"I was born in Amaral Gurgel, in Santa Casa da Misericórdia. I was raised in the Hotel Amaral Gurgel because my father managed it, until 1994. Then my mother bought an apartment that we still have today, which is on Avenida Sapopemba", Ioio reveals the beginning of his life.
At 14 years old, Ioio says he already had his sexuality defined. "I had relationships with women and men, and I already knew what I liked. I even lost a son who died from hanging from the umbilical cord." Ioio also says that he wanted to have the child, "but it was something that was supposed to happen." If he had been born, his son would be 14 years old today.
Ioio Vieira de Carvalho has always been part of the gay nightlife. "I was going to see Silvetty, Gretta Star, who are true icons of gay nightlife." Thus, she began to look up to these artists. "I saw their shows and wanted to do it too. That's when I got my first wig. I think I was about 14 years old, and in 2002 I had the first opportunity to do a performance." At that time, some friends told her "that I could invest in the cartoon show; that I had a knack for it and then Ioio Vieira de Carvalho came along", she says.
Life, samba and friendships
A person who helped our dear Ioio a lot in her career was Silvetty Montilla, a great friend of our interviewee, she tells us a little about this relationship. "I always went to watch Silvetty's shows, when I saw that character it was my food for the whole week, when she shouted 'Do I look pretty?' and 'Someone ate?, or when she sang the chicken song, which she released with the Banda da Rua Aurora and became a huge success". The first personal contact would take place some time later. "We met a few years later, because we are both from the samba world."
Speaking of samba, Ioio tells his story with the world of samba schools. "I was always involved in carnival. União Independente da Vila Prudente was the first school I attended. I was also at São Lucas and Sapopemba schools, it was on this path that I met Mocidade Alegre, it was a school that had little prejudice and today it is the school of my life", he reveals.
Ioio, without nostalgia, tells the beginning of his life at night and makes a comment on the current scenario. "It's changed a lot, the new generation isn't used to seeing a glam show. They haven't seen the creators of the buzz that is Marcia Pantera and the late Verônica." A realist, she understands that "things change and today the only thing that is accepted is humor. I feel sad because there are so many wonderful artists and people don't understand anything." For her, the only nightclub that recognizes and hosts these works is Blue Space. "Today this house is Rede Globo for queers. Danger and Bar Queen are also one of the few houses that insist on putting on shows."
Ioio mentions some names that are now references in his work. "Silvetty Montilla, Thalia Bombinha, Nany People and that's it". Back to the topic of the night, she reflects on things that are worse and better. "What's better is the fact that nightclubs police 'placement' more. Before, queers didn't put themselves out there so much to go to clubs. There are a lot of beautiful people out there getting ruined, I myself was someone who took a lot of drugs, in fact it was her [drugs ] who used me, but never mind…".
For Ioio Vieira de Carvalho, life is a constant cycle of renewals. "The artist and the person have to innovate themselves every year. Today I innovate myself, before I didn't care about that. I put on a cool show for people and, thank God, I gained a cool audience. For all this I don't need a placement.”
Regarding romantic relationships, she reveals that there is a certain confusion between Ioio and Orlando, her real name. "When I'm mounted, I'm a woman. Because a transvestite doesn't need breasts to be a transvestite. So, that gets in the way a little. People are attracted to the character and not to Orlando. But the fact that he's alone doesn't bother me, but if They want to take advantage of Ioio's body, they will."
His great love Ioio says it happened in 2003. "That was when I had an accident. At that time I told my mother to fuck off, I left her house and to this day I'm away from home, independent and working. That year [of the accident] , I got this person, and look: I took away a car in her name and ended up with my name. missing, but he believes that "our love is our friend, because he is the one who cares about us". "If we need to, they go out together, fuck together and do everything together. I'm without anyone today by choice."
Rise
The year 2008 was one of many achievements for his career. At Carnival, Ioio won the title of Miss Carna Gay and was featured on Folha Online at the time of the Parade. "When I decided to participate in Rainha do Carna Gay, I decided to look really beautiful and I've never felt so beautiful in my entire life. I won, but so, I only had two competitors", she jokes. Regarding the other contests, Ioio says that she has already participated, but lost. But she is proud to have been "the golden boom boom girl." "I only won the caricatured and painful neighborhood competitions", she satirizes.
Regarding her character's growth, she says that there is no point "if there is no complicity". "You can't be one person on stage and another in real life. The character grew, which is cool, but I never paid attention to that. When I finish the shows and hear the applause, that's what gives me the strength to continue."
Drag philosophizes about a future life. "Today I'm looking to take a theater course and take the DRT. I already had experience as an actress, which was based on an invitation from Kaká di Polly. In the cast of the play there was 'Simplesmente Nenê', may God rest her soul, Stefány Brilha and Lilian Paixão, the only presenter from the extinct Corinto. I felt like a 'coffee with milk' among these people. But I learned a lot there." Ioio also intends, in 2009, to study philosophy at a university.
Regarding having a dream, Ioio reveals some to achieve. "It's getting a facelift and having my own house. With the facelift I want to be less ugly, because I'm not going to stay pretty," he says. When it comes to family, Ioio says that "every family has problems, human beings are not perfect if they don't have some problems."
"I had several fights with my older brother. I came home with Gretchen's record and one day he broke it, I got hit and fought a lot, even with my sister because I took her dress, but that was at the very beginning, long time".
After the crisis over his sexual orientation, things settled down with the family. "Nowadays it's a great friendship. My older brother is 'paying'. His son is nine years old, and he's like me when I was nine years old. People pay in this life." Her religious side is then discovered in the interview. "I'm a Kardecist and I was also a Candomblé fan, but I found myself in spiritualism. Things are clearer to me."
Ioio also gives his opinion on his fellow transvestites and drag queens who entered the world of politics. "I have a friend who ran for office, Salete Campari. Jacque Chanel and Léo Áquilla are my roommates. I think it's great to have them as candidates, but we have to pay attention to who memorized the political course speech and who It's really there. Of these, I admire Salete, she's always in the Parade, involved in activism and when she decides to make it happen, she does it now.
