For Eddie Pimentel, music is less about genre and more about truth. Drawing from his Brazilian roots, the influence of LA pop, and the depth of British gospel, Eddie has created a sound that feels both expansive and deeply personal. Through live-driven recordings, collaborative “sonic ecosystems,” and emotionally grounded storytelling, his work bridges cultures while staying anchored in authenticity — proving that the most powerful music doesn’t choose one path, it brings them all into conversation.
Eddie, your work brings together LA pop, Brazilian music, and British gospel. What inspired you to explore such a rich fusion of styles?
I think this fusion came from something very natural rather than strategic. My musical identity was shaped by different moments of my life, growing up in Brazil, being deeply connected to blues and soul, and later moving to Los Angeles, where I was exposed to a completely different level of musical language and production.
The LA pop really came into my life through the productions of Quincy Jones, which have always inspired me. Brazilian music is in my blood (laughs), and British gospel comes along with the blues that I’m deeply connected to, especially through church musicians, which I’ve always loved. In many ways, my band is essentially made up of church musicians, and that’s really where I find my sound.
At some point, I realized I wasn’t interested in choosing one path over another. I was more interested in understanding how all these influences could coexist in a meaningful way. Seeing artists like Pat Metheny collaborate across cultures really opened my mind. It showed me that music doesn’t need to be confined by geography, it can be a conversation between identities.
So this fusion is really a reflection of who I am. It’s not about mixing genres for the sake of it, but about creating something honest that carries all those influences in a cohesive way.
Your collaborations with Michelle John and Roberta Spindel each highlight very different musical directions. How do you approach creating something cohesive while honoring each genre?
For me, each project has its own emotional center, but they all share the same tonal foundation, which comes from my band sound. It’s very much rooted in a church-based aesthetic, with elements like Hammond, Rhodes, active bass tones, and modern drum kits shaping the overall sonic identity.
With Michelle, the focus was spirituality and the depth of gospel music. There’s a certain honesty and power in that genre that you simply can’t fake. My role was to create a musical environment where her voice could exist naturally, without overproducing or taking away from that essence.
With Roberta, the connection is much more rooted in Brazilian harmony and a sense of nostalgia, but still filtered through my language as a guitarist, alongside my producer Tim Carmon. It’s a different emotional landscape, but still grounded in the same band-driven sound that defines my work.
What keeps everything cohesive is the way I approach sound and arrangement. The guitar tone, the harmonic choices, the pacing, those elements carry my identity across different genres. So even when the musical direction shifts, there’s always a recognizable thread connecting everything: my band, my vocals, the guitar tones, and those strong church and blues influences.
You’ve described building a “sonic ecosystem”, what does that mean in practice when working with other artists and producers?
A sonic ecosystem, for me, is about creating a space where every musician can fully express themselves while still serving a unified artistic vision.
In practice, it means I don’t approach collaborations as a hierarchy, I see them as a dialogue. I work with musicians who have strong identities, and I give them the freedom to bring that into the music. At the same time, everything is guided by a very clear aesthetic direction.
Working alongside Tim Carmon has been fundamental in that process. There’s a level of trust and musical understanding that allows things to evolve organically without losing focus.
It goes beyond arrangement or production, it’s about creating an environment where the music can grow naturally, but still feel intentional and cohesive. The church and blues foundations are always guiding us, and when I bring in my lower register vocals along with vintage, slightly driven guitar tones, that’s where this sonic identity really takes shape, something I’ve grown deeply connected to and genuinely proud of.
And the final element is the live feel. Most of what we do is recorded live, capturing real interaction between musicians, with only minimal overdubs like background vocals or acoustic textures. That energy is a big part of what defines this ecosystem, it keeps the music human, dynamic, and honest.
Your music is deeply rooted in emotion, ancestry, and identity. How do those personal elements shape your creative process?
Everything starts from an emotional place. Technique, production, arrangement, all of that comes after.
I’ve always felt that music is a way of processing things that are difficult to express otherwise. My connection to ancestry, to family, and to personal experiences plays a huge role in that. Some pieces come from very specific moments in my life, like loss, memory, or even a sense of belonging.
At the same time, I try to translate those personal experiences into something universal. The goal is not just to tell my story, but to create a space where people can see themselves in the music.
That’s why I pay so much attention to dynamics, tone, and silence. Sometimes what you don’t play is just as important as what you do. It’s all part of shaping an emotional narrative.
After your international tour and recent releases, what’s next for you as you continue expanding your global presence and collaborations?
Right now, I’m focused on building consistency and expanding the reach of the project in a very intentional way.
The upcoming releases with Michelle John and Roberta Spindel are an important step, because they represent different sides of my musical identity, both with a strong global perspective. Beyond that, I’m continuing to develop new material, visual content, and live performances that reflect this current phase of my career.
I’m also looking to strengthen international collaborations and position the project in a way that allows it to grow organically across different markets.
More than anything, the goal is to keep evolving without losing authenticity. I believe that’s what creates longevity, when the music continues to grow, but still feels true to its core.
And, speaking honestly (laughs), I’m really looking forward to releasing another EP with Charlean Carmon. Charlean, Michelle, and Roberta are among my favorite singers ever, so being able to collaborate with them is something very special to me. In a way, that completes a personal dream.
At the same time, we’re also preparing a larger tribute project. I can’t reveal much about it just yet, but I can say it’s going to be something truly meaningful, and, hopefully, very beautiful.
