Alana Monteiro: “Otrok je božje darilo”

»Ne iščem več popolnosti, temveč ustvarjam iz prostora, ki je iskren, prizemljen in resničen.« V obdobju, ki prinaša eno najglobljih življenjskih transformacij, umetnica prvič zares upočasni korak in se obrne vase. Nosečnost ni spremenila le njenega vsakdana, temveč tudi njen pogled na ustvarjanje, uspeh in lepoto – bolj kot kdajkoli prej jih zdaj dojema skozi prizmo prisotnosti, avtentičnosti in notranje moči.

Podajate se na eno najbolj prelomnih obdobij svojega življenja. Kako je nosečnost preoblikovala način, kako vidite sebe kot žensko in umetnico?

Nosečnost me je pripeljala v globlji odnos s samo sabo. Dolga leta sta se moje življenje in kariera odvijala v stalnem tempu, potovanja, ustvarjanje, razvoj, vendar me je ta trenutek povabil, da se umirim in sem zares prisotna. Kot ženska se počutim bolj povezana s svojim telesom kot kadarkoli prej. Kot umetnica sem se vrnila k bistvu. Ne iščem več popolnosti, temveč ustvarjam iz prostora, ki je iskren, prizemljen in resničen.

Mnogi umetniki govorijo o ranljivosti kot o viru moči. Kako je to obdobje vplivalo na vaše čustveno izražanje v delu?

To obdobje je na zelo globok način poglobilo moje zavedanje čustev. Upočasnitev mi je omogočila, da zares ostanem s svojimi občutki, namesto da bi jih preprosto prešla. Manj je distrakcij, manj je nuje. Bolj sem prisotna v sebi in ta prisotnost je mojemu delu prinesla novo raven iskrenosti. Ne gre več zgolj za izražanje čustev, temveč za njihovo utelešenje.

Vaša prihajajoča naslovnica materinstvo predstavlja na zelo vizualen in intimen način. Kaj vam pomeni, da se predstavite v tem življenjskem obdobju?

To se mi zdi zelo osebno in izjemno pomembno. Leta sem se gibala skozi različne prostore te industrije, pogosto zelo hitro, ta trenutek pa predstavlja mir in resnico. Predstaviti se v tem obdobju pomeni sprejeti transformacijo in ji dovoliti, da je videna. Ne gre zgolj za podobo, temveč za to, da počastim, kje sem v življenju, brez hitenja.

Ali je materinstvo spremenilo vaš pogled na ambicije, uspeh in zapuščino?

Popolnoma. Vedno sem bila zelo usmerjena in osredotočena na gradnjo kariere, vendar mi je to obdobje prineslo novo raven namere. Ne poskušam več narediti vsega hkrati. Uspeh zdaj občutim kot bolj usklajen in smiseln. Ne gre več samo za osebne dosežke, temveč za ustvarjanje nečesa pomenljivega ob tem, da sem zares prisotna v svojem življenju in za svojo družino.

Glasba pogosto odraža osebne poti. Ali ima katera od vaših pesmi danes povsem nov pomen?

Pesem Miss No More ima zame danes povsem nov pomen. Ko sem jo napisala pred leti, je izhajala iz hrepenenja po ljubezni, ki bi bila varna, svobodna, ne toksična in stalna. Takrat se je zdela skoraj zamišljena, kot da segam po nečem, česar še nisem v celoti doživela.

Danes živim to resničnost in celo več kot to. Ljubezen, ki sem jo našla, in izkušnja ustvarjanja družine sta ta občutek razširili na načine, ki jih nisem mogla predvideti. Ko danes poslušam to pesem, ne čutim več hrepenenja, temveč refleksijo. Spominja me, koliko sem zrasla in se razvila. Čeprav ne čutim več potrebe po iskanju, prepoznam tisto verzijo sebe in upam, da pesem še naprej nagovarja in opolnomoča vse, ki hodijo po svoji poti samovrednotenja in samospoznavanja.

V svetu, kjer se vse odvija zelo hitro, nosečnost prinese drugačen ritem. Ste se naučili upočasniti in ali je to vplivalo na vaš ustvarjalni proces?

Vsekakor sem se naučila upočasniti, predvsem pri načinu potovanja in številu projektov, ki jih sprejemam. Ne premikam se več tako pogosto in ne odhajam na toliko potovanj kot nekoč, kar je bila sprva sprememba, a hkrati izjemno prizemljujoča izkušnja. Naučila me je biti prisotna, zares živeti trenutek in se povezati z otrokom, ki raste v meni. Ta premik je naravno vplival tudi na moj ustvarjalni proces, ki je postal bolj premišljen, bolj zavesten in bolj usklajen z mojim življenjem.

Družbena omrežja so postala prostor, kjer se umetniki neposredno povezujejo s svojim občinstvom. Kako ohranjate avtentičnost in hkrati zaščitite tako osebno obdobje svojega življenja?

Upočasnitev mi je omogočila, da k deljenju pristopam veliko bolj namerno. Ne objavljam več iz navade ali zato, da bi sledila tempu, temveč delim tisto, kar se mi zdi resnično in primerno. O nosečnosti dolgo nisem govorila, ker se mi je zdela zelo osebna, nekaj, kar želim najprej deliti z najbližjimi.

Zame avtentičnost ne pomeni popolne izpostavljenosti, temveč iskrenost znotraj meja. Nekatere izkušnje so namenjene temu, da ostanejo zasebne, in to razliko danes zelo cenim.

Ali čutite pritisk, da bi materinstvo javno delili, ali raje določene trenutke ohranite zase?

Ne čutim pritiska, da bi materinstvo delila javno. Večino nosečnosti sem ohranila zase, ker je bila to zame zelo osebna izkušnja. Tako sem lahko to obdobje preživela brez zunanjega hrupa in mnenj, kar je bilo zelo prizemljujoče. Dolgo sem to delila le z najbližjimi in ta odločitev se mi je zdela naravna in potrebna.

Ne želim dokumentirati vsakega trenutka. Veliko bolj cenim tihe, intimne izkušnje, ki ne potrebujejo deljenja, da bi imele pomen. Seveda bom delila tisto, kar se mi zdi prav, vendar sem se naučila, da ni treba, da je vse javno, da bi bilo pomembno.

Z novimi generacijami, ki odraščajo na digitalnih platformah, kako vidite razvoj odnosa med umetniki in občinstvom?

Ta odnos je postal veliko bolj neposreden in interaktiven, kar je lahko hkrati močno in kompleksno. Dostopnost je večja, vendar je tudi potreba po mejah večja. Mislim, da občinstvo vse bolj hrepeni po pristnosti, ne zgolj po stalni prisotnosti. V prihodnje bo ravnovesje v tem, da se ohrani smiselna povezava, hkrati pa tudi osebni prostor in ustvarjalna integriteta.

Vaš slog je bil vedno izrazit. Se je vaš odnos do mode med nosečnostjo spremenil?

Razvil se je na zelo naraven način. Moda je bila vedno pomemben del moje identitete in kariere, zdaj pa se zdi bolj intuitivna in osebna. Manj me zanimajo pravila in pričakovanja, bolj pa me vodi občutek v lastnem telesu. Ne gre več za sledenje trendom, temveč za izražanje tega, kje sem. V tem je več mehkobe, a tudi globlje samozavesti.

Kako danes definirate lepoto, še posebej v času, ko se vaše telo tako naravno in globoko spreminja?

Zame lepota resnično prihaja od znotraj. Daleč presega fizični videz, v njej je nekaj močnega, kar izhaja iz energije človeka, njegove prijaznosti in načina, kako se giblje skozi svet. Ko je nekdo lep znotraj, se to naravno odraža navzven.

Fizično se ne osredotočam več na ohranjanje določene podobe ali nadzor nad vsakim detajlom. Upočasnitev mi je omogočila, da zares cenim, kaj moje telo v tem trenutku počne. Doživlja globoko transformacijo in namesto da bi jo nadzorovala, sem se naučila, da ji zaupam. V tem procesu je nekaj izjemno močnega. Ne gre več za popolnost, temveč za spoštovanje tega, kar moje telo ustvarja, in za popolno sprejemanje tega.

V kakšnem svetu si želite, da bi odraščal vaš otrok, še posebej v smislu kulture, komunikacije in človeških odnosov?

Upam, da bo moj otrok odraščal v svetu, ki temelji na sprejemanju in raznolikosti, kjer individualnost ni le sprejeta, temveč tudi praznovana. Želim si, da bi bil samozavesten v svojih idejah, ustvarjalnosti in edinstveni perspektivi.

Prav tako si želim sveta, ki ceni prisotnost. Vse se odvija zelo hitro, vendar je izjemno pomembno, da znamo upočasniti in se zares povezati. Želim si, da bi odraščal v okolju, kjer je komunikacija iskrena in kjer si ljudje vzamejo čas, da se med seboj razumejo.

Če bi lahko svojemu otroku posvetili eno pesem, napisano ali še ne, kakšen občutek bi nosila?

Pred nosečnostjo sva s partnerjem pogosto poslušala pesem Zion pevke Lauryn Hill. Ta pesem je zame danes dobila še globlji pomen. Govori o njeni transformaciji, o prehodu iz osredotočenosti na kariero v sprejemanje materinstva kljub zunanjim pritiskom. S to zgodbo se zelo poistovetim. Postala je tako pomemben del najine zgodbe, da naju je navdihnila pri izbiri imena za najinega sina, ki sva ga poimenovala Zion.

Če bi svojemu otroku posvetila eno pesem, bi bila to Zion. Občutek je, kot da tisti trenutek, ko sva jo poslušala, ni bil le naključje, temveč nekakšen znak, da jo morava slišati skupaj. Kot da je tiho potrjevala nekaj, v kar še nisva povsem stopila, a sva že bila na poti tja. Z današnje perspektive se zdi, kot da je bila vedno del najine zgodbe.

Za konec, v tem trenutku med tem, kdo ste bili in kdo postajate, kako bi se opisali danes?

Opisala bi se kot prizemljeno in razvijajočo se osebo. Moje življenje je bilo dolgo zelo hitro, polno rasti in sprememb, ta trenutek pa mi je omogočil, da se ustavim in zares živim. Še vedno se razvijam, še vedno odkrivam nove plasti sebe, vendar na način, ki je bolj zavesten, bolj osrediščen in bolj usklajen kot kadarkoli prej.

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Alana Monteiro: “Baby is a gift from God”

“I no longer seek perfection, but create from a place that is honest, grounded, and true.” In a period marked by one of life’s most profound transformations, the artist slows down for the first time and turns inward. Pregnancy has not only reshaped her daily life, but also her perspective on creation, success, and beauty—now seen more than ever through the lens of presence, authenticity, and inner strength.

You are entering one of the most transformative moments of your life. How has pregnancy reshaped the way you see yourself as both a woman and an artist?

Pregnancy has brought me into a deeper relationship with myself. For so long, my life and career moved at a constant pace traveling, creating, evolving but this moment has invited me to slow down and be fully present. As a woman, I feel more connected to my body than ever before. As an artist, it has stripped everything back. I’m no longer chasing perfection. I’m creating from a place that feels honest, grounded, and true.

Many artists speak about vulnerability as a source of strength. How has this chapter influenced your emotional expression in your work?

This chapter has deepened my emotional awareness in a profound way. Slowing down has allowed me to truly sit with my feelings rather than move past them. There’s less distraction, less urgency. I feel more present within myself, and that presence has brought a new level of honesty to my work. It’s no longer about expressing emotion it’s about embodying it.

Your upcoming cover celebrates motherhood in a very visual and intimate way. What does it mean to you to present yourself at this stage of life?

It feels deeply personal and incredibly meaningful. I’ve spent years moving through different spaces within this industry, often at a fast pace, but this moment represents stillness and truth. Presenting myself during this stage is about embracing transformation and allowing it to be seen. It’s not just about the image it’s about honoring where I am in my life without rushing through it.

Has becoming a mother shifted your perspective on ambition, success, and legacy?

Completely. I’ve always been driven and focused on building my career, but this chapter has brought a new level of intention. I’m no longer trying to do everything at once. Success feels more aligned and purposeful now. It’s not just about personal achievement it’s about creating something meaningful while being fully present in my life and for my family.

Music often reflects personal journeys. Is there a particular song of yours that now holds a completely new meaning?

“Miss No More” holds an entirely new meaning for me now. When I wrote it years ago, it came from a place of yearning for a love that felt safe, free, non-toxic, and consistent. At the time, it almost felt imagined, like I was reaching toward something I hadn’t fully experienced yet.

Now, I find myself living in that reality and even beyond it. The love I’ve found, and the experience of starting a family, has expanded that feeling in ways I couldn’t have anticipated. Listening to the song now, it no longer feels like longing it feels reflective. It reminds me of how much I’ve grown and evolved. While I no longer feel that sense of searching, I recognize that version of myself, and I hope the song continues to resonate with and empower anyone navigating their own journey of self-worth and self-discovery.

In a world where everything moves so fast, pregnancy invites a different rhythm. Have you learned to slow down, and has that influenced your creative process?

I’ve absolutely learned to slow down, particularly in how I travel and the number of projects I take on. I’m not moving as frequently or taking as many vacations as I once did, and while that was an adjustment, it has been an incredibly grounding experience. It has taught me to be present to truly exist in the moment and connect with my growing baby. That shift has naturally influenced my creative process, making it feel more intentional, more thoughtful, and more aligned with where I am in my life.

Social media has become a space where artists connect directly with their audience. How do you navigate authenticity while still protecting such a personal chapter of your life?

Slowing down has allowed me to approach sharing with far more intention. I’m no longer posting out of habit or to keep pace I share what genuinely feels aligned and appropriate. I chose not to speak about my pregnancy for a long time because it felt deeply personal, something meant to be held closely and shared first with those nearest to me.

For me, authenticity is not about full visibility it’s about honesty within boundaries. Some experiences are meant to remain private, and I’ve come to value that distinction.

Do you feel pressure to share motherhood publicly, or do you prefer to keep certain moments just for yourself?

I don’t feel pressured to share motherhood publicly. I spent the majority of my pregnancy keeping that experience private because it was something deeply personal to me. I was able to simply live in the moment of my pregnancy without any outside noise or external opinions around it, and that felt really grounding. For a long time, I only shared it with those closest to me, and that decision felt both natural and necessary.

I’m not focused on documenting every moment. Instead, I’ve come to deeply value the quiet, sentimental experiences that don’t need to be shared in order to be meaningful. Of course, I will share what feels right to me, but I’ve learned that not everything has to exist publicly to hold significance.

With new generations growing up through digital platforms, how do you see the relationship between artists and audiences evolving?

The relationship has become far more immediate and interactive, which can be both powerful and complex. There is a greater sense of accessibility, but also a greater need for boundaries. I think audiences are beginning to crave authenticity in a deeper way not just constant visibility. Moving forward, I believe the balance will lie in meaningful connection while still preserving personal space and creative integrity.

Your style has always been expressive. Has your relationship with fashion changed during pregnancy?

It has evolved in a very natural way. Fashion has always been a significant part of my identity and career, but now it feels more intuitive and personal. I’m less focused on structure or expectation and more drawn to what feels right in my body. It’s no longer about keeping up it’s about expressing where I am. There’s a softness to it, but also a deeper sense of confidence.

How do you define beauty today, especially in a time when your body is changing so naturally and profoundly?

To me, beauty truly comes from within. It goes far beyond physical appearance there’s something powerful about a person’s energy, their kindness, and the way they move through the world. When someone is beautiful on the inside, it naturally reflects outward.

Physically, I’m no longer focused on maintaining a certain image or trying to control every detail. Slowing down has allowed me to genuinely appreciate what my body is doing in this moment. My body is undergoing a profound transformation, and rather than trying to control it, I’ve learned to trust it. There is something incredibly powerful about that process. It’s no longer about perfection it’s about honoring what my body is doing and embracing it fully.

What kind of world do you hope your child will grow up in, especially in terms of culture, communication, and human connection?

I hope my child grows up in a world grounded in acceptance and diversity where individuality is not only accepted but celebrated. I want them to feel confident in their ideas, their creativity, and their unique perspective.

I also hope for a world that values presence. Everything moves so quickly, but there is so much importance in slowing down and truly connecting. I want them to feel grounded in an environment where communication is genuine and people take the time to understand one another.

If you could dedicate one song, written or unwritten, to your child, what would it feel like?

Before my pregnancy, my partner and I would often listen to “Zion” by Lauryn Hill. That song has taken on an even deeper meaning for me now. It reflects her transformation shifting from a career-focused mindset into embracing motherhood despite external pressures. I relate to that journey deeply. It became such an important part of our story that it ultimately inspired us to name our son Zion.

If I were to dedicate one song to my child, it would be “Zion” by Lauryn Hill. It feels as if listening to that song at the time was more than just a moment it felt like a sign we were meant to hear it together. Almost like it was quietly affirming something we hadn’t fully stepped into yet, but were already moving toward. In hindsight, it feels woven into our journey in a way that was always leading us here.

Finally, in this moment between who you were and who you are becoming, how would you describe yourself today?r

I would describe myself as grounded and evolving. I’ve lived a life that has moved quickly, filled with constant growth and transition, but this moment has allowed me to slow down and truly be present. I am still becoming, still discovering new layers of myself but in a way that feels more intentional, more centered, and more aligned than ever before.

Model: Alana Monteiro @alanaamonteiro_

Fotografije: Emily Teauge @_emilyteauge
Ličenje in pričeska: Olympia Dalley
IG Handle: @olympialyana
Stiliranje: Quan John @1quanjohn in Emari Campbell @emaricampbell