Liniker


Liniker de Barros Ferreira Campos, or simply Liniker is a trans woman and the vocalist of the Brazilian soul band Liniker e os Caramelows.

Biography

Early life

Liniker was born in Araraquara and raised by a single mother. Growing up in a musical family, she was exposed to samba rock, as well as jazz, soul, and R&B. When 18, she left Araraquara to pursue her passion for music.

Musical career and activism

In 2015, Liniker formed the band Liniker e os Caramelows with several friends. Together, they filmed a performance of one of their first songs, Zero; the video went viral on YouTube, accruing 1.5 million views in the first week. Since then, they have toured within Brazil and internationally. They describe their music as New Black Brazilian Music or "funzy", explicitly noting Black music's deep influence throughout Latin America. Their album, Goela Abaixo, was nominated for Best Portuguese Language Rock or Alternative Album at the 2019 Latin Grammy Awards.
Liniker attempts to use her position as a well-known musician to promote social change and represent black trans culture in an unaccepting social environment; she feels that they have a responsibility to speak up about the violence against queer people in Brazil.