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The deities of Salvador da Bahia are omnipresent in the songs of Virginia Rodrigues. Her music is based on Bossa Nova, combined with Afro-Samba, Samba-Reggae as well as lyrics and rhythms taken from the Afro-Brazilian religions of Xango, Yemanja and Ossain. The song cycle Mares Profundos, which Brazil's "new voice" (New York Times) will be performing at her concert, was penned by the composers Baden Powell and Vinícius de Moraes. This young woman, who grew up in very modest circumstances, was discovered during theatre rehearsals by Caetano Veloso, who was immediately captivated by her untrained yet very clear, warm and powerful voice. He helped her to produce her first album. In the summer, Caetano Veloso and Virginia Rodrigues will be appearing together at New York's Carnegie Hall. Virginia Rodrigues never tires of stressing the importance of her African heritage; she is a vehement critic of the racism in Brazil. "I sing for people with African origins," she once said. "I sing for Orixás, the gods of the Candomblé religion, for the earth, the water, the air, for myself and for us".
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