Goa Blog

A pioneer and exponent of indian pop, rock, socio-political protest, fusion, bollywood, chill-out & meditative music. 

Remo Fernandes is a popular pop/rock/Indian fusion artist and playback singer from the state of Goa, India. His musical work is a fusion of many different cultures and styles he’s been exposed to as a child in Goa and in his later travels around the world. Such influences include Goan and Portuguese music, Sega music from Mauritius and Seychelles, African music, Latin music from Cuba and Nicaragua, the music of earstwhile European communist states, those of the dancehalls from Jamaica and Soca from Trinidad.Writing and singing songs in English made his success more unique in the context of the Bollywood dominated, Hindi language based, Disco music scene that was popular in the 80s and 90s. His music, reflecting life and socio-political happenings in India which every Indian could identify with, became popular largely with the growing, English educated, Indian middle class. A popular stage performer in India, he has also taken part in many music festivals around the world.He now writes and sings his songs in five different languages, English, Hindi, French, Portuguese, and Konkani.

News on Remo Fernandes, Goa

He is the first pop singer to have received the Padma Shri. But singer and musician Remo Fernandes believes that it’s not just his music but also his social consciousness and its manifestation in his music that made him Padma Shri Remo Fernandes.

“I am very surprised and emotional at the same time. The first thought that came to my mind was my parents should have witnessed this moment. It’s not only the pop music that made me Padma Shri. But it’s the social message that my lyrics always conveyed, Remo said.

The Padma Shri comes 20 years after Remo made his musical debut in films with Pankaj Parashar’s Jalwa, which according to the singer is a recognition long over due.

“This award gave me all the recognition that I didn’t get all these years. This award made up for all the Filmfares, MTV and others awards that I never got, Remo says.

Remo’s new album Muchacha Latina has already hit stores and it’s music video will be on air soon. Now with promotion work for his earlier album India Beyond to begin soon this Padma Shri sure has his hands full.

What Remo Says

“The reason why I love Goa is because I was born there. There is no special reason for me to love this land. It is the nature the people and all that goes with it.

I cannot think of settling in any other part of India except Goa. If there was some other place to go, I’d be there. If in the future I ever have to leave Goa by force or because of some circumstances or other, I’ll go to a place which is similar to Goa like Seychelles. This is the only place which is maintained better than Goa. I’d love to settle there.

I feel the only thing which makes Goans different from the rest of the country is a simple historical fact. I do not say it is good or bad. But what I feel is that the Portuguese ruled Goa for 400 years where as Britishers ruled the rest of country for 150 years. This particular fact makes our people different from others. I remember at one time you needed passport to travel to Bombay or any other place in India.

I would never recommend to tourists any of my favourite places in Goa. Because I feel Goa has already been overexploited. There are only few secret places remaining, which Goans know, and I would like to keep them a secret. I really apologize to readers for my secret.

No! I am not upset with tourists. But it is very sad when you see simple natural places becoming highly commercialised. A lot of people come here for nature. It was famous for its beaches and nature and the people, who were so simple. And now because of tourists we Goans are building more and more concrete structures, on the beaches and in the fields to accommodate tourists. So that the very nature they came for is disappearing. What is the sense of this. It is a vicious circle. The tourist came here to enjoy nature and tourists are destroying the nature they came to be part of; so it is a cycle.

I was eight years old when Goa was liberated from Portuguese rule. I am glad I witnessed this historical event with my own eyes. It was a Goa that does not exist today. That Goa is not there any more. The liberated Goa was beautiful for hardly ten years after that. And then it was discovered by tourism and the rest of the world.

But I can recommend to tourists the best food joints, some of which are my favourites. There is a place called Vinit in Panjim which is near the post office. Their food is my favourite. I really like the food at Ronils too at Baga. Goan rice and curry is the best in some of these small places. But if you ask me which is my favourite dish. I would say none other than prawn curry rice, prawn xacuti, lot of papads and sana.

Though Bombay is a place where music industry is prospering. I still prefer Goa because it is a cool place. Unlike Bombay it is not crowded. There is no dirt. I have my own recording studio here. So I only come to Bombay for two-day trips.

My favourite pastime is to walk alone on the beach. I also enjoy climbing up to a hill to view the sea, the sands, the fields. But I don’t go to beaches as often as tourists go, because I stay next to beach.

The only thing which I dislike about Goa is that the Goan people can be very small minded. We Goans think that Goa is the beginning and the end of the universe. We are not interested in knowing what is going around the world. Goans are very jealous and cannot bear to see their fellow Goan prosper. Just like in a basket of crab when one crab tries to go up the others try to bring him down. And that is what hurts me. and eventually this attitude should change.”

Remo’s song samples from Wikipedia 

• The Flute Song (help·info)
• A Konkani Song (help·info)

Photos of Remo

Best Wishes to Remo from the Bloggers of Goa