Iúri Oliveira is a percussionist, multi-percussionist, composer, researcher, sound designer and music producer Iúri Oliveira, graduated from The Rhythm Studio (London School of Popular Music) and Drumdrumdrum in Netherlands, is currently an active performer on a wide range of instruments, rhythmic traditions and percussion styles.  Don't miss our conversation with Iúri Oliveira, covering topics such as influences, new album Manifesto, upcoming projects, and life.

What inspired you to start your journey as a musician? How has your Portuguese heritage influenced your musical style?

I remember being a child and music being a habit in my home, something that continues to this day. My father is Angolan and my mother is Portuguese, so there was always a great diversity of music in our household. Percussion was something very natural to me, and I remember being deeply curious about various percussion instruments from an early age. Back then, they were the most accessible instruments. I was like a human sponge, memorizing all the melodies, rhythms, lyrics, and records my father would give me. My Portuguese and Angolan heritage is in my blood, and I honor and carry that equally in my music. But I also absorb everything that inspires me, even if it's not part of my roots. I strive to understand its origin and influences, using that to serve the music.

Who were some of the composers or musicians that inspired you early on? How did they influence your approach to composition?

I clearly remember the first time I started watching and listening to Giovanni Hidalgo’s videos. It was hilarious to watch this incredible percussionist. Then, I remember starting to listen to and watch percussionist Pedrito Martinez. They both still inspire me in percussion today. Not just them, but composers like Richard Bona, Pat Metheny, Avishai Cohen, Omar Sosa, Roman Diaz, Yshay Afterman, Ramiro Musoto, Zé Luis Nascimento, Tiki Cantero, and Anga Diaz. All of them have inspired me in ways I can’t even explain, and to this day, everything I do, I can clearly trace back to where those ideas came from and how I adapted them to today’s music. All these influences are very present in everything I do, from timbres, rhythmic structures, instrument combinations, phrases—everything!

Sharing is important, and teaching, the responsibility of passing on knowledge, is a very powerful gift.

What’s your creative process when composing music? What tools or instruments are essential in your creative toolkit?

In my composition method, it's usually the case that a melodic or rhythmic idea or motif already exists in my head, and I take one of them and start building around it. I practice, study, and put it into practice. Then I think about whether to add lyrics or keep it purely instrumental. I do enjoy songs with lyrics and melancholic melodies, I must confess, but I really love creating instrumentals and sound atmospheres.

I never wait for inspiration to come. I always focus on keeping my mind open to create at any given moment and transform that energy into something bigger. There are days when, if I'm feeling more worried or anxious, it can take longer, but I try to take those emotions and channel them into the music. In that way, I feel lighter and am still able to express myself.

How do you know when a composition or track is complete?

I often say that the difference between poison and medicine is the dose. So, it's about finding the right dose and always keeping in mind that, before being performers, we must know how to listen and be good listeners. Serving the music is the main reason.

How do you handle the energy exchange between you and the audience during a performance?

What an interesting question! The energy of the audience is contagious, and it’s something unique, but it’s not something we manage during rehearsals and concert preparations. Easily, during a concert, we can be overwhelmed by a force and energy that might distract us or make us feel overloaded. It's about managing those emotions and moments, but without ever losing focus on the performance and the music.

What was the inspiration behind the name Manifesto? How does Manifesto reflect your inner world and experiences as a musician?

Manifesto means a public declaration, and that’s exactly what this album is about. It brings together various ideas, rhythmic structures, compositions, landscapes, and inspirations that I’ve carried for a long time but never took the time to fully develop. Now was the moment! This entire album reflects my inner world and the place where my being roams and resides.

You describe this album as something deeply personal. How did you overcome the fears and judgments you mentioned to create it?

70% of my work is as a sideman for artists and 25% is as a session and studio musician. That leaves very little time to work on my own projects. It was very strange for some people to conceive that I, as a percussionist, would make a solo album, and that generated fear and judgment. Once again, I took that energy and focused on creating something that I could listen to 20 years from now and feel that it was Iúri Oliveira in that composition. It’s a great exercise to step out of our comfort zone, take the unrefined things, and turn them into something unique.

This album contains feelings of anxiety, ancestry, landscapes I am passionate about, timbres, and words. That was the biggest exercise for me in this project, and I feel very good and proud of it, as well as of all the people involved — the energy of friends and family.

Do you have any upcoming projects or new collaborations that you’re excited about?

The presentation of my album and solo concert will be on January 10th, and I’m really looking forward to performing this work live more often. I have new artists who’ve hired me to accompany them in 2025, and I’m excited to create new music. I’m working on several new albums where I’m collaborating and recording at my studio, and I’m very happy to be a part of them.

This year, I will have artistic residencies and workshops that I will be teaching.

I also have some tours coming up, so I’m preparing every day to be in shape for all the challenges the Universe will present me with.

Finally, from your perspective, what is the meaning of life?

I believe that life is a passage, something we are here to experience, resolve, overcome, and ascend to another level. I’m very grateful for every breath I take and for doing what I love most. Having my mother, father, and sister close by, and my greatest treasure, is what drives everything I do.

I believe that inspiration comes from a Universe, God, or a greater celestial plan, and that I am merely a channel for whatever force resides above us. I really want to inspire through music, just as I was once inspired by others.

I believe that life is about learn, earn, and return!