Brazilian Artist Liniker Performs Live and Talks 'CAJU' Album

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Of It – Brazilian Artist Lineker Performs Live and Talks 'CAJU' Album

Episode Details:

• Title: Brazilian Artist Lineker Performs Live and Talks 'CAJU' Album
• Host: Alison Stewart
• Guest: Lineker, Brazilian Singer-Songwriter
• Release Date: July 18, 2025
• Air Time: Weekdays, 12:00 - 2:00PM on WNYC
• Event Highlight: Free concert on July 19th at Damrosch Park, 8 PM as part of Lincoln Center’s Brazil Week

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Introduction to Lineker and Her Latest Work

[00:09] Alison Stewart:
Alison opens the episode by introducing Lineker, highlighting her prominence as one of the top stars in Lincoln Center’s Brazil Week lineup. She mentions Lineker’s recent success, including a sold-out European tour and her latest album, CAJU, released in late 2024.

[00:09 – 00:57] Context Setting:
Lineker's CAJU is described as a concept album that narrates a one-day trip from Japan to Brazil, encapsulating themes of cultural fusion and personal journey.

Live Performance: "CAJU"

[00:57 – 05:55] Performance Segment:
Lineker performs the titular track "CAJU" live in the studio. The performance showcases her vocal prowess and the album's thematic richness.

Deep Dive into the 'CAJU' Album

[05:55 – 08:24] Exploring the Themes of CAJU:
Alison commends the performance and transitions into discussing the album's deeper meanings.

[06:06] Lineker:
"When I wrote this song, I was trying to figure out myself and wondering what is the next step of my life... CAJU is about that moment in life when you have to decide where to go next."
Lineker elaborates that CAJU reflects her introspection during a trip from Japan to Brazil, focusing on self-discovery, passion, and new beginnings.

[07:34] Letting Go of the Past:
Lineker shares, "I had to let go of the pain, the insecurity, the things that made myself less than I am." She discusses overcoming depression and how the support from her crew and spirituality was crucial in composing the album.

Meaning Behind the Album Title: "CAJU"

[08:24 – 09:12] Symbolism of CAJU:
Alison inquires about the significance of "CAJU."

[08:34] Lineker:
"Cashew is a very Brazilian fruit... it's the most exported fruit from Brazil, and I want this album to reach the world just like the cashew."
Lineker connects the album's global aspirations to the cashew fruit's international presence, emphasizing cultural exportation.

Recording Process and Musical Aesthetic

[09:12 – 13:11] Analog Recording Techniques:
Alison notes that CAJU was recorded on analog tape, highlighting Lineker's commitment to vintage sound textures.

[09:30] Lineker:
"It was amazing... the texture we achieved is something old, something from the past."
This choice underscores the album’s authentic and organic feel, bridging traditional Brazilian sounds with contemporary music.

Introducing the Band

[13:11 – 13:44] Meet the Team:
Lineker introduces her band members:

• Medeiros on piano
• Maxon Kennedy on guitar
• Akarina Sebastian on bass
• Edging in My Shadow on drums
  This section highlights the collaborative spirit behind CAJU.

Vocal Identity and Personal Narrative

[13:44 – 15:52] The Voice as an Instrument:
Alison remarks on Lineker's distinctive voice.

[13:55] Lineker:
"My voice is my legacy, my power, my way to give love to the world."
Lineker emphasizes her voice as a tool for expression and connection, particularly important as a trans black woman navigating the music industry. She aspires to use her music to inspire and foster love globally.

Creative Process and Inspirations

[14:36 – 16:23] Songwriting and Creativity:
Alison asks about Lineker’s songwriting process.

[14:49] Lineker:
"My phone is my best friend at this moment... I feel the energy from the studio, knowing that good songs are coming."
Lineker describes a spontaneous and intuitive approach to creating music, relying on her instincts and emotions.

[15:52] Influence of Her Mother:
Lineker discusses her mother’s impact:
"My mom is a very free woman... she’s always given me the support to be myself. She’s my huge inspiration in life."
Her mother’s free-spirited nature and unwavering support have profoundly shaped Lineker’s artistic identity.

Balancing Life and Touring

[16:23 – 17:00] Managing Stress and Relaxation:
Alison inquires about Lineker’s methods for relaxation amidst her intense touring schedule.

[16:34] Lineker:
"I love to sleep... I like to walk in the cities, I like to photograph things."
Lineker prioritizes rest and creative outlets like photography to maintain her well-being.

[16:47 – 17:02] Experience in New York:
Lineker shares her favorite NYC activities, including visiting Broadway shows like Wicked, hanging out with friends, and enjoying jazz bars like Smalls.

Final Performance and Closing Remarks

[17:25 – 17:47] Outro and Final Song:
Alison thanks Lineker for her insights and reminds listeners of the upcoming free concert.

[17:42] Lineker:
"Now we're going to perform a samba called My Yonga."
Lineker performs "My Yonga," showcasing her band’s vibrant sound and the album’s rich cultural influences.

[17:48 – 17:52] Closing Statements:
Lineker thanks the audience and reiterates the invitation to the concert:
"When Brazil is in the house, we make some noise. You guys are incredible."

Conclusion

In this episode of All Of It, Alison Stewart engages in a heartfelt conversation with Lineker, delving into the inspirations and meanings behind her CAJU album. Lineker's journey of self-discovery, cultural pride, and artistic expression is vividly portrayed through her discussions and performances. The episode not only highlights her musical talents but also underscores the importance of support systems and personal resilience in her creative process. Listeners are left anticipating her live performance on July 19th, promising an authentic Brazilian musical experience.

Transcript

[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. Lincoln center is currently putting on what it calls Brazil Week, a showcase of Brazilian artists and musicians. And no doubt my next guest is one of the biggest stars in the bill. Lineker is a Brazilian singer songwriter fresh off of a sold out European tour. She's performing music from her latest album called Kaju. Released late last year. Kaju is a concept album. It tells the story of one day a trip from Japan to Brazil. We'll hear more about that in a bit. Lineker is performing a free concert on July 19 in Damrosch park at 8pm but before then, she's with me now in studio for a live performance from her album. Welcome to wnyc.

[Lineker]

Thank you so much. What a pleasure to be here. Thank you for having us.

[Alison Stewart]

I'm very happy to see you. Are you gonna perform a song for us?

[Lineker]

Yes.

[Alison Stewart]

What are we gonna hear?

[Lineker]

We're gonna start with Kajou. So.

[Alison Stewart]

He.

[Lineker]

Sa.

[Alison Stewart]

Talk after that. That was so good.

[Lineker]

Thank you so much.

[Alison Stewart]

That was Lineker performing. The new album is called Casu. She'll be performing July 19th at Damros park at 8pm Tell us what that song was about.

[Lineker]

So when I wrote this song, I was trying to figure out myself and wondering what is the next step of my life. And I think that you know, the point on your life when you. When you have to decide where I go now, what I want, what I don't want more. And I think that casual is about that is about Imaginarium trip coming to Japan from Brazil. And in this time I had a lot of time to think about my life. A lot of time to think about my passions. A lot of time to think about my heart, to think about my new directions. And I think that all the songs from Cajou is about a new journey, about a new thing and new wishes in life.

[Alison Stewart]

What new passions came up from you for you?

[Lineker]

So I'm a cancer girl.

[Alison Stewart]

Me too.

[Lineker]

You too?

[Alison Stewart]

July 4th.

[Lineker]

I'm July 3rd. Nice. And I think that I've been growing about passion. I'm growing about love. And I think that when I was more young than now, I had another point of view. And I think that now I would like to live a passion with more care, with more time, with no rush, you know, I think that casual and all my songs is about to recreate myself to something bigger, into something more special.

[Alison Stewart]

What did you have to let go of?

[Lineker]

The pain, the insecurity, the things that made myself less than I am. And I think that I've been living a very special moment in my life. And Kaju is very special about this to me because I was going through a lot of deep feelings about depression, about hard feelings. And I think that when I decide to compose this song, when I decide to compose this album with all this crew, everybody hold me. My spirituality hold me too. And I think that is good when we have support to go on.

[Alison Stewart]

All right. I looked up cashew on the Internet and it said it's the fruit that's attached to a cashew. Yes, we know that's for sure. Does it mean something else?

[Lineker]

I think cashew is a very Brazilian fruit.

[Alison Stewart]

Yes.

[Lineker]

And when I decide to compose this album, I would like to do album very Brazilian, but album that I can explore more around the world. And cashew in Brazil is the fruit that we have more. How can I say this word in English? When we put the fruit to the other countries? Yeah. Exportation of the fruit is the most exportation fruit to the world from Brazil. And I think that this album deserves to go to the world as this fruit.

[Alison Stewart]

My guest is Lineker. You can see her perform as part of Brazil Week, part of Lincoln Center. She'll be performing on July 19th at Damaris park at 8pm So I read that you recorded the album on analog tape. Old school.

[Lineker]

Yes. Was amazing. Was very specific. Because I think that when you decide to record something like this, the texture that we had is amazing. It's something old, something from the past.

[Alison Stewart]

So let's hear our next song. We're going to hear from you. What are we going to hear?

[Lineker]

The song called Papu Deredon.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, I'm glad you said that.

[Lineker]

Yes. Okay. Yes.

[Alison Stewart]

My guest is Lina Kerr, the Brazilian singer and songwriter. She's performing as part of Lincoln Center's Brazil Week with a free concert on July 19th in Demers park at 8pm her latest album is called CAS. She's here in studio with her band. Would you please introduce everybody?

[Lineker]

And piano here with Medeiros.

[Alison Stewart]

Nice to meet you.

[Lineker]

And the guitar, Maxon Kennedy.

[Alison Stewart]

Hello.

[Lineker]

And the bass. And Akarina Sebastian.

[Alison Stewart]

Nice to meet you.

[Lineker]

And the drums, edging in my shadow.

[Alison Stewart]

So nice to meet you.

[Lineker]

The best musicians from the world.

[Alison Stewart]

And you.

[Lineker]

And I'm Lineker.

[Alison Stewart]

And you know what? You're sounds like a cliche, but your voice is your instrument.

[Lineker]

Yes.

[Alison Stewart]

How did you want to use your instrument on Kagu?

[Lineker]

I think that I've been discovering my voice since when I started to sing and since when I decided to put myself like this. Sing into the world. And I think that I can sing. I can speak to a lot of people coming from Brazil, a country that is very beautiful, but we have a lot of difficulties, too. Being a trans woman, a black woman. I think that my voice is my legacy, is my power, is my way to give love to the world. And I think that doing music like this, it is my thing, is what I like to do, and I want to keep doing this forever.

[Alison Stewart]

What is your process? When you have a song in your heart or in your mind, how do you go about getting it down? Is it the lyrics? Is it the music? Is it pulling out your phone app and singing into that?

[Lineker]

My phone is my best friend at this moment. I think that every time I feel that a music is coming, I'm feeling so excited and so happy, because when you know that a song will be a good song, your body talk, you feel everything. And I'm living this process right now because we dropped casual last year, But I'm feeling the energy from the studio. I'm feeling the energy of new songs, and my body's shaking because I know that good songs are coming. But I think that, you know, when you have to put out something special like this, I'm here to pass through the world what I've been feeling. And I think that music and passion is like this. We don't have how to control.

[Alison Stewart]

You may come by it naturally because of your mom. Your mom was a great dancer.

[Lineker]

My mom is a great dancer. Yeah, she is.

[Alison Stewart]

What made her special as a dancer?

[Lineker]

My mom is a very free woman. And I think that since I was a child, mom always gave me the support to be myself. And I think the more special thing about her, it is that she is herself. She don't judge herself. She don't put control about herself, and she just go there and dance and go to the samba and drink her beer and go to the night with her friends. She's amazing, which is my huge inspiration in life.

[Alison Stewart]

You have been touring internationally nonstop. What do you do to relax, to just take time for Linacre?

[Lineker]

I love to sleep, sleep, sleep always. I always try to live something like seven hours. And I like to walk in the cities. I like to photograph things.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, interesting.

[Lineker]

Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

I was gonna ask, you're gonna be in New York for a few days?

[Lineker]

Yeah, I arrived yesterday, and I will live on Sunday. But that is not my first time in New York. I'm always here. I love the city.

[Alison Stewart]

What do you do to enjoy New York City?

[Lineker]

So the last time I came with more time I went to Broadway. I went to what Wicked for the first time. And I have a very special friends here. And I go to a jazz bar called Smalls.

[Alison Stewart]

Smalls.

[Lineker]

Yes, it was a.m. go to the park, eat something. Always chilling with my friends.

[Alison Stewart]

I have been speaking with Lineker. She and her band are performing a free concert as part of Lincoln Center's Brazil Week. The concert is July 19th at Demeros park at 8pm we really appreciate you being in studio with us. Will you play us out?

[Lineker]

We love it. Thank you so much.

[Alison Stewart]

What song are we going to hear?

[Lineker]

So now we're going to perform a samba called My Yonga.

[Alison Stewart]

This is Lineker.

[Lineker]

Thank you. Dujika in the piano, Jevich Medeiros in the guitar, Maxim Kennedy. On the bass, Ana Karina Sebastian on the drums, Seging Machado. Thank you so much for having us. I hope to see you on Saturday at Lincoln Center. Thank you so much. When Brazil is in the house, we make some noise. You guys are incredible. Thank you.

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