Help Luca Mundaca to heal through making music!

Ocean blue sneak peek working in progress...

Hello,

They say the first step in seeking help is to share your story—so here I am, trying to find the words. But I don’t know how to tell this story without feeling like I'm unraveling like I’m exposing too much of myself. There’s so much pain in my journey, so many moments where my love for music has been both my salvation and my undoing. But it’s the most recent chapter that has brought me to this place, asking for help.

In 2022, I had surgery that should have given me a better quality of life. Instead, it took my life as I knew it. My body no longer behaves the way it once did. The surgery left me with chronic pain, constant and unyielding, especially in my pelvis. The pain has stolen my ability to perform—my ability to live the life I once did. I spent most of 2022 and 2023 lying in bed, unable to work, and had to cancel shows many times during these last 3 years. I’ve spent my savings to get by and also support my mom, who lives in Brazil. She’s elderly, unable to work, and has no source of income. I am all she has. But now, I’m running out of what little I have left to take care of me and us. This year, I managed to do a few shows, but the income from that hasn’t been enough to cover the rising costs of the ongoing expenses of life. I’m terrified. Every two or three months, I have to go to the Cleveland Clinic for pain management—five days of ketamine infusions that give me a fleeting sense of relief. But even with all the treatments, the pain never fully goes away. I’m also seeing doctors for depression because, to be honest, how could I not be depressed? It’s hard to even admit that to myself, let alone to you.

Music isn’t just my career—it’s my lifeline. Without it, I don’t know who I am anymore. It’s how I buy food, pay my bills, and keep a roof over my head. Without the ability to make new music, I don’t know how I’ll continue supporting myself. It’s not about fame or recognition. It’s about survival. I fear that if I don’t keep creating and releasing new music, the world will forget me. Please don’t think that just because I’ve had success in the past, I’m living an easy life now. My most successful album, Day by Day, brought me no money for over 13 years. It wasn’t until very recently that the record company finally gave me back the rights to the master, and now, when you stream my music or buy my album, I get to keep the money. So, even though you might see the album as a milestone, it hasn’t paid off in the way people think.

Right now, I work as a building manager. It’s a blessing, in a way, because I live in the building where I work, and it allows me to have a roof over my head. But it’s not enough to cover costs to keep my music projects alive. I’m so limited by my physical health—there are days when the pain comes out of nowhere, and in minutes, it can go from a dull ache to a sharp, unbearable agony. I can’t predict it. I can’t control it.

This is why I’m here, asking for help. I need support to keep making music—music that is my reason for living, music that I pour my soul into, music that I want to share with you and the world. But I can’t do it alone anymore. I can’t survive without the ability to create, and I can’t create without your help.

If you have it in your heart to support me, I will be forever grateful. Your contribution will help me continue to make music that brings me life, and I hope, through it, I can bring something meaningful to you, too.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story.

With all my heart,

Luca

About my new music projects

For the past four years, I’ve poured my heart, soul, and every penny I’ve had into creating new music. It’s been a journey of creativity, discovery, and dedication, and today, I’m thrilled to share with you one song from a collection of new songs I’ve been working on—“Ocean Blue.”

This track is incredibly special to me. It’s a Bossa Nova piece inspired by the beauty and magic of Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil—the people, the ocean, the colors, the energy. Everything I love about that place is woven into this song, and when you hear it, I’m sure you’ll feel it too.

I don’t often like to boast, but I truly believe this song is something special, and I want to release it in a way that honors its essence. I wrote “Ocean Blue” and had the privilege of arranging it alongside a dream team of musicians, including:

• Jorge Helder on upright bass

• João Coutinho on piano

• João Castilho on guitar

• Keita Ogawa, a 3-time Grammy Award-winning drummer

These incredible artists helped bring the 1965 Bossa Nova vibe to life with a sound so rich and authentic you’ll feel like you’re standing on the sands of Copacabana, listening to the waves roll in.

Now, I need YOUR help to bring Ocean Blue and other songs to the world. To ensure this release has the quality and impact it deserves, I’m fundraising to cover production costs, studio recording, distribution, and promotion. With your support, I can make sure my songs reach the ears it’s meant to touch—and continue creating music that spans from Bossa Nova to every other genre that inspires me.

How can you help?

You can contribute to the campaign by donating any amount—every little bit helps.

Thank you so much for your generosity!

A little more about me and my music career.

I am a composer and arranger deeply inspired by the rhythms of Bossa nova and the sophistication of jazz. My albums, Day by Day and Primeiro, showcase original compositions—melodies that serenade the soul and lyrics that capture emotions vividly. My sound is rooted in the enchanting world of Brazilian music, with influences from legends like João Gilberto, Rosa Passos, Bebel Gilberto, and others whose work crosses styles and generations.

Through my songs, I tell stories of dreams, love, the vibrant essence of Brazil, and the rich tapestry of human experience. I’ve been honored to receive an Independent Music Award in the World Fusion category and place third in the International Songwriting Competition for World Music. My music has also been featured in Putumayo World Music compilations, including Brazilian Lounge and Women of the World Acoustic.

My sound has reached Hollywood, with placements in films like End of Watch The Visitor and TV shows such as Showtime's Californication, ABC's Mistresses, and the Brazilian telenovela TiTiTi. Step into my world, where chords create magic, and every verse radiates love.