Rui Ribeiro & Aurea: A Reflection on Over a Decade of Collaboration

In a recent interview on SIC’s tv show "Caixa Mágica," composer and producer Rui Ribeiro shared insights into his long-standing collaboration with Aurea, one of Portugal's most successful artists. Reflecting on more than fifteen years of friendship and joint work, Rui expressed his deep admiration for the singer, highlighting her unique personality and the vibrant energy that has always defined her.

A Force of Nature

Rui Ribeiro fondly recalled his first meeting with Aurea, noting that he felt an immediate connection: “What can I say about a decade and a half of friendship and professional collaboration with Aurea? It could probably fill a documentary, but I’ll keep it brief. When I first met her, I could never have imagined the incredible career she would build or the number of lives she would touch over the years. However, from the very first moment, I sensed that Aurea was an extraordinary force of nature, with remarkable energy and a truly unique spirit.”

The composer and producer admitted that he initially had no idea about Aurea's vocal talent and recounted their first recording session: “It wasn’t easy to persuade Aurea to come to my house to try recording a song I had written for her at the time; she genuinely believed she couldn’t sing… Can you imagine? During the recording, she kept stopping to say, ‘How awful!’—she was very critical of herself. Because she paused so often, we couldn’t even finish the song since she had a bus to catch and was already running late (laughs)! Interestingly, throughout the recording process, we were always joking and laughing… that playful energy we shared was the same energy I felt on the last day I recorded with her in the studio and the last time I shared a stage with her.” Despite Aurea’s growth over the years, Rui emphasizes that the essence of the singer remains unchanged: “Aurea has matured and gained immense experience since we first met, building an extraordinary career. Yet the core of her personality remains exactly the same. I find that wonderful, and it’s not easy to maintain one’s true self while navigating the challenges of being a public figure like she is.”

Mutual Growth

Rui Ribeiro also highlighted Aurea’s artistic development, recalling that she initially had little technical knowledge: “In the early days of recording, Aurea lacked vocal training and experience in music and studio recording. I felt it was my responsibility to share that knowledge with her to help her grow in those areas. What I didn’t expect was that someone with no technical background would teach me so much in return! Perhaps her intuitive nature is what led me to grow significantly as a musician through our collaboration.”

A Unique Personality

Among the many memories shared, Rui mentioned an interesting aspect of Aurea’s creative process: “In every recording session for the albums I wrote and produced for her, Aurea would always illustrate the lyrics on every page with her artistic drawings. She’s been doing this from the very beginning!” According to Rui, this habit has remained consistent over the years: “Recently, while Aurea was recording her latest album, Moods, she sent me a photo of some lyrics on her desk… and there were those same illustrations. This just reinforces what I mentioned earlier: Aurea has stayed true to her personality throughout the years; she is the same Aurea I met over 15 years ago.”

Admiration and Friendship

Rui Ribeiro concluded the interview on a heartfelt note: “I have immense respect for the artist she is, the person she is, and the friend she has always been to me. I am deeply grateful to her. Therefore, I will always be here, looking forward to what I know will be a long and wonderful career, standing by her side for whatever life has in store for us.”

The partnership between Rui Ribeiro and Aurea exemplifies an artistic collaboration rooted in trust, friendship, and a shared vision—essential elements for the success Aurea has achieved over the years. Rui Ribeiro composed and co-produced studio albums such as Aurea (2010), Soul Notes (2012), Restart (2016), Confessions (2018), as well as the live album Aurea ao vivo no Coliseu dos Recreios (2011), and served as musical director for numerous national and international concerts featuring the singer until 2021.

Team Rui Ribeiro