LAKINI

Photographer: Joe Mikoli

1. What significant life experiences or events have influenced and shaped your artistic vision?

Growing up in Brazil and later moving to California gave me a dual perspective that deeply shapes my artistic vision. I’ve always been drawn to rhythm, emotion, and storytelling. I studied acting for four years in São Paulo, and that experience was truly foundational. It taught me how to listen, not just to others but to myself, and how to translate complex, unspoken feelings into movement, voice, and presence. Acting made me fall in love with storytelling in all its forms, and that’s something I carry into every song I write.

2. Collaboration often sparks fresh creativity. Can you share an example of a collaboration that led to an unexpected and exciting artistic outcome?

One of the most unexpected and life-changing collaborations I’ve ever had began when I was still living in Brazil. I had started posting a few covers online, just experimenting and connecting with other artists. That’s when I met Richard Kait, a pianist based in Ohio. He soon invited me to collaborate on a track he was working on. I was obsessed when I heard it! It was unlike anything I had ever done, and it sparked something in me. That song became Bress Station, named after a real station in São Paulo. It felt like a turning point, the beginning of finding my voice and discovering who I was as an artist. Later on, Richard Kait invited me to perform with him in the U.S., my first time visiting! That one song led us to performing across several cities, including Nashville, Chicago, Boston, Las Vegas, and more.

It wasn’t just an exciting artistic outcome, that collaboration marked a significant chapter in my life.

3. Walk us through a specific project that challenged your creative boundaries. How did you approach it, and what did you learn from the experience?

Working with Gabriel Fernandes, the producer behind my upcoming release, pushed my creative boundaries. A key moment was when he challenged me to create bilingual versions of each track — one in Portuguese and one in English.

I’ll be honest: I didn’t like the idea at first. I think the lyrics wouldn’t translate well, some songs just feel like they belong in one language. I didn’t want to force something that didn’t feel natural, and I was already preparing myself to say, “Look, this just doesn’t work.” I decided to give it a try. I wrote one version, then another and something surprising happened. The more I worked on them, the more I started to enjoy it. Some of the songs I originally loved in English ended up becoming even more powerful in Portuguese, and vice versa. It gave me a whole new perspective on the songs and deepened my connection to them. This experience taught me to stay open, because sometimes what feels creatively uncomfortable at first can lead to the most unexpected breakthroughs.

That challenge shaped the entire project. The release, set to come out this summer, feels like the most honest and evolved version of my work yet.

4. In the ever-evolving art world, what do you believe sets your work apart and makes it unique or groundbreaking?

I believe it’s the willingness to try new things to take risks, blend sounds, cultures, and stories that don’t usually live in the same space. For me, it feels a lot like making a recipe: you experiment, you mix unexpected ingredients, and somehow it turns into something unique.

5. As you reflect on your journey, are there any specific goals or milestones you've set for your artistic career in the coming years?

I’d love to tour internationally and connect with people through live performance. I believe music is energy, and there’s nothing more powerful than sharing that in real time. Above all, my main goal is for my music to add a little spark to someone’s day or simply move them. When that happens, I know I’m on the right path.

• story/description

  LAKINI: A New Voice

  Brazilian-born and California-based, Lakini is a rising singer and songwriter blending pop and soul with rich Brazilian influences. She creates music that moves between English and Portuguese, infused with pulsing rhythm and emotion.

  Produced by Grammy-nominated Gabriel Fernandes, her upcoming debut album is coming out soon — set for release this summer — is a bold, cross-cultural project that captures the essence of her global sound and artistic roots.

• Team Credits

  Model: LAKINI

  Photographer: Joe Mikoli

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