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Titica | |
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| Birth name | Teca Miguel André Garcia |
| Born | (1987-06-26)June 26, 1987 (age 37) Luanda,Angola |
| Genres | Kuduro,Pop,Kizomba,Semba,World Music,Rap |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Labels | LS Produções, Banzelos Nation |
Titica is anAngolankuduro musician and dancer. She was named "the new face" of kuduro by theBBC.[1]
Titica was born inLuanda. Her stage name is Portuguese for "worthless" or "useless"; she chose the name to reclaim the hateful words that have been directed at her as atrans woman.[2]
Despite her training in ballet, Titica found fame through the loose and wild display of her sexual prowess in dance. Flaunting her breasts and hips as she dances, many consider Titica’s embrace of femininity and bass culture as an act of resistance toward Angola’s restrictive legislation against homosexuality and queerness.[1]
Titica began her career as aback-up dancer with acts such as Noite & Dia, Propria Lixa, and Puto Portugues.[1][3] Her first recording of asingle was unplanned. While helping Noite & Dia develop a chorus for a track, Titica's voice was recorded for the track, beginning her music-recording career.[1][4]
In October 2011, Titica released her first album,Chão..., launching her to international success. The album's single "Olha o Boneco," featuring theAfrican-Portuguese singer Ary, charted at number one for 3 weeks on thePortuguese music programTOP + and for 7 weeks on theBrazilian showRolando Música.[citation needed]
Titica is very public about her Congolese background and the influence that this has on her music. In her 2018Red Bull Music Academy lecture, she explained that she listens to "lots of music fromCongo." She discussed how her music combines kuduro with the Congolese genres of kallé andn’dombolo and specifically citedPépé Kallé andKoffi Olomide as inspirations.[4] She also named the kuduro artist Fofandó as "one of the most important female artists in the kuduro scene" and stated that "kuduro has a queen who inspired us and I looked up to."[4]
In 2013, Titica was named agoodwill ambassador forUNAIDS.[5] Through this role and her international popularity, Titica has increased awareness ofHIV risks and treatment, sexual health, and issues affecting the internationalLGBT community.[6] In a statement released during her time at UNAIDS, Titica stated: "I have been beaten and stoned for who I am. I have suffered so much humiliation, but I am ready to lead by example and help overcome stigma and discrimination in my country and beyond."[7]
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