iLESSi

Transforms research into musical language.

Every project begins with a question. Through composition, improvisation, oral tradition and deep listening, Ilessi transforms artistic research into musical language, creating works where interpretation, creation and investigation become inseparable. Rather than revisiting repertoires or preserving traditions, her practice explores how music is created, transmitted and continually transformed, opening new ways of listening to contemporary Brazilian music.

Singer, composer, music researcher and educator, Ilessi holds a PhD in Music from UNICAMP and teaches Popular Singing at the Federal University of the Recôncavo of Bahia (UFRB). Rooted in Afro-diasporic musical practices and Brazilian oral traditions, her work moves fluidly between artistic creation and academic research, making each project part of an ever-evolving artistic journey.