Billboard Brazil
It was November 2023 when I first met Ana Castela. She was backstage at Caldas Country, the festival in Caldas Novas in the Brazilian state of Goiás. At the time, she avoided speaking to the press before her show and seemed serious and shy as she prepared to take the stage. It was only her second time at the festival — just over a year had passed since her name first appeared in the media thanks to her song “Pipoco,” a collaboration with Melody and DJ Chris no Beat. Yet she was one of the main attractions of the night.
Nine months passed before I met Castela for the second time. This time, though still a bit shy, she was at one of the world’s biggest music festivals — Rock in Rio — to join duo Chitãozinho and Xororó for the “Brazil Day” celebration, the first in the event’s 40-year history. “For me, it was an honor. I consider them my grandparents,” she joked in her dressing room at Cidade do Rock, embraced by the sertanejo duo. Castela still seemed nervous about her upcoming performance, but she projected a new confidence, amplified once she took the stage. She faced a crowd singing along to her hits (“Nosso Quadro,” “Solteiro Forçado” and “Sinônimos”), including children of all ages wearing headbands with her nickname, “Boiadeira.”
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Born in Amambai, Mato Grosso do Sul, Ana Castela certainly couldn’t have imagined the success she would achieve by embracing the “boiadeira” style. Dressed in a cowboy hat, boots and a wide belt (much as an American cowgirl might), her so-called “agronejo” music blends sertanejo (Brazilian country music) and Brazilian funk, with lyrics about the agribusiness lifestyle. She is now one of the most listened-to artists in Brazil — a title she’s consistently held throughout 2024 — who as of this writing had two songs on the Billboard Brasil Hot 100 and spent 31 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Artists 25 Brazilian chart.
She entered the music scene at 17 but is still, at 21, trying to absorb the whirlwind of her life. “It was a drastic change, to be honest,” she says. “Before, I had a completely anonymous life. Now, people want to know everything about me, follow me around. It’s changed a lot.” Speaking to Billboard Brasil, she is still very much the girl from a countryside farm, pausing occasionally as if she is still trying to reconcile who she was and who she is today: “I’m enjoying the fruits that fame and the world are giving me, but always with caution.”
Ana Castela photographed for Billboard Brazil Global No. 1s Issue.
João Victor Moura dos Anjos
She’s followed by over 27 million people on social media, where she offers fun looks at her personal life — a Disney vacation, cute videos with her boyfriend, the singer Gustavo Mioto — and she’s starred in various commercials and advertising campaigns. “Ô loco [Wow],” she marvels. “Doors just keep opening for me. I never thought my face would be on a shoebox. It doesn’t just help my career; it makes dreams come true that I never even imagined. It’s awesome.”
But her feelings around her wildly increased presence are also conflicted. “My life is no longer mine. I don’t have a private life anymore; everyone knows everything I do,” she laments, though she adds that she’s getting used to it. When I ask if she’s receiving any professional support, Castela says that she started therapy about a month ago: “I think no mind is strong enough to go without a professional for so long.”
She knows the truth of that firsthand. At a performance at the Festa do Peão de Barretos in 2023, one of the most important sertanejo festivals in the country, she broke down while preparing to sing “Solteiro Forçado,” one of her breakthrough hits. “Sorry I can’t sing,” she sobbed in front of a massive crowd. “I swear I’m studying and working with a vocal coach to improve. It’s exhausting as hell, but I’m giving it my all.” Backstage, it was equally tough. “I was in a bad headspace,” she recalls.
Excessive work, plus the overwhelming experience of her fame, had taken a toll on her emotionally. “I couldn’t hit the note that day — I was so insecure,” she says. Criticism from both the public and within herself fueled her drive to improve. “You need to evolve. I was born with the gift of singing, but I need to perfect it.”
Therapy, her Christian faith and her family — an unconditional support system — now help her cope. She also strives to balance the needs of Ana Flávia (her real first name) and Ana Castela. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with friends at her farm in Londrina, Paraná, and visiting São Paulo for shopping. “Those are the days I can just be young,” she jokes, as if on others she must be a more mature version of herself.
Ana Castela photographed for Billboard Brazil Global No. 1s Issue.
João Victor Moura dos Anjos
Her latest project, Herança Boiadeira, released in September 2024, embodies this balance. Recorded at her farm, it features collaborations with iconic sertanejo artists like Matogrosso & Mathias, Eduardo Costa, Paula Fernandes and Gino & Geno. “I wanted it to be mine — not Ana Castela’s, but Ana Flávia’s. A tribute to my roots, my upbringing on the farm. My grandfather loved these artists, and so did I,” she explains. In fact, one standout track features her paternal grandparents: “Minha Herança,” with its heartfelt lyrics reflecting a longing for lost time.
Next year, Castela will step into the shoes of iconic artists before her when she becomes the ambassador of the 70th Festa do Peão de Barretos, where she quickly has risen from playing a secondary stage in 2022 to the main stage in 2023 and again in 2024. Pedro Muzeti, artistic director of the festival, says Castela’s evolution represents the future of sertanejo music: “It’s a renewal of the rodeo audience. Having someone young represent such a historic event is fitting.”
Her appeal to younger fans is certainly evident in the kids who wear her signature hats (“They’re adorable; I love them,” Castela says), and she’s launching Turma da Boiadeirinha, a YouTube channel featuring kids songs. But her future, she realizes, very much revolves around an adult audience. She’s collaborated with big names like Gusttavo Lima and Luan Santana and dreams of pairing up with Luísa Sonza and Anitta. And after winning best sertanejo album at the 2024 Latin Grammy Awards, Castela has her sights set on an international audience next.
“If it works, I’ll go for it,” she says. In 2025, she plans to incorporate pop into her shows but stay true to her roots: “I’ll always bring my hat wherever I go,” she insists. “It’s important to show the strength of our music on the global stage.”
The choice of São Paulo, Brazil, to kick off The Weeknd‘s new tour was no coincidence. The Canadian singer — cover star of the 10th edition of Billboard Brazil — was in the city last October, performing at two sold-out nights at Allianz Parque with the show After Hours Til Dawn. At the time, American […]
In July, more than 420,000 people competed for tickets to The Weeknd‘s highly anticipated show in São Paulo, Brazil, scheduled for Saturday (Sept. 7) and just under a year after his last visit to the country. The overwhelming success of “Blinding Lights” gave the 34-year-old Canadian the title of most popular artist on the planet by Guinness World Records in March of last year (which he just lost to Billie Eilish). On Billboard’s Hot 100, the song reached the top, remained among the most listened to for 90 weeks and boosted the popularity of his albums After Hours (2020) and Dawn FM (2022). It holds the title of being the biggest song in all Hot 100 history.
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Only 16% of those 420,000 people got the chance to see Abel Tesfaye in person. Being successful in the competitive music industry did not exempt the composer, however, from struggling with his mental health. But, according to him, giving up was never in his plans. One of the keywords of his new phase is “rebirth.”
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The choice of the capital of São Paulo for the start of this tour was not a coincidence. The Weeknd visited the city last October, performing two sold-out nights at Allianz Parque with the show After Hours Til Dawn. It was in São Paulo that Tesfaye composed the central song of the new album, Hurry Up Tomorrow – affectionately nicknamed “Frankenstein” by the singer for exploring different sounds, but without losing its essence — something he does masterfully.
The Canadian details the importance of the Brazilian public for the next steps in his career, which has lasted 14 years and includes great achievements such as being the most listened to artist on Spotify (until Billie surpassed him in August), with 105 million monthly listeners, winning four Grammy Awards (despite not submitting his work for the awards since 2021, as a statement that shook the industry) and having almost $500 million in gross sales with the After Hours Til Dawn Tour, which filled stadiums around the world.
“I can speak for all artists when I say it’s hard to put into words the love and energy that the Brazilian people express when you’re on stage,” says The Weeknd in an exclusive interview with Billboard Brazil. “You feel the music so deeply. São Paulo and Rio reminded me that the frequencies we radiate as musicians are important. They remind me why I wanted to make music: to connect. I’ll spend the rest of my life knowing that.”
The broadness of The Weeknd’s discography is another factor that explains such success. He navigates the world very well to the pop, R&B, electropop and other genres, and he is spot-on in his dark lyricism when sings about the pains of love, fame and the challenges he faced (and still faces) to make a living from music. Shortly after announcing the concert in Brazil, the singer spoke on social media about “facing the abyss”. “It can mean many things. For me, it is something very specific,” he says in the interview, in a mysterious mood. “I faced it long enough. Most of the time, I overcame it. But I work on it every day. I hope that [my music] helps others face and overcome the abyss, too.”
One of the abysses Tesfaye faces is mental health. “What makes a grown man want to cry? / What makes him want to take his own life? / His happiness is never real,” he sings on 2018’s “I Was Never There.” In his faith—he was raised in an Ethiopian Orthodox Christian family—and in music, the Canadian has found comfort to overcome the most difficult moments. “I think about giving up every day. But I also find purpose every day,” says the singer, unafraid to open up and show his vulnerability. “My relationship with God is stronger than ever. I find comfort in His presence when I need it most. I talk to Him constantly. It’s been a long journey, but I’m here,” concludes the artist.
Tesfaye was born in Toronto, Canada, the son of Ethiopian immigrants. Inspired by Michael Jackson, he discovered his love for music at a young age. The artist has revealed that he was penalized for singing at inopportune times, such as during school classes or at the dinner table. Despite being discouraged, he released his first mixtape as The Weeknd, House of Balloons, in 2011, while splitting his time between art and work at a North American clothing retailer. The project entered the Billboard 200, anticipating the success of subsequent releases. “Wicked Games,” the first single, debuted at No. 53 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2013. In the following years, he reached No. 1 on the chart with hits such as “Can’t Feel My Face,” “Save Your Tears” and “Die For You.”
When asked about taking care of his mind, the singer is even more honest. Brutally honest, as rarely seen in showbiz. “It’s funny you should mention this [mental health]. I just had a panic attack right before this interview. My anxiety is a constant battle, and I feel like it never goes away. I’m learning to control it, but I’ve already realized that it’s part of my life. I can’t escape it.”
Tesfaye spent part of his adolescence living on the streets, but he assures us: the main difficulty he faced in life was questioning his purpose and his connection with art. “The biggest challenge is not knowing if you were made for this, not knowing if it was meant to be. Most people still don’t know. I feel very lucky. I was able to take these depressive and nihilistic feelings and put them into my work. That ended up being my therapy,” he says, citing the philosophical school of thought that believes life has no value or purpose, often associated with the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.
On YouTube, The Weeknd has accumulated almost 28 billion views on his channel. “Call Out My Name,” “The Hills” and “Starboy” are also part of his extensive list of hits. Expectations for his new era are high – both from fans and music critics. Dawn FM, released in January 2022, was acclaimed by the British newspaper The Guardian, from which it received the highest score: “Abel Tesfaye confirms his status as one of the greatest of all time with an album of icy splendor influenced by the 1980s”.
Another newspaper that praised the album was The New York Times. “His fifth album […] is elegant and vigorous and also, once again, a light reinterpretation of what big-scale music can sound like today, in an era in which most global stars have abandoned that concept.”
“There is always pressure to surpass my last project,” he says about the new era, presented for the first time at the show in São Paulo. “Growth is important. Sometimes it may not be what people want to hear from me at the moment, but, when the body of work is complete, I hope they can appreciate what I have been trying to achieve. I have been working on this discography for a long time. It was all planned,” he assures, escaping from the monotony. “I always try to achieve something that I haven’t done before musically. Sometimes it may not be clear on the first listen [to the album], but fans seem to figure it out over time,” he believes. Being at the top, for the Canadian, is subjective. “The only pressure for me is to be better than the older version of myself, focusing on growth, achieving my own goals, not other people’s.”
Tesfaye also spoke about the pains and pleasures of fame, a common theme in his work, whether in music or in the visual arts. When asked about how to keep his feet firmly on the ground, he repeated the sincerity demonstrated throughout the conversation with Billboard Brazil. “I stay away from people as much as possible. I try to have as much privacy in my life as possible. I never give off [that] ‘famous’ energy. I think trying to be famous is a talent in itself. I haven’t mastered that talent… And I don’t intend to,” he says, escaping the industry buzz.
Last year, the composer spoke about controlling the way he is seen and heard by the public. In the midst of the transition of concepts in his career, he revisits the idea. “Honestly, I don’t even remember saying that. But everyone would love to be able to control the narrative. It’s impossible. So you try your best and make the most of it. Less is more. I’ve learned a lot in the last two years, and it’s definitely the least control I’ve ever had. But I’ve learned a lot, and that’s the most important thing,” he says.
“Too much control is unhealthy. Collaboration is important, whether it’s artistically, with ideas, or even with energy. I’ve been on both sides of the fence, being too controlling and not having enough control. And leaning too far toward either side can be dangerous. It’s a constant balancing act, but the results are the best.”
Mending the dark parts of himself, The Weeknd’s Frankenstein must bring the singer’s lessons learned at the height of his fame—and pursue his chosen purpose in life, bringing comfort and refuge to those facing their own demons.
This article originally appeared in Billboard Brazil.
Luísa Sonza has been announced as one of the attractions for the historic first regular-season NFL game that will take place in Brazil. She will perform the Brazilian National Anthem. Other confirmed acts include Anitta, who will perform during the halftime show. Zeeba (who is American, with Brazilian parents) will sing the U.S. National Anthem, while DJ Carola will present a set before the game begins. The event will take place on Sept. 6 at Arena Corinthians in São Paulo.
In a conversation with Billboard Brazil, Luísa described the moment as an opportunity to increase the projection of her name and career outside her country. “This is a very important exposure. But above all, representing my country to the world is the greatest honor I can have as an artist,” she said.
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The National Anthem moment precedes the start of the match, and for Sonza, it’s a time that generates a lot of anticipation for the audience. “It’s always emotional because it’s about our roots, our homeland. Being able to represent that to the world will be an honor.” Read the exclusive interview below.
How did the invitation to sing the National Anthem at the NFL event in São Paulo come about?
The invitation came through Kley Tarcitano, an artistic director who currently works in the United States and collaborates with the NFL, along with Maria Garcia, who works with the NFL and the halftime show in the U.S. and worldwide. I said yes right away! The NFL is a global event, and I was very happy to be invited to their first game in Brazil. Singing the National Anthem is always a unique moment, especially at an event of this magnitude. Representing my country is incredible.
Can you give more details about what you’re preparing for your performance?
The performance of the National Anthem always comes with great expectations. I’ve been singing since I was a child, and I always sing along with all the other Brazilians during important moments in our history, at games, and in celebrations. The anthem is always emotional because it brings our roots, our homeland, and being able to represent that to the world will be an honor.
In the United States, there is a strong connection between pop music and sports, particularly with American football. How do you see this playing in Brazil?
I believe entertainment and sports always succeed together. I’ve always followed the Super Bowl finals, the incredible shows that happen every year, and I’m very happy to be part of this moment here in Brazil.
Regarding the audience here in Brazil, do you think being part of this historic NFL event could also introduce you to a new audience?
It always adds value. Being able to perform and sing for new audiences is important for all artists. Music is very vast in Brazil, and having this kind of representation is relevant for any artist’s career.
Do you believe that this performance could also bring international exposure to your career? Is that an important point for you?
Yes. I’ve already been more present abroad, and this is a very important exposure. But above all, representing my country to the world is the greatest honor I can have as an artist. I’m very happy with the invitation.
Billboard announced Tuesday (Sept. 5) the launch of Billboard Brasil, expanding its footprint in South America.
“We are thrilled to be launching Billboard in Latin America’s biggest music market,” said Hannah Karp, editorial director of Billboard. “We look forward to serving Portuguese-speaking fans and creators around the world as their No. 1 source of news and insight about the business of music—with unparalleled access to the artists who power it.”
Added Dana Droppo, Billboard‘s chief brand officer, “We were inspired to bring Billboard to Brazil. We have a great team in place for what feels like a significant moment for the Brazilian music industry, which is gaining strength in international markets. We feel that this will be a new era of success and growth for Billboard.”
According to a press release, the first print edition of Billboard Brasil is set to arrive on newsstands in the coming weeks. The inaugural issue will feature exclusive coverage of The Town, the five-day festival in São Paulo, taking place now through Sept. 10. To celebrate the launch of the first issue, Billboard Brasil will host an afterparty. Additional details are forthcoming.
“Billboard is a solid brand, and we look forward to welcoming it to the Brazilian market. We are excited to develop an innovative format for bold, differentiated, and comprehensive projects,” said Fátima Pissarra, CEO of Billboard Brasil, who previously spent eight years at VEVO.
“There is a big gap in music coverage and, at the same time, a very strong market,“ said Débora Miranda, editor-in-chief, Billboard Brasil, who has been working in cultural coverage for 25 years. “It is a joy to be part of a project whose mission is to reflect the musical diversity of Brazil and a privilege to do this with one of the most important brands in the world.”
With over 30 years of experience in music journalism, Sergio Martins will be responsible for exclusive articles and interviews in the print publication. “We want to make a magazine that unites entertainment with quality content,” said Martins, musical director & artistic curator, Billboard Brasil. “At Billboard, all musical styles will have a voice and their stories will be told by an attentive and talented team.”
Carlos Scappini, Marcus Buaiz, Marcello Azevedo, Murilo Henare, Raquel and Michel Kury round out the publication’s operations team.
Billboard Brasil adds to the list of the publication’s international editions, including Billboard Japan, Billboard Korea, Billboard Arabia, Billboard Español and others.
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