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Although music has been a part of Badi since birth, she did not officially start guitar until the age 14.  In a few short months, her remarkable talent was revealed.  She learned fast–real fast.  Six years later, Badi was already entering into a music conservatory and gaining attention for her unique style as both a guitarist and singer.

Her brothers, Sergio and Odair Assad, are a world famous, virtuoso guitar duo.  Her father also played.  So, Badi, following right along in their footsteps practiced and made her own legacy as a technical speed master of the guitar.

Years of repetitive and long practice would eventually lead Badi to the biggest scare of her life.  She developed Focal Dystonia–a debilitating neurological condition which attacks certain muscles that are overused.  A musician afflicted with Focal Dystonia will sometimes lose all feeling in his or her hand.  So, when Badi realized her hand was no longer working, a big question loomed over her head, “What do I do now?”

With the support of her mentors and doctors, Badi overcame FD and eventually started performing again.  She is world-renowned and most known in her home country, Brazil.

To this day, Badi still receives many letters from fans, asking how she was able to “cure” the condition.  And it only makes sense; Focal Dystonia is known as a the end of an instrumental musician’s career. For Badi, she still had her beautiful voice.  And even though, she knew she would sorely miss her guitar if she could not play it again, she also knew the music was inside of her, not in her hands.

You grew up in a very musical family, but you did not start guitar until the age of 14.  Why?

Guitar was so natural and had a great presence in my house that I must have felt it was already part of who I was, and so I wanted to try something else! First I wanted to be a pianist, later a ballet dancer and even a flight attendant! Only when I was alone with my dad (because we moved far from my brothers back into the small town where we were born in the countryside of São Paulo), I accepted his invitation to start playing with him. I have never stopped since.

So, that was only six years of preparation before entering the Conservatory, right?  How did you get so good so fast?  What was your practice regimen like?

When I picked up the guitar, it was a very nice surprise for all of us. In a few months, I was already playing all my father’s repertoire. When he noticed my talent was similar to my brothers, he provided me with the opportunity to study with a private teacher. Less then one year later, I already had learned an entire classical repertoire and won my first competition. We’re sure it is in the genes.

Did you mostly learn from your brothers and family?

Yes and I thank God for that all the time. I consider myself a very lucky one….

What teachers inspired you to be such a versatile as a musician?

Not exactly conventional teachers, but some of the musicians that changed my life include Stenio Mendes Nogueira, Naná Vasconcelos, Egberto Gismonti, Uakti, Michael Hedges….

What music projects and CDs are you currently working on?

My first DVD, Badi Assad. And next will be a project for kids.

Do you still experience some discomfort with the Focal Dystonia?

Fortunately, no.  However,  my ability to play has returned to a level of about 90%.  But, in my heart, I worked so much around the idea of a ‘new me’ that it doesn’t matter at all. I don’t feel comfortable, for example, playing very fast and intricate instrumental pieces anymore, but to tell you the truth, I don’t miss it whatsoever. My approach to the guitar changed completely, and so I don’t need the virtuosity in my performing to feel good. Before the Focal Dystonia happened, I was trapped in my own obligation to be impeccable. Now my focus is naturally in the music itself, in the emotions and feelings that it brings to me. Music is something more profound than it was before.

What caused it?  And how do you as a musician try to spread awareness about it?

Focal Dystonia was–I don’t know if it still is–sort of a mystery to traditional medicine. When I left the neurologist’s clinic, I left with the impression that I would not be able to play the guitar anymore in my life! He told me that it could spread to the other fingers and also to the other hand. He also told me he knew musicians that stopped performing for years to see if resting would solve the problem, but when they had the courage to pick up their instruments again, the ‘problem’ was still there–unchanged. That means, my life was put in a big suspended reality: ‘what am I going to do now? What am I going to be?’ Luckily, I was able to stop the victim character early in the process and started to search for a positive way to comprehend all of it. And so, “it” stopped being a problem, only a challenge. I had to rediscover myself and I had to reinvent a new Badi, all over again. It was an extraordinary journey.

I never hid the fact that I had Focal Dystonia, and I posted it in my website, sharing all the experiences I went through. It happened more than 10 years ago. And until now, I still receive emails from people looking for some sort of light in the end of the tunnel. I will always be open to share my experiences because I know how deep in the hole it can take you in.

Describe the emotions you went through when you thought you would not be able to play guitar anymore.

First, it was devastating.  But later, I started to work with the reality that I could not let myself  be defined through music, but instead I had to define music itself inside of me. That means, I would not stop being a musician because of an accidental obstacle.  I could still sing, arrange, compose; I could still appreciate, teach and learn…. When I recovered my ability to play, I felt it as a gift. But definitely my relation with the guitar was never the same. It is much more free nowadays.

You said in one of your interviews that your brothers, Sergio and Odair Assad, are like your “Masters.” Were they pivotal in helping you to relearn the guitar?

Actually, no. We were not living close to each other by that time. My ‘helpers’ and masters were other professionals such as alternative doctors, masseurs, spiritual counselors….

What do you sing about lately?  What message do you try to send in your songs?  And how has that changed as you have grown older?

I am a mother of an almost 3-year-old daughter. She became my inspiration. The songs I’ve been composing lately always have her in mind, and so the message is about unconditional love, happiness and patience.

How has your technique, both as singer and guitarist, evolved as you’ve grown?  What new styles are you trying to incorporate in your music?

I was involved in a play directed by Lee Breuer (the Mabou Mines) and the Brazilian artist Denise Milan. It is called ‘Opera das Pedras’, and my approach to the acting was stretched a lot. I loved it. Now, after the play is over, I’m bringing the experience to my performances,  meaning I’m more conscious of where I can go with each song on an emotional level. But it’s still on my horizon to practice and incorporate some beatbox! Someday, someday…

You are a master at performing because you do not need any stage props or crazy lighting. You’re energy is entertaining all by itself.  Were you always so in tune with stage performance?

The stage has always been part of my life. I feel myself very comfortable there. More than that, I feel that on stage I can explore parts of me that I’m not even aware [of] in real life. I [experience] so much power, but at the same time, I can feel myself fragile or angry. The stage becomes a place to explore all my emotions very deeply.

If someone is nervous on stage, what tips can you give for him or her to overcome that?

Focus on the music itself. If it is an instrumental peace, sing the melody in your mind! If it has lyrics, pay attention to what the lyrics are saying. You have to forget where you are, and you have  to just  remember that in that moment what matters is the music. Open your heart. Let your soul manage the situation. It helps me a lot.

As a musician, what are you constantly trying to accomplish?

Becoming more a reflection of each song.  I want more and more to become a channel for each one of them. Freedom is another goal always.

Why do you think people become so passionate about music and art?

Because it is in our veins. The rhythm is in our body. The dance is in our first crawl. The art is in our first realization of color. And the music–the music begins from the time we’re in our mom’s belly. Her voice is music. It is there to help us live. It is there in our talk; it is there in our daily life. It is there to comfort us, to color our happiness, even to help us lose weight. Tell me, go to the gym without any kind of music around–would that be possible?

If you were not a musician, what would you be?

A dancer or an actress or…

Are you going to have a tour or Master class in the U.S. soon?

I have a tour coming this October. Stay tuned…

How about your personal life?  Are you married?  Is it hard to maintain family life and your musical career?

I married a Greek-American, wonderful man, Dimitrios Vakros. We have a daughter named Sofia.  She became the focal point of our lives.   It is not easy to maintain our family life with all the traveling, but it is not impossible because the career is just an extension of it. Sometimes we take her with. Sometimes daddy takes care of her, while I go to Skype to tell her how much I love her. Sometimes she stays with her grandparents while we are away.  What makes it possible is that we always communicate with her and explain what is happening, so she knows when I’m not there I’m somewhere else playing my guitar and singing. When I go back home, I perform the show just for her.

What advice do you want to give to other musicians who maybe started a little later in life or maybe their career is currently interrupted by a disability?

For our soul, it is never too late. And for those who experience a disability–to listen to their body. We have to respect it. Sometimes we forget how important it is to protect it. We spend part of our life practicing unhealthy habits in eating, drinking, sleeping, partying. Sometimes we forget how important it is to keep our positive attitude, our self confidence, our strength. We spend a great amount of time being negative, insecure, stressed, angry, sad, depressed. All of it contributes in leading us to being depressed when our miracle body stops being perfect. But still, isn’t it a miracle? Don’t take anything too seriously. If we cannot feed our heart with one thing, for sure we can feed it with something else. No one is created only with one passion. We are all made with more than just one avenue to evolve.

So, enjoy! Life is too precious for us losing time with regrets…

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Love yourself.  Respect nature and all live beings. Live intensively and in the present. Don’t worry so much. Be happy!

For more info on Badi, visit her website.

June 4, 2010in Interviews by admin Comments Off