Singer, songwriter, musician, author, loving mom and mental health campaigner Rita Redshoes tells Tomorrow how her life experiences have shaped her work and of her plans for the year ahead.
Before meeting Rita Redshoes, one of the most accomplished musical artists of the last 20 years, I was tempted to prepare numerous questions about her remarkable recording career. That would have been wrong, however, because Rita Redshoes is far more than a talented singer and songwriter. Instead, I started our conversation with one question: “What would you like to talk about Rita?”
It’s a testament to Rita’s generosity of spirit that she didn’t begin by talking about her new album, her new book or her new band, but about her work raising awareness regarding postpartum depression, something which she experienced firsthand following the birth of her daughter, Rosa.
“I didn’t know how to be a good mother,” said Rita candidly. “It felt very scary.” Her anxiety was acute and debilitating. Counselling helped. Medication helped. Work helped, as she channelled many of her most personal thoughts into her album, Lado Bom (Bright Side). It would take three months and more before she’d feel better. She’s aware other mothers have felt (and are feeling) the same, hence her openness in discussing the issue and her desire to use her own experiences to help others who are suffering. Rita recommends the Centro do Bebe (Baby Centre) as a great source of information and support. As for Rita’s own childhood years, she describes herself as “a shy, timid and lonely young girl”. She confides, “It was music that saved me. It’s my greatest friend.”
Born Rita Pereira near Loures on the outskirts of Lisbon, she began her musical journey as a drummer in a school theatre group before demonstrating her skills as a singer, guitarist and pianist. She became the lead singer with the band Atomic Bees, who enjoyed some chart success with their debut album. After they disbanded, Rita performed and recorded with a host of household names, including singer/songwriter David Fonseca – she shared lead vocals with him on the song, ‘Hold Still’, the video of which was filmed in London.
In 2008, Rita went solo and released her debut album, Golden Era. At this time, she adopted the stage name Rita Redshoes. The ‘red shoes’ derive partly from her love of the Wizard of Oz and a feeling that “Women wearing red shoes are invincible. They will do whatever they want when they have the power of the red shoes.”
Golden Era was an unprecedented success, spawning several hit singles and earning Rita a nomination at the prestigious MTV Europe Music Awards. It was important for Rita to test herself as a solo artist. As she said, “I didn’t want people thinking of me as just a nice girl and a pretty singer. It’s easy for that to happen in the music industry.” Rita had something to say and the talent to do it. She’s since released four more albums and recorded the iconic anthem of the Make a Wish Foundation, as well as notable songs such as ‘Mulher’ (Woman), which is an inspiring ode to women everywhere.
Rita’s most recent album, Lado Bom, is her most intimate record yet. She describes it as, “The most personal album of my career; a first-person account of one of life’s greatest transformations” in that it tells of her experiences with motherhood and postpartum depression.
In addition to a successful recording career, Rita has written four books, each of which draws upon life experiences and educational attainments – she holds a postgraduate degree in literary fiction and a degree in clinical psychology. She also illustrated her first book, Sonhos de Uma Rapariga Quase Normal (Dreams of an Almost Normal Girl). Three children’s educational books have followed. A new book, Crescer à Sombra (Dreams in the Shade), will be out shortly. She describes it as ‘self-fiction’ in that it tells of a young girl awakening to the world and changes to her body, and the notion of mortality itself. She hopes it will be of help to parents and children alike. Indeed, it’s no coincidence that much of Rita’s work has been focused on helping children. In addition to her books and her work for the Make a Wish Foundation, she’s a passionate supporter of the Mozambique-based The Big Hand Foundation (see below for more details).
Along with the new book, Rita told me she’s fronting a new band – Rita e os Usados de Qualidade(Rita and the Quality Used Goods). They released their first single at the end of November and their debut album will be out in 2025. Rita’s most recent performance in the Algarve was early in November in Olhão, where she has family. She describes the Algarve as a ‘special place’ and somewhere she enjoyed holidaying as a child, with frequent visits to Quarteira, Faro and Olhão.
It’s going to be a busy year for Rita. Intelligent, articulate, friendly, and talented, she left me with the impression that, while she’s already achieved a great deal, Portugal, and indeed the rest of the world, is going to be hearing a lot more from the remarkable Rita Redshoes.
Postpartum depression is a mental health condition that can affect women after giving birth. It involves feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and anxiety, which can lead to significant changes in sleep, appetite, and energy. It can make it very difficult for the mother to care for herself and her baby.
www.facebook.com/ritaredshoesmusic
The Big Hand believes that all children deserve an opportunity and that only by helping all children is it possible to break the cycle of poverty in which they live: www.thebighand.org/en/the-big-hand