{{short description|Angolan singer and dancer}} {{expand Portuguese|date=May 2024|topic=bio}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Titica | birth_name = Teca Miguel André Garcia | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1987|6|26}} | birth_place = Luanda, Angola | genre = Kuduro, Pop, Kizomba, Semba, World Music, Rap | occupation = Singer | years_active = 2011–present | label = LS Produções, Banzelos Nation | associated_acts = {{ill|Ary (musician)|lt=Ary|pt|Ary}}, C4 Pedro, Paulo Flores, BaianaSystem, Yola Semedo, Laton Cordeiro, Pabllo Vittar | website = }} '''Titica''' is an Angolan kuduro musician and dancer. She was named "the new face" of kuduro by the BBC.<ref name="BBC">{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17628726 | title=Transsexual artist Titica takes Angola by storm | publisher=BBC | accessdate=April 12, 2012| work=BBC News | date=2012-04-12 | last1=Redvers | first1=Louise }}</ref>
==Career== Titica was born in Luanda. Her stage name is Portuguese for "worthless" or "useless"; she chose the name to reclaim the hateful words that have been directed at her as a trans woman.<ref name=AAR>{{cite journal |last1=Young |first1=Hershini |title=“Sound of Kuduro knocking at my door”: Kuduro Dance and the Poetics of Debility |journal=African American Review |date=September 2012 |volume=45 |issue=3 |pages=391–402 |doi=10.1353/afa.2012.0037}}</ref> {{Weasel|section|May 2026|date=May 2026}} Despite her training in ballet, Titica found fame through the display of her sexual prowess in dance. Many consider Titica’s embrace of femininity and bass culture as an act of resistance toward Angola’s restrictive legislation against homosexuality and queerness.<ref name=AAR />
Titica began her career as a back-up dancer with acts such as Noite & Dia, Própria Lixa, and {{ill|Puto Português|pt}}.<ref name="BBC"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.jeuneafrique.com/140576/culture/l-angola-en-transe-avec-titica/|title=L'Angola en transe avec Titica|last=Pauron|first=Michael|date=2012-07-28|work=Jeune Afrique|access-date=2017-10-05|language=fr-FR}}</ref> Her first recording of a single was unplanned. While helping Noite & Dia develop a chorus for a track, Titica's voice was recorded for the track, beginning her music-recording career.<ref name="BBC"/><ref name="Red Bull Music Academy">{{cite web |last1=Mistry |first1=Anupa |title=Titica |url=http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/lectures/titica |website=Red Bull Music Academy |publisher=Red Bull |accessdate=14 December 2018}}</ref>
In October 2011, Titica released her first album, ''Chão...'', launching her to international success. The album's single "Olha o Boneco," featuring the African-Portuguese singer {{ill|Ary (musician)|lt=Ary|pt|Ary}}, charted at number one for 3 weeks on the Portuguese music program ''TOP +'' and for 7 weeks on the Brazilian show ''Rolando Música''.{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}}
== Influences == Titica is very public about her Congolese background and the influence that this has on her music. In her 2018 Red Bull Music Academy lecture, she explained that she listens to "lots of music from Congo." She discussed how her music combines kuduro with the Congolese genres of kallé and n’dombolo and specifically cited Pépé Kallé and Koffi Olomide as inspirations.<ref name="Red Bull Music Academy" /> She also named the kuduro artist Fofandó as "one of the most important female artists in the kuduro scene" and stated that "kuduro has a queen who inspired us and I looked up to."<ref name="Red Bull Music Academy" />
== Activism and Advocacy == In 2013, Titica was named a goodwill ambassador for UNAIDS.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.osisa.org/lgbti/blog/angolas-transsexual-un-ambassador|title=Angola's transsexual UN ambassador|date=2012-02-29|website=Open Society Initiative of Southern Africa (OSISA)|language=en|access-date=2017-10-05|archive-date=2017-10-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171004090322/http://osisa.org/lgbti/blog/angolas-transsexual-un-ambassador|url-status=dead}}</ref> Through this role and her international popularity, Titica has increased awareness of HIV risks and treatment, sexual health, and issues affecting the international LGBT community.<ref name="Okay Africa">{{cite web |title=Titica |url=https://100women.okayafrica.com/articles/2018/2/28/titica |website=Okay Africa |accessdate=14 December 2018 |archive-date=12 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141239/https://100women.okayafrica.com/articles/2018/2/28/titica |url-status=dead }}</ref> In a statement released during her time at UNAIDS, Titica stated: "I have been beaten and stoned for who I am. I have suffered so much humiliation, but I am ready to lead by example and help overcome stigma and discrimination in my country and beyond."<ref name="UNAIDS Angolan Goodwill Ambassadors">{{cite web |title=UNAIDS appoints Angolan music icons, C4 Pedro and Titica as National Goodwill Ambassadors |url=http://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/featurestories/2013/october/20131008angolagwa |website=UNAIDS |accessdate=14 December 2018}}</ref>
== Discography ==
* ''Chão...'' (2011) * ''De Última à Primeira'' (2014) * ''Pra Quê Julgar?'' (2018)
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://open.spotify.com/artist/7nZQNPtjBLW4GqfYOC0rto Titica] on Spotify *{{iTunes|br/artist/titica/515957363}} *[https://genius.com/artists/Titica Titica] on Genius *{{YouTube|u=UCVZInUo5j2-1NWT5TWStqlQ}}<!-- per WP:ELMINOFFICIAL, choose one official website only -->
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Titica}} Category:21st-century Angolan women singers Category:1987 births Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Luanda Category:Transgender women musicians Category:Kizomba singers Category:Semba singers Category:Angolan LGBTQ rights activists Category:LGBTQ women singers Category:Transgender women singers Category:21st-century Angolan LGBTQ people