of Africa. (...) The public was not indifferent to the depth of her voice."
M João Oliveira in A Notícia
"One of the great talents of Mozambican art.”
José dos Remédios in O País
“Mati, the debut album by the Mozambican singer based in Portugal, crosses several sonorities that define her identity, such as African music, gospel, soul and funk, dominated by the expressiveness of the singer and her fusion spirit”.
Pedro Salgado | Sábado Magazine- ★ ★ ★ ★
“Excellent singer and performer, Selma has in Mati the reflection of all her worlds: gospel, the music fusion and the Mozambican soul. Energetic but also contemplative”.
Nuno Pacheco | Público Newspaper - ★ ★ ★ ★
“After all, it was increasingly inconceivable that one of the best voices of Portuguese music did not yet have a record in its own name”.
Miguel Judas | Visão Magazine