The Best Up And Coming Music Artists From Brazil

Brazil’s love of music runs deep. It speaks of a thirst for life, optimism, and is deeply rooted within their culture. While Rio de Janeiro’s soul pulsates with samba rhythms, eclectic sounds echo from the jungle in North Brazil. Get to know some of Brazil’s best musicians and their own dynamic and distinct beats, from easy country tunes to Brazilian pop.
You only have to point to the recent 2016 Rio Olympics to understand how deep Brazilians’ love of music goes – they voted to name the Rio mascots after Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes, the composers of the famous song The Girl From Ipanema. The mix of cultures has led to an extraordinary diversity of sounds which extend far beyond the familiar samba and bossa nova beats. Discover some of Brazil’s best new musicians and explore this incredible culture in a new way.

João Sobral

João Sobral is one of Brazil’s emerging music artists that draws on themes that many Brazilians are passionate about but may not have a voice to express. Sobral uses his music to express his views on racial bias and intolerance issues, and pushes his listeners to unite for social revitalization. Despite some of his heavy themes, Sobral’s voice is smooth and easy on the ears, and he often incorporates a little funky harmony dancing in the background.

Jaloo

Bursting onto the national Brazilian pop scene is Jaloo, from the northern state of Pará. A singer and music producer, Jaloo brings easy, enticing beats, but also isn’t afraid of breaking the rules. His work is a mixture of pop, synth, and tech, which results in a delightful mix that’s worth putting on repeat. Jaloo’s music videos are worth a look, too, to see a mold-breaking style that’s anything but apologetic.

Leo Middea

Leo Middea is said by some to be the hottest new talent in Brazil’s music scene, and he certainly packs a ton of talent into a young career. He’s a Carioca by blood (native of Rio) and previously sang with a pop-rock band, but lately he’s ditched the pop sounds for something closer to his roots. He now meshes MPB (Popular Brazilian Music) with the Tropicália beats, which melds perfectly with his surprisingly weighty voice. Add in some New Baianos sounds from deep inside Brazil’s interior and you’ve got a young talent with a profound musical intuition.

Facção Caipira

Hailing from the Cidade Maravilhosa (‘The Marvelous City’) scene is Facção Caipira, a band from just across the water in Rio’s Niterói neighborhood. This quartet says it touches on the past to find the future. Perhaps the phrase is silly, but for them it speaks to their mixture of sound — understanding their roots while still making innovative sounds. Their simple goal is to play what they like and sing what they want. The result is a delightful mix of blues, country and rock that appeals to a range of tastes.

Rico Dalasam

The Brazilian music scene is full of diversity, but an openly gay male rapper isn’t exactly common. Rico Dalasam, however, is breaking boundaries with his honesty and his music. His song, Aceite-C, is a personal anthem about acceptance. Lyric by lyric he makes a stand for a revolution in music and the way society accepts one another. He’s certainly one to watch for big things to come.