Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
A group of Brazilian women put on make-up and dresses to participate in a singing competition held at the prison on Friday. rio Prison in São de Janeiro, during an event designed to highlight talent and boost the confidence of detainees before their release.
In a spacious, echoing multi-purpose hall, fifteen candidates took turns singing their hearts out on a purple-themed stage to an audience of prison officers, volunteers and other inmates who clapped and sang along with them.
Many performed gospel songs, while others gave interpretations of MPB (short for Brazilian Popular Music). Portuguese — including “Black Sheep” by beloved late singer Rita Lee.
A panel of judges, including actor and TV presenter David Brazil and singer Maurício Mattar, watched carefully, scoring voice, performance, expression and charisma.
Fernanda Fernandes Domingues, 36, won first prize. “I don’t know what to say, I’m really happy!” she said. “music This is a way to empower yourself during this sad time, because being in prison is sad. “
In the months leading up to the big day, candidates from four detention facilities auditioned, rehearsed and underwent make-up, costume and hair tests, adding variety and excitement to the repetitive prison routine.
On the day of the competition, known as “Voice of Freedom,” the women get ready in a room equipped with mirrors and dressers to release nervous energy by vocalizing and shaking their arms.
Rilary Cristina Leite, 31, sang in bars, parties and churches before her arrest six years ago. She will be out of prison in less than a year and says the show is an opportunity to help her on the road to recovery by showcasing her skills.
“It’s amazing because we’re doing what we want to do. It’s liberating for us. We were in prison and art liberated us,” Wright said, adding that her dream is to sing at the Rock in Rio festival.
This year’s competition, with the theme “Hope and Liberation”, is the third held by the Rio de Janeiro State Prison Service.
Prisons also aim to heal through work, study, reading and – as on Friday – through culture, said Maria Rosa Lo Duca Nebel, Rio de Janeiro’s state secretary for prison management.
It also helps improve the atmosphere within the facility, she said.
“It helps calm the situation, in the sense that it relieves the tension because the prison system – even though it’s a women’s prison – is an inherently tense environment. Everything we offer here, plus everyone’s presence, creates a sense of relief,” she said.
Cassiane Victoria Moura Martins won last year’s competition. She has been singing since she was three years old and frequently performs on radio stations and other public venues.
She stopped singing when she was imprisoned for her involvement in drug trafficking, but picked it up again due to competition and aspired to become a professional singer. she plans to Tik Tok Once she leaves the facility.
“When I sing, I feel calm. It’s kind of like a tranquilizer. I need it. So I sing, and everything is fine.”
___
Follow AP Latin America The report can be found at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america