Luísa Sonza Feels It All

Luísa Sonza could hardly grasp that she’d be performing at Coachella until... well, she was performing at Coachella. “Representing Brazil, being there this year... it’s such a big moment,” she tells Bustle over Zoom of her festival debut in April. “I couldn’t imagine it would be so soon.”

Hailing from a small Brazilian town, Sonza started performing in a wedding band at just 7 years old — a gig she’d keep through most of her teenage years, and one that she today credits with informing her eclectic style. (After all, she’d sing in the church and the party that followed.) As it turns out, it was also a decade-long exercise in trusting yourself as a performer.

“It was important to me, because I [learned to] understand the music and the show and the stage and the work of being an artist, a musician, before I was famous, or whatever,” Sonza says. “Like, I learned how to deal with a crowd who doesn’t know me or care about me.”

These days, the 27-year-old performs for legions of fans who indeed know and care about her. Case in point: Her debut American tour last year sold out in hours; she’s worked with Joe Jonas, Demi Lovato, and Katy Perry, to name just a few buzzy collaborators; and she’s rumored to be teaming up soon with fellow international pop star Zara Larsson. When I ask if there’s any truth to that, Sonza coyly offers, “Maybe! We’re talking. She’s an incredible artist, and I love her. She’s such a nice girl.”

Her sonic versatility is on full display in her fourth solo studio album, Brutal Paraíso, which dropped in April. As the name (“Brutal Paradise” in English) suggests, it’s an album rooted in juxtapositions, tackling themes of mental health, sexuality, and what Sonza calls the “mess” of life across 23 vibe-hopping tracks.

“I understand that it is possible to be happy for some reason, [but] at the same time, you can be sad about other things,” Sonza says of the album’s vision. “You cannot just wait for the good moments or a happy moment. Everything needs to be digerido [digested]. Like, you need to feel it.”

Brutal Paraíso is an exercise in doing exactly that. Its big, vibrant scope lends itself to live performance, of which Coachella provided a taste. Now, Sonza plans to take it global. “I want to do a long tour,” she says.

In the meantime, though, she’s finding time to decompress: turning to video games like Zelda and Elden Ring, and spending quality time with her adorable dog Gisele, who’s Instagram-verified and accompanies her everywhere. “I also have 10 animals at my house — I’m obsessed with them — and counting,” she says. “If I see a dog or a cat on the streets, I adopt them. I wish I saw more!”

Learn more about Sonza in her Bustle Booth questionnaire below.

In The Bustle Booth

What’s your coffee order?

Just regular Brazilian black coffee. Love it!

What are the saved weather locations on your phone?

I have a lot. São Paulo, obviously, Munich, Los Angeles… places I go to all the time.

What was your favorite cartoon as a kid?

I loved cartoons. Shrek and SpongeBob were my favorites.

What’s one movie or TV show you’re currently obsessed with?

I’m really into Star Wars right now.

Go-to karaoke song?

“Evidências” by Chitãozinho & Xororó. They’re a very popular Brazilian duo. If you stop any Brazilian on the street, they’ll know this song. It’s a classic at karaoke in Brazil.