Helton Gudin de Souza and Mara Lucia Ramos Portella, better known as Malu Portella, live in the Brazilian city of Taubaté, in the state of São Paulo, where they volunteer at the Samaritanos de Jesus (Samaritans of Jesus) Spiritist Centre. They are also members of Banda Änïmä, a group dedicated to Spiritist music. He is the band’s songwriter and violinist and she is its vocalist and percussionist. Helton Gudin has degrees in Law and Music, and specialisation in singing and guitar. Malu graduated in Literature and Education. 

In the following interview, they speak about their work in Spiritism and in particular Spiritist arts and music:

When did you have your first contact with Spiritism?

Helton – It was in 1994, when I was 17 years old and read for the first time The Spirits’ Book. 

Malu – I found Spiritism around 1993-94, when I was 13 or 14 years old. 

Was there any special circumstance that led to that first contact?

Helton – I’ve been a medium since I was a child. My father took part in Umbanda [Afro-Brazilian religion] sessions and I used to go along with him sometimes. So I always had contact with spirituality. When I was 15, my mother found out about Spiritism and joined a Spiritist Centre. I was suffering from depression at the time, because of my mediumship, which was uncontrolled. I was told I needed to read the Spiritist books to understand mediumship and work with it, helping others, and that’s what I did. 

Malu – When I was 13 or 14, a cleaner that came to our house used to sing all the time during her work. One day she told me those were Spiritist songs and she took me to the Spiritist Centre where she worked as a volunteer, giving healing. A few weeks later I joined their youth group. 

How was Banda Änïmä formed?

Helton – My involvement with Spiritist music began in 1998, when I formed a music group at the youth group I was attending. We had a choir and a group of guitar players, who performed at the opening of public talks and other events at the Spiritist Centre to help harmonise the atmosphere. We also played for the children who were at the evangelisation classes. Later, I began a project playing music at COMEVALP, a local Spiritist gathering that takes place every year during the carnival festivities. The group got better and better and we began getting invitations to play during other Spiritist events throughout the year. That’s when the Änïmä was formed, initially with 16 young people. The formation changed, with people moving on because of work, their studies or other reasons. Now we have four official members: Helton Gudin, Malu Portella, Marcelo Piccini e Daniel Martins, as well as other musicians who go on tour with us and help us with the songwriting, arrangements and during our recording sessions. 

Could you explain the name of the band?

Helton – Änïmä is a Latin word, which means soul, divine breath, life… “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." ... He breathed the breath of life into the man's nostrils, and the man became a living person.” (Gênesis 2:7).

What is the main principle of Änimä's work?

Malu – Love! Also, research and hard work. The work we carry out is part of our daily routine. 

How is the songwriting process? 

Helton – There isn’t a single rule. Sometimes we think of a particular rhythm or style and then create the harmonic sequence and melody. Other times, the melody comes up first and we build the song from that. There are other cases when the music comes through proper mediumship, either through the rhythm, harmony or melody and we follow on from there. 

How many songs has the band already recorded?

Helton – We have recorded three albums and we have also posted other songs on YouTube, which are not part of our CDs. Our first album, Novo Tempo (New Times) was recorded in 2007.  In 2012, we launched Futuro Presente (Present Future) in Rio de Janeiro, an album that focused on Spiritist lessons for children and teenagers, with happy songs and rhythms, just the way we like it. More recently, in 2020, we recorded Bondade Infinita (Endless Goodness), with 12 songs, 10 of which were written by other Spiritist friends, dear friends who have gifted us with their compositions. 

What is the main challenge you have faced to disseminate your musical work in the Spiritist Movement? 

Malu – Many people in Spiritism still reject Spiritist music. They take a negative approach to songs that are based on drums and guitar and mix up Christian joy with banter. We have also experienced rejection from other Spiritist artists. We need to work on that, in order to get genuine and altruistic support and acceptance among Spiritist artists. That is crucial for the development of Spiritist art, enabling it to reach more and more people, fulfilling its main goal, which is to take Spiritism to everyone in a subtle, simple and yet sublime manner. 

What is the meaning of music for you?

Helton – "If they don’t ask me, I know the answer. If they do, then I don’t,” said Saint Augustin in the 5th Century when asked to explain the concept of time. Well, I can say that music is life encouragement. Or, perhaps, it is a tool that we need in order to overcome our problems, to improve ourselves and to help other people. It is art! It is the muse of all arts!

Editor’s Note:

These are band’s contacts for those who want to book them or for more information:

WhatsApp - + 55 (12) 99166-3670

Website - www.anima.mus.br

YouTube channel - banda anima