About
Karina Hoffnung is a Brazilian singer-songwriter, pianist, composer and poet based in Switzerland. Karina’s music collection encompasses songs, instrumental pieces and music for children.
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Karina discovered a deep passion for music and its craft at a young age, starting with piano when she was 6 years old and later studying music in Brazil and Europe. Her early involvement in music laid the foundation for her creative endeavors as composer and songwriter.
She began her musical career in Brazil in 1989 singing at weddings, parties, bars, and various public and private events. She performed for audiences of around 2,000 people.
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Although she studied classical piano, she always focused her repertoire on Bossa Nova classics and Brazilian Popular music (MPB), and later Pop/Rock music from the 80s, 90s and Jazz standards.
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After moving to Switzerland, she decided to dedicate herself more to spontaneous composing, participating in choirs, solos concerts and collaborating with various artists in different formations. In this process, she met many artists from diverse musical niches, which further reinforced her passion for Bossa Nova, Jazz, Pop and World Music—styles that have guided her work until now. Her artistic journey is marked by collaborations, concerts and continuous creative exploration, always with a strong focus on Bossa Nova and Brazilian music.
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Karina Hoffnung’s creative and composing process
Karina Hoffnung says that when it comes to composing, she prefers to "simply let it flow", despite having knowledge of composition rules, harmony, and music theory, and having studied music in her two university courses in Brazil and two postgraduate courses in Switzerland, and having participated in various music courses, symposiums, and congresses,
Karina always seeks inspiration in nature and in her daily experiences. She emphasizes that her greatest desire is for her music to be a source of light and inspiration for other people. Her music focuses on themes such as love, hope, positivity, gratitude, and the celebration and contemplation of the beauty of life.
Karina hoffnung draws inspiration from her surrounding experiences and emotions through improvisation or experimentation. Normally she uses the piano as her best partner in her creative process, refining her work through feedback, reflection and interaction. She finalizes her process in live performance and/or recording and producing her music.
Her album “De Bem Com a Vida” is a mix of songs in Portuguese and English with influences from Bossa nova, Brazilian Popular Music and pop music. The most popular songs from this album are: her first Bossa Nova composition “Vida”, her first composition in English “I Just Know”, the first version of her song “A Luz Que Você Traz” and “Paz” a song with a deep message about spreading peace to the world.
“Utopia” is an album with a collection of quiet instrumental music mostly composed for piano and inspired by moments of deep meditation, nostalgy and melancholy. The most appreciated tracks from this album are: “Utopia”, “Meditação”, “Horizontes”, “Saudade”, “União de Almas” and her track “Eternamente Chaplin” that she composed for piano and orchestra as a posthumous tribute to Charles Chaplin.
Her album “Trilhando Trilhas” is a collection of instrumental soundtracks inspired by different moments in the film of her life with her up and downs. Some of the most listened tracks from this album are: “Suavidade de Alma”, “A Batalha”, “Absorto”, “Nova Luz”, “Menschen” and “Eclipse”.
The album “Aventuras Musicais” is a collection of her soundtracks composed specially for children and some Brazilian folks’ songs. This album contains her first composition “Papai” which she made for her father when she was 10 years old, and “Mamãe” which she made for her mother. Some others beloved tracks are: “Olá” which is also recorded in English and German versions “Hello” and “Hallo”, “Bolhas de Sabão”, “Dorme Criança” and “Doces Aventuras”.
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Influence and Style
Karina Hoffnung’s music blend elements of her Brazilian heritage with other pop music styles. Karina Hoffnung is inspired by some of the great artists from jazz and pop music like Antonio Carlos Jobim, Milton Nascimento, Elis Regina, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Janis Joplin, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and rock bands like The Beatles, Queen and Pink Floyd.
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Karina Hoffnung’s latest releases
The last Karina Hoffnung’s releases are the singles: “Happy End”: her first Bossa Nova in English, “Swiss Rhapsody” (a piece that encompasses various musical styles), “Give Love a Chance” (a love pop song),“Ser Feliz” (in Brazilian Baião style) and “The Light of Your Love” (new English version for “A Luz Que Você Traz” in Bossa Nova style).
