t A singer performing onstage at a funk party in Rio
A wonderful medley of styles, Brazil’s music is testament to the vibrant mix of cultures and influences that make up the country’s population. Move your body to the infectious beats of forró in the northeast, funk in Rio, acoustic sertanejo in rural areas, and samba across the country.
t A singer performing onstage at a funk party in Rio
Pronounced “funkee” and nothing like the 1960s American variety, Carioca funk has its roots deep in the heart of Rio’s favelas during the 1980s. It has since captured the country’s club culture, becoming a mainstream phenomenon. Inspired by hip-hop brought back from the US, its explicit lyrics reference topics such as poverty, racial inequality, violence, and social injustice, all set to a mix of Miami bass, gangsta rap, and Afrobeats tempo.
The seductive rhythms of samba send Brazil crazy during Carnaval. Join the fun months beforehand at the country’s samba schools – social clubs found throughout Brazil, with the biggest and most famous found in Rio’s favelas. Or to do something truly Carioaca, dance a night away in one of Lapa’s atmospheric samba clubs.
Perhaps surprisingly, country music is the most popular sound in Brazil. Usually associated with the rural interior, it has now been brought to São Paulo’s trendiest clubs by city hipsters. To experience the real thing, however, head to Mato Grosso do Sul – Brazil’s answer to Texas – where country tunes are blasted from cars and in clubs, and are very much ingrained in the local cowboy culture.
There’s no shortage of music festivals in Brazil. Ranging from electronic dance frenzies to heavy rock ’n’ roll festivities, the biggest events are hosted in São Paulo and Rio. Rock fans should check out Rock in Rio; one of the country’s most famous festivals, it’s headlined by big international artists and is held, as the name suggests, in Rio de Janeiro, usually every second year. For something more off the beaten track, head to the Bananada festival in Goiâna to enjoy a predominantly Brazilian lineup.
A northeastern two-step dance and music style, forró is a way of life for the people in this corner of Brazil. In mid-July, make for the beach town of Itaùanas for FENFIT, an eight-day festival devoted entirely to the genre, with live music and late-night parties. Caruaru – Brazil’s self proclaimed forró capital – takes things even further, hosting the São João de Caruaru festival that offers lively forró festivities for the whole month of June.
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Numerous Brazilian musicians have gained international fame, including Polar Prize winner Gilberto Gil, soft-singing Vanessa da Mata, and funk-inspired pop queen Anitta (above). Almir Sater is a big name among sertanejo and blues lovers, and Bahian-born Astrud Gilberto became a star in the 1960s with “The Girl from Ipanema.”