Lucas Santtana Champions Brazilian Language on ‘Brasiliano’
Politically and philosophically, Lucas Santtana’s Brasiliano demonstrates wondrous clarity of purpose and boasts consummate musicianship.
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The Best Music of 2025/Feature Sub Head/Featured: Top of Home Page/Features/Lists/Music/Music Features/PopMatters Picks
The 10 Best Brazilian Pop Albums of 2025
Brazilian pop thrived because artists recombined local textures with pop to paint a picture of how the country is rewriting its relationship to identity.
Sessa Harnesses Soulful Sparks on Gorgeous LP
Sessa makes magic. Refreshing musical subtleties and emotional complexities make Peqeuna Vertigem de Amor worth repeat listens.
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The 15 Best Brazilian Pop Albums of 2024
In Brazilian pop, it’s hard not to connect the best music released in 2024 with the themes that dominated politics, culture, and social media discussions.
Seasoned MPB Artist Rogê Conjures Classic Samba
For fans of samba and bossa nova, Rogê’s Curyman II is a heartfelt homage to these enduring and quintessentially Brazilian styles of music.
Arthur Melo’s ‘Mirantes Emocionais’ Is Much More Than Vintage Vibes
Even at this young age, Arthur Melo has a careful hand and a grasp on what’s timely as he crafts dreamy new música popular brasileira on his luscious new LP.
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The 20 Best Brazilian Pop Albums of 2023
The Brazilian music industry is creating a pop scene that competes with the world’s biggest names. Get ready to enjoy the 20 best Brazilian pop albums of 2023.
The Legacy of Caetano Veloso’s Masterpiece ‘Transa’
Brazilian singer Caetano Veloso’s most celebrated work, Transa, still resonates with audiences young and old 50 years later.
The Progressive Nostalgia of Bala Desejo’s ‘SIM SIM SIM’
To fans of Brazil’s 1960s tropicália and 1970s psicodelia, Bala Desejo will sound like a natural extension. SIM SIM SIM is warm and gorgeous.
Marisa Monte on Her Elegant New Dawn
Brazil’s queen of song Marisa Monte has launched a year-long international tour and talks with PopMatters about that and her latest album, Portas.
Rodrigo Amarante on the Joys of Interpretation in Latin Music
Award-winning Brazilian musician Rodrigo Amarante talks with PopMatters about diversifying Latin sounds and ringing the political alarm in Brazil.
São Paulo’s Céu Returns with a Fresh Perspective on ‘APKÁ!’
On Céu's APKÁ!, blissful interpretations of late-night dance music styles and high-heat MPB make for a multidimensional album of soulful energy, replete with her effortless sophistication.