Vital Stats
Age: Old enough to know better, young enough not to care.
Instruments: Vocals, piano, flute, a little guitar
Bands/artists you perform with: Chad Alger, my amazing guitarist! We've toured the country together quite a few times. We usually have a mini-zoo with us, including two dogs, Penny Lane and Juju, and sometimes even two cats, Chuck Norris and Suzuki Meowski. I'm crazy, I know!
Day job: Full-time musician
Hometown: Belem, Brazil and Chicago
Current residence: Ormond Beach
Type of music you perform: It's a mix of bossa nova, jazz, pop and folk
Repertoire sampler: Most of the songs I play are originals. I'm always writing! It's not unusual for me to write two or three songs a day. Here are some of the original titles: "Demais (Too Much)," "Somewhere," "Haven't Been Around," "Icy," "Carried Away," "So Far," "Modern Day," "Maria Waits," "In Love, Intoxicated."
Upcoming area gigs: 6-8 p.m. Oct 15 and 22, Vino 100, 175 S. Nova Road, Ormond Beach. 386-677-9800. Noon-4 p.m. Oct. 18, Dolphin View Restaurant, 107 N. Riverside Drive, New Smyrna Beach. 386-402-8859. 7-10 p.m. Oct. 30, Ormond Wine Co., 1108 Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach. 386-615-1001. 1-5 p.m. Oct. 31, Inlet Harbor, 133 Inlet Harbor Road, Ponce Inlet. 386-767-5590.
CDs: "Miles From Nowhere," $15, available at my shows or on iTunes or CDBaby.com. A brand new CD, "Brasilissima," is coming very soon.
Web site: monicadasilva.com
Age: Old enough to know better, young enough not to care.
Instruments: Vocals, piano, flute, a little guitar
Bands/artists you perform with: Chad Alger, my amazing guitarist! We've toured the country together quite a few times. We usually have a mini-zoo with us, including two dogs, Penny Lane and Juju, and sometimes even two cats, Chuck Norris and Suzuki Meowski. I'm crazy, I know!
Day job: Full-time musician
Hometown: Belem, Brazil and Chicago
Current residence: Ormond Beach
Type of music you perform: It's a mix of bossa nova, jazz, pop and folk
Repertoire sampler: Most of the songs I play are originals. I'm always writing! It's not unusual for me to write two or three songs a day. Here are some of the original titles: "Demais (Too Much)," "Somewhere," "Haven't Been Around," "Icy," "Carried Away," "So Far," "Modern Day," "Maria Waits," "In Love, Intoxicated."
Upcoming area gigs: 6-8 p.m. Oct 15 and 22, Vino 100, 175 S. Nova Road, Ormond Beach. 386-677-9800. Noon-4 p.m. Oct. 18, Dolphin View Restaurant, 107 N. Riverside Drive, New Smyrna Beach. 386-402-8859. 7-10 p.m. Oct. 30, Ormond Wine Co., 1108 Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach. 386-615-1001. 1-5 p.m. Oct. 31, Inlet Harbor, 133 Inlet Harbor Road, Ponce Inlet. 386-767-5590.
CDs: "Miles From Nowhere," $15, available at my shows or on iTunes or CDBaby.com. A brand new CD, "Brasilissima," is coming very soon.
Web site: monicadasilva.com
Taking Notes
Who or what inspired you to take up music?
My mom started teaching me piano at 3 years of age, and then when I was 6, I started playing the flute. I was always singing and putting on shows and directing plays. I was obsessed with musicals and performing for anyone who would listen. My sister, brother and I all turned out to be musicians. We started touring around together a few years back in high school. It was so much fun!
You sing in English, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian and French. What, for you, is the most romantic language to use when singing a love song?
Uh-oh, this is a hard one. Being Brazilian, I am of course very attached to Portuguese, so I guess I'd pick that. I love, love, love Italian, Spanish and French, too.
What was the most unusual or memorable gig you've ever played?
I played a crazy gig in New Orleans. It was at this cool club, unfortunately located in a very shady neighborhood. I brought my dog, Penny Lane, in for the show. Chad and I were opening up for my friend's band, the Nicholas Tremulis Orchestra. All the crazies in the club saw that I had my dog with me and decided to follow suit.
As the night progressed, more and more dogs appeared. Pretty soon the place was like a doggy daycare/bar. This super whacked-out lady kept telling me she wanted my dog Penny to breed with her dog. Freaky! I told her Penny wasn't interested and that she was fixed.
What musician/celebrity/historical person would you most like to have dinner with?
Ummm, I don't know. Maybe Mozart or Beethoven or someone insanely brilliant like that. I'd love to see how they were as people. I love eccentric characters.
What was the last book you read?
"A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey. Awesome story! I'm reading "Middlesex" by Jeffrey Eugenides now. I actually met him in Chicago. We went to the same gym.
What CD/tape/music is in your car/home stereo/iPod right now?
Brazilian Girls, Seu Jorge, Emiliana Torini, Francoise Hardy.
What is your favorite movie?
"Life Is Beautiful" and "Everything Is Illuminated" -- it's a toss up.
What was the best concert you ever attended?
Gosh, I'm bad with these things! Again, it's a toss up between Daniela Mercury or Seu Jorge. Both concerts were in Chicago, and people were going crazy over the Brazilian music and energy.
"If I didn't play music, I would ... ":
Probably be an actress or a travel show host. What a great job that would be -- getting paid to stay in the best hotels in the world. I love traveling. I also love cooking. Hmmm, maybe I'd have a cooking show.
"I'd sell my soul for ...":
Wait -- are you the devil?
Who or what inspired you to take up music?
My mom started teaching me piano at 3 years of age, and then when I was 6, I started playing the flute. I was always singing and putting on shows and directing plays. I was obsessed with musicals and performing for anyone who would listen. My sister, brother and I all turned out to be musicians. We started touring around together a few years back in high school. It was so much fun!
You sing in English, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian and French. What, for you, is the most romantic language to use when singing a love song?
Uh-oh, this is a hard one. Being Brazilian, I am of course very attached to Portuguese, so I guess I'd pick that. I love, love, love Italian, Spanish and French, too.
What was the most unusual or memorable gig you've ever played?
I played a crazy gig in New Orleans. It was at this cool club, unfortunately located in a very shady neighborhood. I brought my dog, Penny Lane, in for the show. Chad and I were opening up for my friend's band, the Nicholas Tremulis Orchestra. All the crazies in the club saw that I had my dog with me and decided to follow suit.
As the night progressed, more and more dogs appeared. Pretty soon the place was like a doggy daycare/bar. This super whacked-out lady kept telling me she wanted my dog Penny to breed with her dog. Freaky! I told her Penny wasn't interested and that she was fixed.
What musician/celebrity/historical person would you most like to have dinner with?
Ummm, I don't know. Maybe Mozart or Beethoven or someone insanely brilliant like that. I'd love to see how they were as people. I love eccentric characters.
What was the last book you read?
"A Million Little Pieces" by James Frey. Awesome story! I'm reading "Middlesex" by Jeffrey Eugenides now. I actually met him in Chicago. We went to the same gym.
What CD/tape/music is in your car/home stereo/iPod right now?
Brazilian Girls, Seu Jorge, Emiliana Torini, Francoise Hardy.
What is your favorite movie?
"Life Is Beautiful" and "Everything Is Illuminated" -- it's a toss up.
What was the best concert you ever attended?
Gosh, I'm bad with these things! Again, it's a toss up between Daniela Mercury or Seu Jorge. Both concerts were in Chicago, and people were going crazy over the Brazilian music and energy.
"If I didn't play music, I would ... ":
Probably be an actress or a travel show host. What a great job that would be -- getting paid to stay in the best hotels in the world. I love traveling. I also love cooking. Hmmm, maybe I'd have a cooking show.
"I'd sell my soul for ...":
Wait -- are you the devil?
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