Pedro Abrunhosa - «I’m interested in what I haven’t done yet, that’s what fascinates me.»

Songwriter, musician and singer – in truth, Pedro Abrunhosa cannot be reduced to just these few labels. With a career spanning more than 30 years, he remains one of Portugal’s most acclaimed artists, distinguished not only by his talent but also by his civic engagement. He approaches life by savouring the serenity of time and its pleasures, whilst being aware of his desire to continue developing as a person. Pedro Abrunhosa is an example of artistic and human longevity, which shines through in this candid and open conversation with Villas&Golfe.

Over the course of a 30-year career, how do you maintain your artistic identity without losing your authenticity? 
I believe that in any endeavour, whether commercial, industrial or even political, what upholds a brand – and, clearly, I’m assuming that after a certain point, Pedro Abrunhosa evolved into a brand in its own right – is identity. I have never tried to be something I am not. The music I make flows from deep within me, and when it flows from deep within, it is because you cannot be more genuine. I attribute my sustained success to authenticity. And that authenticity is linked, I believe, and here I am being my own advocate, to an intrinsic quality underlying what I do. The commitment is there, the hours of work are there, and in any given field, commitment and hours of dedicated work produce quality.

“The music I make flows from deep within me, and when it flows from deep within, it is because you cannot be more genuine.” 

Early this year, you released your new album, “Inverbo”, in which you embrace simplicity. In an age of streaming and social media, what sets you apart?
In an age of soft drinks and fizzy drinks from vending machines, do you think a good champagne, a good Barca Velha or a good RedomaReserva would lose any of their qualities? Music and entertainment are two different things. Music has always been a means of elevation for humanity; it connects us to the divine. […] Streaming does not alter this ontological nature of music. Is music simply something for us to enjoy and hit a “like” on? Or does it still represent a moment of transcendence? That is why music on streaming platforms, which I also appear on, is consumed with the same voracity as a Coca-Cola. It is consumed quickly, but it doesn’t create memories. What creates memories is knowing who you were sitting with at the table, sipping a Batuta 2022 Reserva. Music is part of that. It isn’t a fleeting moment you experience that defines what I do. What defines what I do is wanting to keep connecting people to that magical space within them. That is what this album does. On this album, my lack of concern regarding the times that we’re going through is evident. An economic study was carried out at IPAM marketing school on the economic impact of my tour, and, despite this apparent distance from the market, I have both feet firmly in the market. The music I make really comes to life when performed live. It’s not because I don’t pay attention to the algorithm that my music doesn’t connect with people; on the contrary, it’s actually quite close to them. 

As a public figure, you’re very socially engaged. What do you feel has changed most in the world – for better or for worse – since your first album “Viagens”?
A great deal… But we can’t look back to the past as some sort of ‘golden age’ of excellence. The past is the past. I don’t think the past was better, it was just different. We live in political and social times heavily driven by social media and algorithms, a highly polarised era. That didn’t exist before the Internet, which has the tremendous advantage of allowing us to access the most obscure information and the latest scientific and literary developments, but which the overwhelming majority of people use to insult each other. This says a lot about the times we live in. Until very recently, if someone came along claiming that the earth was flat, their most trusted friend would immediately call them an idiot, causing them to back down and leave it at that. Now, that idiot finds other idiots and they talk to each other. The Internet has managed to get idiots talking to one another, which is dangerous for the rest of the world. We have a political and economic wave crashing over the world with its idiocy, and some of these people are already presidents of their countries. This is the result that humanity has brought about through that marvellous tool called the Internet. Some people do things differently, but unfortunately, those who do so don’t make it to become president. At the G7 Summit, the current ‘world leaders’ are meeting with the captains of the artificial intelligence industry and the oligarchs. They will listen to them and probably receive some instructions. A few years ago, it would have been sociologists, demographers, scientists and academics who were consulted to find out what the people need, whether they need more schools or better education. Now it’s the AI barons who go there, and their answers are that the people need more adverts, more girls in bikinis, more distraction and, above all else, more manipulation, which serves a very clear purpose of political manipulation.

“The Internet has managed to get idiots talking to one another, which is dangerous for the rest of the world.”

Do you feel that these days you approach life and your creative work with a greater sense of urgency, or with more contemplation?
Contemplation is a very beautiful word, and the way I approach my work is precisely through contemplation. I work in silence. Which isn’t to say that my songs don’t often have an element of outrage in them too.

When you’re away from the stage, what habits do you find essential for maintaining your quality of life?
I think it’s vital to eat healthily, within the parameters I consider to be healthy, and I make sure to do so. But I have two main activities: song writing and performing on stage. And when I’m on stage, I need to be relatively fit. I exercise religiously.Every day I usually run 6 km at a relatively high speed and do an hour and a half of structured, scientific, rigorous exercise. On the other hand, I try to keep my mind active. Reading challenging material, being curious, digging deeper, continuing to grow intellectually. The brain isn’t a muscle, but it has the capacity to be trained and stimulated. I go to the gym specifically to avoid putting on layers of fat, and the brain also needs to avoid becoming a shapeless mass. And that only happens if it is challenged.

What do you regard as a luxury?
Having time for a conversation like this one. Being able to sit down and read… I think reading is a repository of time. Making use of everything possible to slow down time. Sport is part of that, it’s a way of slowing down our daily lives. I try not to spend too much time on my phone. I turn off all my notifications.  

Your style of dress is striking and creative. What inspires you? What role does fashion play in your life?
Fashion came into my life very early on. In Oporto, there has always been a strong relationship with fashion. Most of the first designers to make their mark were from Oporto. But fashion has to be functional, it has to serve a purpose. You can’t be a slave to fashion. And by that I don’t just mean clothes, I mean everything. Just because everyone else is wearing something doesn’t mean you have to. The way I dress is always an attempt to ensure that I wear the clothes, rather than the clothes wearing me. When it comes to me, I like there to be a certain distinction between my everyday clothes and my stage outfits, because they are different worlds. But I’m drawn to a certain kind of elegant exuberance.

Are there any particular material things that get you really excited? 
In the material world… books. I’m a bibliophile. When I go into people’s homes, the first thing that catches my eye is the books on their shelves. I think that says a lot about people too. I don’t have watches or things like that. I’m not a very materialistic person. I have lots of music, of course.

And golf, do you play much?
Well… The last time I went to play a round of golf, I brought down two pine cones. And the caddie asked me, ‘Have you come to play, or are you just here for the pine cones?’

Is there anywhere in the world where you feel time slows down?
There is, but I’m not going to tell you where.

What plans, hopes or dreams do you have for yourself for the coming years?
To do what hasn’t been done yet. Because, quite honestly, what’s already been done interests me very little. I’m interested in what I haven’t done yet, that’s what fascinates me. I started studying philosophy quite late in life, but I’m still interested in that, in learning and discovering.

“The last time I went to play a round of golf, I brought down two pine cones. And the caddie asked me, ‘Have you come to play, or are you just here for the pine cones?’”

What legacy would you like to leave behind, not just in music, but in the way you’ve lived your life?
I think it’s a bit arrogant to think about such things. Humility is knowing that something will remain, but not attaching too much importance to it. Being modest sometimes detracts from the value we place on ourselves, but being modest after your death is no longer being humble. I don’t think about that. The only legacy I think about has to do with my children, but that’s not a material legacy, it’s a legacy of values.