Teto Preto is a collaboration between visual artist Laura Diaz, producers Savio and Zopelar, multi-instrumentalist Bica, keyboardist Pedro, and French performance artist Loïc Koutana. Combining techno, house, jazz, and tropicalia, the five-piece have quickly become one of São Paolo’s most politically vocal artists, accompanied by provocative and energising live shows.
The name Teto Preto translates as ‘black ceiling,’ which, according to Koutana, refers to a specific feeling of “when you take a drug that’s too hard for you, and it feels like you’re about to fall [and] lose your mind.” Their first single “Gasolina” was released in 2016, along with the founding of their label Mamba Rec, and made great waves in Brazilian pop culture for its video depicting contemporary club culture and their opposition to their country’s ruling government. The video was awarded Best National Direction for MVF in 2017 and was part of the soundtrack for the movie Corpo Eletrico.
In 2018, Teto Preto released their debut album, Pedra Petra, launching them to perform across the world at institutions including Dark Mofo, Tasmania, and Les Escales in France. Meanwhile, they continued to maintain their queer-inclusive parties Mamba Negra in their hometown. The group remain closely allied with local struggles in the LGBTQIA+ community, bringing global focus to the rising oppression against queer cultures in Brazil. Their single from the album Bate Mais was dedicated to black lesbian politician Marielle Franco and non-binary model Matheusa Passerelli, who were both murdered in 2018.
In addition to a live performance by Teto Preto at CTM, bandmembers Loïc Koutana, Zopelar, and Laura Diaz also appear as part of other projects.