Simone Moreno

Brazilian singer Simone Moreno is back with the album Planetas (Soul Dog Records) a journey into the sun and around the world in a swirling, dancable orbit. The follow-up to the success Samba Makossa features afrobrazilian rhythms, pop, reggae and samba soul mixed with nordic melodies and aims just at one target: a constant, irresistable groove!
With all songs penned by Simone with her swedish band Os Lourinhos, theres a strongly personal mark in the music. Having toured together for more than 10 years, they have formed a heavy percussive sound that circles around Simones strong voice, in which there lies a concern that nobody can miss, whether you understand her billowing portuguese or not. On Planetas, Simone tells her story about Brazil, about her new life in Europe, about poverty problems, about gods and entities. She speaks of lifegiving water, and of the love that flows through the planetary system and sometimes reaches us here on earth.
Janana brings us to a market in north-eastern Brazil, where the old men bark, the accordions wail and the girls feet levitate an inch above the ground. In Zumb, a crazy guitar makes us dance all the way to Africa and in forr-reggae blaster Vida de co (Dogs Life), swedish rapper Timbuktu joins forces with Simone, as she snares about a life with no work, nor money.
Theres a song in Swedish: Fr alltid (Forever) - a duet with Hofstone, aka Anders von Hofsten, who leads Os Lourinhos and was Simones man for 11 years. Its a separation song and a very special melancholic mixture of Nordic melodies and Latin American groove. Bambaker takes us on a funk odyssey with bubbling organs and surdo drums, that touches down in Bahia, where the boys trance dance in popcorn baths and among saint images. Meu bem is a samba pop pearl with horns that smell of the 70s and the title track is a calm and fragile samba love letter. The album is closed with Galtico, a majestic reggae, guested by South African singer Andr de Lang.
Planetas is modern, yet eternal. Pure pop and a heavy rhythm feast in one. Do not be surprised if its found on the moon in 500 years. Its already out there in the galaxy flying, and ready to dance with you.
"Planetas" has received fantastic reviews and recently won the presitigous Manifest Music Prize (the indie equivalent of swedish Grammies) in the category "Rhythm"!

Short bio
Simone Moreno came to Sweden in 2001 from Salvador, after four albums in Brazil, where she is a well known singer: in Rio where she sung the samba and in Bahia, where she was a famed afro pop queen in the beginning of her career. First album recorded in Europe, Samba Makossa, was warmly received by critics as well as the audience, and she had a big hit in Sweden with Vem pra Bahia (Vi drar till Malm). She has performed in the Swedish Melodie Grand Prix, performed at the Polar Music Prize, celebrating winner Gilberto Gil, and was nominated at the prestigious Manifest Prize. She is also known to the house music crowd, for collaborations with producers/artists such as Rasmus Faber, SUMO and Tiger Stripes, and she has sung on various albums, ranging from childrens songs to choir projects. Above all, Simone Moreno is radiant and charismatic stage performer, and has been on a more or less constant tour to festivals, concert houses and club venues with her acclaimed band Os Lourinhos, going to the Baltic States, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Germany, Switzerland, USA, Japan, Brazil and Africa.
The magnetic lady from Salvador, Bahia is back. Come meet her among the planets and on the road!

Os Lourinhos:
Anders von Hofsten: keyboards, vocals.
Olle Linder: percussion, acoustic guitars.
Per Ekdahl: drums, percussion.
Andreas Unge: bass.
Jerker Eklund: electric guitars.
Sebastian Notini: percussion.
+ Horn Section at selected concerts!