Pop music with a Brazilian flavour

By [amortimer]

Before he could launch his robo-pop assault on the UK charts, Brazilian-born Rodrigo Moratto had to go back to his roots.

Returning to his home town of Sao Paulo after studying performing arts at the City University of New York, he knew any UK success could only be forged after first conquering his own culture.

"A lot of Latin artists – including the likes of Shakira and Ricky Martin – made successful careers for themselves at home before trying to break the US and UK," said Rodrigo, 30, ahead of his performance at Pozition nightclub, in Hull city centre, next week.

"So that's where I went after university. Pop music in Brazil is a bit more old-fashioned than in the rest of the world but I needed to prove myself there before moving on.

"Thankfully, now I have done that, I can get out there and show people what I can do."

Rodrigo is coming to Hull during a tour of the UK that stretches the length and breadth of the country, from Portsmouth to Surrey and Wrexham to Hull.

He will be promoting his first single, the electro-inspired Whatever, Whatever, which is released on March 22 and his first album, Budz In A Soundrop, due out in June.

Both feature a style of music far departed from Rodrigo's beginnings in the industry.

He said: "I first started singing and performing after watching the film Sister Act on TV. I decided there and then I wanted to be in a choir.

"So, I joined my local group and at the age of 13, I was performing in a church in Sao Paulo in front of 300 people – it was amazing.

"Then I went to university and was introduced to a whole range of new music in New York and that really influenced my style. I'm all about pop but I bring R'n'B and electro into my music, too."

Rodrigo said his performance in Hull is one he has been looking forward to for some time.

He said: "The best part of my job is getting out and meeting my fans.

"I always end up signing something like 300 autographs when I'm at events like this and the audience generally reacts really well.

"It's hard to know what songs people like the most because it can be different in every city, but my music appeals to a lot of young people."