‘Your love has carried me’

This is the year of Ludmilla!

The popular Brazilian singer-songwriter is thriving as the most-streamed Afro-Latina artist worldwide. From a personal standpoint, Ludmilla is living her best life with her stunning wife as they recently had their first baby, Zuri, back in May.

Beyond motherhood, the star just released her first R&B album, Fragmentos, and collaborated with powerhouses in the music industry including bisexual Grammy winner Victoria Monét.

It’s no surprise that she’s has earned millions of followers online as her talent, artistry, and passion for LGBTQ+ equality has helped launch her to global success.

Check out PRIDE’s new interview with Ludmilla below as she talks about her new record, illustrious career, and love for her passionate queer fans all around the world.

Congratulations on all of your success! Your new album Fragmentos is now out and you’re expanding into the R&B genre. What inspired you to explore this genre for this new record?

Ludmilla: Thank you so much. Fragmentos is really the story of my life in pieces, sharing the moments that shaped me as a woman, an artist, a partner, and a mother. I have always loved R&B and it’s influenced my work since the beginning of my career. My first album, released in 2014, had a song called “Não Quero Mais,” which is, in essence, an R&B track. But because the genre was still very timid in Brazil, it ended up being perceived as a “love song.” After that, I continued exploring this sound with other tracks that became big hits and are now some of the most anticipated moments in my shows, like “Sintomas de Prazer.” For Fragmentos, I wanted to fully immerse myself in the genre and allow the softness, passion, and emotional honesty to lead. R&B lets me express emotion in a very intimate way, and this album is full of those fragments demonstrating who I am right now, and how I got here.

You’re collaborating with so many R&B artists on this album. How much fun did you have creating music with other notable singers?

The collaborations have been one of my favorite parts about Fragmentos. I surrounded myself with women who inspire me with their stories, power and artistry. Creating with them felt like sisterhood. We laughed, we bonded, and we pushed each other creatively. I hope fans can hear the love, respect, and energy of women uplifting one another in the music.

One of the artists you collaborate with is another incredible queer musician, Victoria Monét. How did this collab come together?

Collaborating with Victoria was truly special. We’ve been friends for a long time and had talked about doing something together for years, we were just waiting for the right moment. When I finished writing “CAM GIRL,” I instantly knew she had to be part of it. The song needed to be an empowering anthem about confidence, self-love, and the strength we carry as women, and even more so, as Black queer women. Having Victoria’s voice and energy on the track made it everything I imagined and more. Later, performing it together at The Town in Brazil was unforgettable. Sharing that stage with her, fully embracing our identities and stories, was one of those moments that felt truly powerful and transformative.

You’re an out and proud queer artist which is so needed right now. You even showcase queer love in the music video for your hit song “Paraíso.” Why was it important for you to highlight your sexuality in your music?

My sexuality is a fragment of myself that makes me whole. “Paraíso” is about my wife, our love, and the family we created. We are living proof that queer love is beautiful and deserves to be seen. I know how much it would’ve meant to me growing up to see a love like mine celebrated, not hidden. Representation is so important, and I want to be that for the queer community. Many of your passionate fans are part of the LGBTQ+ community.

What message would you love to send your queer supporters?

To my LGBTQ+ community: I love you. Thank you for sticking with me through every era. You are brave, you are worthy, and you deserve to take up space exactly as you are. Your love has carried me, inspired me, and helped shape me. This album is for you.

Brazil is such a major influence on music today. How proud are you to represent your home country in your music as your career continues to evolve?

Brazil is a part of my soul. Pieces of my home country can be found in everything I do. Even when creating this new R&B project, you can hear the heart of where I come from with influences of Funk carioca, samba and pagode. I love being able to tap into our culture, sound, and the undeniable joy of our people. It’s an honor to help show how powerful Brazilian music truly is.

What are you manifesting? What would you love to accomplish next?

I’m manifesting growth, balance, and new experiences both personally and artistically. I want my music to keep reaching more people in different parts of the world, creating real connections through emotion and truth. I’m always searching for new sounds, new stories, and new ways to express who I am. More than anything, I hope to continue inspiring others to embrace their authenticity and believe in the power of their own voice.

Fragmentos is streaming on all platforms now.

This article originally appeared on Pride: Ludmilla spills on her passion for her LGBTQ+ fans: ‘Your love has carried me’

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