“My music style is a mixture of traditional and contemporary,” Brazilian beauty Assîria told me as we sat in the Renaissance Hotel bridge during GMA Week. Considering Assiria was born in Brazil, went to college in the United Statesm and is married to soccer star Pele, it is no wonder her musical style is diverse!
Assiria has already released two projects
in Brazil in her native Portuguese
language, one album just of hymns. Now she is working on her first English release
to combine some hymns from
her hymns album with some Christian pop with the help of writers including Chris
Rodriguez, Bryan Duncan, Chris
Eaton, among others.
Some of the hymns she mentioned are “Amazing Grace” done country style, a medley of different hymns, and “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” recorded in Brazil with a full orchestra. She says the Latin sound most prevelant on her project is the bosanova.
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“I grew up in a Christian home and received Jesus at an early age,” Assiria says, saying she became a Christian at five years of age and later dedicated her life as a teenager. She felt like God had a special calling on her life and originally planned to return to Brazil to serve as a missionary after her years at Pillsbury Baptist College and Nyack College in the U. S. A failed marriage put her plans on hold.
“I felt powerless. I got to the point where I thought, ‘How can God do anything with my life?'” At this low point in her life, the Lord brought an old friend back into her life. “I had known Pele for many years, but when God brought him back into my life, He made everything new.” Assiria had first met Pele in New York City and didn’t start dating him until 10 years later. She compares her “love story” with Pele to the popular movie “When Harry Met Sally.”
Assiria married Pele eight years ago and says, “God started opening doors and through my husband letting me know this (music ministry) would be my road.” Assiria felt God brought her back to a new calling to serve Him, this time through music. From the strange paths her life has taken, Assiria says she learned a valuable lesson: “God doesn’t need you to be capable, He needs you to be available.”
Doors have opened around the world for Assiria to perform before world leaders and huge crowds. “I am very encouraged by what God has accomplished with this,” Assiria states. “Having this CD in English will be a great tool.”
