The Mix 011: DJ Anderson do Paraíso

The bailes in Belo Horizonte are linked to folklore such as Capeta do Vilarinho and Loira do Bonfim. Do you think about them when you’re making music?

I just think about how much fun people will have listening to my music. Most of the time I’m focusing on bailes and parties.

Do you believe in witchcraft?

I believe in it, but I have no involvement.

What meaning does Padre Paraíso have to you so that it’s enough to have it in your name?

When I started, many DJs would use their first name and add the name of their neighbourhood or favela as their second name. I did the same, especially since I started producing music just for fun and never imagined it would grow into something so big that it turned into my profession.

It’s gratifying to carry the name of the place where I grew up with me. Paraíso has always been a very peaceful neighbourhood. It used to be quite bustling due to street events like music festivals and Festa Junina, but nowadays, those events no longer take place there.

In Rio’s favelas, children used to play games where they hung kites in their houses and tried to capture each other’s kites. What games did you play as children in Belo Horizonte?

In my day, it was flying kites, football in the street, stealing the flag, hide and seek, various games. Nowadays, I don’t see that many children on the street because of the internet.

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You have been using the tag ‘Queridão’ or ‘Kirido’ since 2016. Where did it come from?

There was a guy, Lucio, who lived on my street who called everyone “meu querido” [roughly translating to “my dear”]. From that moment on I started to use this on my music, and from that, eventually my alias would become “queridão” [augmentative of “querido”].

Is DJ Gordinho a notable character in your career?

A lot, mainly by his style, that made me want to learn to produce. Eternal DJ Gordinho da Lazer Digital [the phrase “eternal” is usually used in funk when talking about someone who has died].

Delano [who produced MC L Da Vinte and MC Gury’s ‘Parado no Bailão’] is also a big influence in starting the Belo Horizonte sound. What was the impact of his music when he appeared?

Huge, because his style of music is different from the rhythms we already heard. The lighter rhythm allows you to dance, and it draws a lot of attention. It was a new trend that was very successful and won over many people.

Because of Delano’s innovation here in Belo Horizonte, I also wanted to do something more local, but doing it in the style and way I like. Making music with lower tone instruments, people enjoyed it and I enjoyed it even more.

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You’re incredibly prolific, releasing countless songs in 2016 and 2017 in particular. How do you start making your tracks, what usually gets implemented first, and how long does it typically take you to make a track from start to finish?

It varies a lot, but before I listened to some acapellas to produce. From then on, I would start making the beat (bass, kick and percussion), after that I would look for some points (violin, flute or something like that). But I tell you, with simple things you can make a lot of good music.

You’ve worked with so many MCs over the years. How do you bring guests into your world? Do you give them a theme to start with?

Some I call, others call me, and so on. It varies a lot, because some already have the lyrics ready, I go and put the beat together. 80% of the time it’s like this, I let the MC create the theme on their own.

You seem to like a UK rapper called Tion Wayne, and on ‘Eu Vou Almoçar’, you add some bass wipes that sound inspired by drill music. Do you follow the UK rap and club music scene? If so, are there any other artists you like?

I started listening to the eternal Pop Smoke, and from then on I discovered Tion Wayne and Dusty Locane. If I let it, I can listen to their drill all day long. I love it.