Music Is a Work of Art

Elvis Costello, Marisa Monte, Jorge Drexler and Leo Sidran discuss how to create emotional lyrics, shouting to make yourself heard, arriving at the idea of a song through its title, competing with the scale of music, and working in multiple languages.

Elvis Costello is a singer, songwriter, and producer who has sold millions of records both as a solo artist and with his amazing bands. His diverse genres and thoughtful lyrics have earned him various accolades including two Grammys, and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Marisa Monte is widely recognized as one of the greatest Brazilian singers and composers of all time. She completely shook up the role of women in the Brazilian music landscape, by becoming her own producer, business, and artistic director. She’s received four Latin Grammys so far, and is one-third of Brazilian supergroup Tribalistas.

Jorge Drexler is a musician, singer, and composer from Uruguay. He trained as a doctor, but soon realised he wanted to dedicate his life to music. He’s been releasing records for over 30 years, combining styles from across the Iberoamerican world. Latin Grammy-winning producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Leo Sidran's fascination with Spanish culture has led him to a celebrated career in music producing, composing and podcasting. Early in his career, he was “guided” on the drums by James Brown’s drummer Clyde Stubblefield.