Song Story “Eu nao tenho medo”

First conceived by Roland in March 2007, the original beat was brought to Mangunde a few days later to start POSITIVO’s pilot workshop. In the morning, participants wrote lyrics by studying collected answers to the question ‘Why are you afraid to pass the test ?’. A group of singers directed by Helio created the main melody, then the choir. After free rapping on the beats, lyrics were recorded in the afternoon. The choir was eventually recorded at sunset with 800 pupils.

 On the next day, the song was presented to the whole school in a play-back performance by the pupils. It became the school’s anthem. Coming back to Inhambane, POSITIVO mixed the song and passed it on radio, in bars and discos to test reactions. The POSITIVO project really started with the success of the song and the video, which first convinced Darren Clark and Helen Smith to join the team, and then travelled to Austria to bring back Roland.

 

In October 2007, the song was included in the first POSITIVO CD ‘Ser um Positivo’. In november, Italian organisation CinemArena named their tour with POSITIVO ‘Eu nao tenho medo de fazer o teste’. In March 2008, the song was played for the first time by the new POSITIVO big band in Mbabane and Maputo. A faster afro-version including drums, bass guitar, congas and saxophone was recorded and video-taped on that occasion, being the highlight of the shows.

 

The song ‘Eu nao tenho medo’ was a success from the beginning, and it will remain one as long as POSITIVO exists. Its title reveals our fundamental vision of how to fight against discrimination. On december the 1st, for World Aids Day 2008, POSITIVO intents to bring pupils from Mangunde and perform the song with them on a big show, probably broadcasted on TV.