Watch The Hit Brazilian Music Video Accused Of Cultural Appropriation And Sexism

A popular Brazilian music video by singer Anitta has been accused of sexism and cultural appropriation.

‘Vai Malandra’, which was shot by disgraced celebrity photographer Terry Richardson, has been viewed more than 60 million times on YouTube.

The singer, whose father is black, normally sports her hair sleek and wavy but it’s tied into braids for the clip.

Earlier this year, she was accused of cultural appropriation when she posted photos of herself shooting the video in Salvador.

Stephanie Ribeiro, an architect and activist, wrote in a column for Marie Claire: ‘Anitta uses blackness when it suits her.’

But the singer hit back in the Folha de S Paulo newspaper, saying: ‘Nobody is totally white in Brazil.’

Anitta, whose other hits include ‘Show das Poderosas’, ‘Deixa Ele Sofrer’ and ‘Bang’, has also come under fire for hiring Richardson to direct the video, which was released earlier this month.

The photographer was recently blacklisted by Condé Nast – publishers of GQ, Vogue and Vanity Fair – after repeated allegations of sexual abuse during the #MeToo Twitter campaign.

Juliana Borges, a researcher at the Foundation School of Sociology and Politics in São Paulo, criticised Anitta’s decision to employ Richardson just as ‘women are raising their voices against abuse, harassment and sexist violence in cultural industries’.

She wrote for women’s magazine Claudia: ‘The least we should do is guarantee that abusers are ostracised.’

Anitta has issued a statement in response saying that she had taken legal advice after discovering the accusations against Richardson.

She said: ‘We studied all the possibilities. This is not just one person’s work.’

The singer added: ‘As a woman I insist on reaffirming that I repudiate any kind of harassment and violence against us.’

Others have praised the video, which opens with a close-up of Anitta’s bottom and her cellulite, for its body-positive approach and claimed it empowers Brazilian women and celebrates black women’s sexuality.

‘Vai Malandra’ has become the first song in Portuguese to enter the Spotify Global top 20 chart.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.