No bullshit talk with Jubá

Interview by MIA LUNIS

Jessica Ramalho aka Jubá is a DJ and dancer she was born in São Paulo and raised in Caieiras, a small city that is known to be rural even if it’s not.
Her history with art begins in a dance room at the age of 12, she has been active since then supporting small projects in her city created to less privileged people.
This has been making a difference in her life alongside her projects and goals, being able to fall in love with art, social projects, dance and music.
Jubá is a non-stop worker, she´s now taughing dance classes, working as a performer and dedicating herself to her music and her DJ career. 

How long have you been on the music scene as an artist and what led you to start your career?

I’ve been acting as a DJ since June 2019. Dj’s career came to me as a new way of putting people to dance, until then I only had this opportunity
giving dance classes, but when I got in touch with the tracks of the underground scene in SP I saw a new way to make bodies move. My desire to play also came from a need for representation, since I think we still need to look closer on how the music scene can create a safe space for women in music.

Which artist has impressed you the most in recent months?

Roe Deers, despite not having played many of his songs, his music surprised me a lot.

How do you see the future for black women artists in the world electronic scene?

I see a future with more black women running the dance floors around the world, I believe that we are far from an ideal, but we already have a glimpse of what may be in the future, but for it happens the music scene have to be more conscious about it and give access and support to these women, I was very lucky to receive support in my path, without it I wouldn’t be here answering this interview, so I hope a future with more access for black women, because I know we have the talent needed for everything related to music.

You will be performing at the Fusion Festival in Germany after had lost so many gigs by the pandemic, what are your expectations for this trip and for your presentation at the festival?

First my expectation is to be able to go because things here in Brazil are not favorable for this trip to happen because of the pandemic and my financial reality,
but I’m doing everything possible and impossible to do this tour, for me it’s a dream to have been invited to play at Fusion in such a short career, it makes me believe that I am on the right path. I confess that it gives me goosebumps to think that after a year and a half without being on the decks I will have the most important gig of my entire career, but I am confident in taking the best of my work, it will be mine first international tour so I’m really excited and happy!

You are from São Paulo, what is your perspective on the electronic scene of the city?

My perspective is of a scene very rich in artistic terms and opportunities, but still chalvinist, heteronormative and made exclusively for white people. I feel that we are in a moment of changes, I see many collectives being created with knowledge of cause, supporting the less privileges and many people looking for this change in our environment, it gives me hope with and more balanced return of parties and events and with more opportunities for minorities.

What other artists from the São Paulo scene would you recommend to the world?

It will be a pleasure to recommend them here;  Astralles, Ventre, Bem Lisboa, Gobbi, OBrun, Perrengue
and of course my companion and mentor Dj T in, thanks to his classes I started my career and
I would really like the world to hear his sound!