Afro-diasporic epistemologies in songs by singer Elza Soares

Abstract

This article investigates narrative productions about femininity and black populations, with a focus on two albums by singer-songwriter Elza Soares: ‘Elza ao Vivo no Municipal’ (2022), her last performance, and ‘No tempo da Intolerância’ (2023), an album released after her death in recognition of her work, featuring songs by her and other artists. The study relies on the theoretical perspective of Cultural Studies in Education and gender studies, supported by authors such as Gilroy (2020), Gonzalez (2020), Hall (1997; 2016), Kellner (2001), and Martins (1995; 2025), among others. Linked to a qualitative approach, the study analyzes the performances and narratives produced in a total of 12 selected songs, which are regarded as collections (Toni, 2008) and constitute the research corpus. To define the analytical focus, the songs were grouped into three axes: racism and resistance, black representation, and future perspectives. The results point out the formation of new narratives in opposition to the hegemonic discourse, which both constitute and consolidate resignifications in the representations of black women's lives. Furthermore, the songs' plots consolidate productions with connotations of black populations other than those of disadvantage and violence.