In our latest On Rotation music interview, with sit down with Brazilian skateboarder Leticia Gonçalves. Back in April, the entire Brazilian skateboard team flew out on a training trip to the California Training Facility to get their reps in before the Dew Tour Des Moines competition. After a few runs and threw off her knee pads, we snagged Leticia for a few minutes to get a rundown on her favorite music and a custom-created playlist to go along with it.
Let’s start with what you like listening to. What’s your favorite type of music?
Well, I usually listen to a lot of trap music and stuff like that.
English or Brazilian trap music?
Both of them. I like Brazilian trap music and in English too.
Do you find them to be similar at all?
No, it’s really different.
Luiz Francisco was explaining how it’s more like Brazilian Funk than trap.
Yeah, kind of. I do listen to a lot of Funk when I’m skating too. So actually, it’s more like trap and Funk.
Can you name some of your favorite artists who you are currently listening to?
Well, let me look it up because I have so many. I usually listen to L7nnon; he’s from Brazil. I’ve been listening to a lot of Funk. Sometimes I’ll listen to Charlie Brown Jr. He’s kind of like rock music and also a lot of Post Malone.
How important of a role does music play in your day-to-day life?
I sometimes play music right when I wake up, but not every day. I usually skate while listening to music, like every time I like to stay far from everyone because I want to talk to everyone. I like listening to my music and getting ready to do my stuff.
And so when you’re listening to music while you skate, do you have headphones?
Yeah, with headphones. I like to keep both headphones on, and I only take them out when the battery’s low. I use them a lot.
Is that the same for when you’re competing?
Hmm, it depends on how I’m feeling. If I’m feeling good, I put on the headphone. Then sometimes I see everyone that I haven’t seen in like forever, then I take it off and talk to everyone and skate like a normal session.
If you were to be competing right now, what song would you be listening to?
It would probably be Coming In Hot by Lecrae and Andy Mineo. Actually, I used that song in one of my last Instagram videos (laughs).
That tees up my next question if you were to have a video part ready to go and could use any song, all rights free, what would you pick?
I don’t know—something like Coming In Hot or something hip hop. I liked the song from Clay Kreiner’s video part, but I couldn’t find that song anywhere!
Which part from Clay Kreiner was it?
His last one where he did a 360 flip on a mega but without the grab.
For a video part, would you use a hip-hop song rather than a rock song?
Yeah, probably a hip-hop song. I feel like hip hop/rap is more for the street. It doesn’t have to be like that, you know? But everyone likes to listen to that.
Right, you can mix it up.
And I like electronic music and stuff, but I think that would be too much for skating. I do like Trap rap songs more.
Any video parts that you remember watching growing up that impacted you because of the song they used?
Not really, because I don’t really go watch a video because the song is good. I remember when I was watching Zion [Wright] in You Good? I think that’s what it was called. The Jamie Foy part, I think it has an Akon song. I remember the song from when I was young, so I got super hyped when I was watching.
Editor’s note: Song featured in Jamie Foy’s part is Soul Survier by Young Jeezy featuring Akon.
What about that video stood out to you?
I don’t know. I think it’s because before I started skating transition, I used to skate street. So I started competing in the streets, and I competed with Pamela [Rosa] when I was young. Then I was like, dude, I couldn’t do big rails and stuff. I was too scared, and I started watching YouTube videos and saw Alana [Smith], and I was like, ‘damn, who’s this girl?’ I met her it was really cool in like 2016. I was super hyped, but I couldn’t speak English, and I use to hate English. I came back to Brazil, and I was like, ‘I have to learn English.’ I was so sad, but I just started, then I came here and spent three months, and now I know everyone like Nicole [Hause], Alana, Allysha [Le], just everyone.
Are you a fan of going to concerts? Have you ever been to one?
Yeah, in Brazil, there’s this one. I don’t know if you guys have heard it before. It’s called Maze Fest.
No, I haven’t heard of it before. What kind of festival is that?
It’s like a hip hop concert, and it’s like skating themed by like, the 90s, 80s, and 70s eras. So you have to dress like from those years.
Where do they have this festival?
In São Paulo. This year they did it but small because of COVID and everything. But I really like it.
So do they hold retro contests from those eras too?
Yeah, they do. I met MadeinTYO, which is a hip hop rapper from here. (American rapper) He sings the song Skateboard P.
Did you ever get the chance to compete at Maze?
No, I’ve gone a lot of times, but I never competed before. But it’s nice to watch and hang out, and it’s a festival, so they have a lot of things going on. They put a lot of brands inside so you can play some games and you can win t-shirts and stuff.
I know a lot of Brazilian skaters are into playing music. Do you play any instruments yourself?
I tried to play guitar, but I’m not good at all (laughs). That won’t hold my attention like that’s why I skate. I have to do something like fast.
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