Singer-songwriter Cissa Paz has made a name for herself in Washington DC as an eclectic performer influenced by the local jazz sounds and her Brazilian African-Indigenous background. Nominated for 3 Wammies, her debut album gained great organic momentum. Cissa’s captivating stage presence and soulful voice bring music that is upbeat and engaging. She’s known and loved among the lovers and dancers of Brazilian music not only as a performer, but as an ambassador of her genre. Her upcoming album promises a combination of Afro-Brazilian base with funky and soulful influences. A musical melting pot of fresh collaborations with highly acclaimed artists from her home country.
Cissa’s self-titled album released in September, 2015 “is unexpectedly playful and whimsical in the nicest sense of the word, and we almost always end up falling in love with her on this…The bounding momentum of some of her sambas is uncompromising and she evokes the joie de vivre of much that is beautiful about being Brasilian.” (World Music Report).
Born in Belgium by chance, Cissa was raised mostly in Rio de Janeiro. She began her musical love affair by spending afternoons with the sounds of Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Elis Regina and other Brazilian greats coming from her parents’ record player. Her musical tastes matured as she kept sampling the musical diversity of the world. Her dance background is reflected on her music and is why most of her songs have a rhythmic sound that gets people on their feet.
Cissa’s sound was initially influenced by samba, afoxé, forro, maracatu and the popular music of Brazil. After moving to the U.S., she fell in love with Jazz, Go-go, Soul and Hip Hop and over the years her travels exposed her to more of the world’s music landscape. After falling in love with the music of Cape Verde and studying much of it, Cissa is now writing songs with that influence at heart as well as her old and new discoveries. “I’ll never get tired of falling in love with music”, she says.
"Her music – both original and re-imagined pieces by other composers is entirely treasurable."
- Raul da Gama, World Music Report
"Cissa Paz has been spreading the musical sounds of her own special blend of Brazilian fusion”"
- Ferman Patterson (Washington Full Circle), DCN Network
Cissa performs songs in Portuguese, Portuguese Creole, Spanish, French and English. With a voice that is soft and soulful and a vibrant stage presence, Cissa is fun to watch and enjoys talking about the lyrics and teaching audiences about the styles of music she performs.
Currently writing songs for her new album, Cissa is performing around the East Coast, in Brazil and Africa this year. She will be recording in Rio in July of 2018.