Brazil
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On March 6, Brazilian powerhouse Luísa Sonza will be celebrated as a Global Force at this year’s Billboard Women In Music Awards.
As the only Brazilian being honored at the prestigious ceremony, Sonza told Billboard Brasil, “It’s very surreal. I would never have expected it, but I’m very happy to represent Brazil and that they look to Brazilian artists.”
This accolade comes on the heels of her Billboard Brasil Hot 100-topping success. Sonza first captured hearts in 2014 with her covers on YouTube and beguilingly earned the title as the Queen of Covers. In 2020, she made her debut on the Billboard charts and quickly became a global force, if you will.
With seven tracks on the Global Excl. US chart, including pop hits like “Modo Turbo” with Pablo Vittar, featuring Anitta (2020), “Cachorrinhas” (2022), and “Chico” (2023), her music continues to resonate worldwide. These tracks not only made waves internationally but also secured her spots on the coveted Billboard Global 200.
Furthermore, her impressive track record in her country, featuring 12 charted songs including three top 10s, is a testament to her homegrown appeal and artistry.
The singer also celebrated the fact that the industry is honoring Latin musicians. Colombian superstar Karol G is Billboard’s 2024 Woman of the Year, and Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko will receive the Impact Award at Billboard Women in Music 2024. “I like this selection. In general, the [industry] was Americanized for a long time, and today I see the recipients — I have Latin friends who sing in Spanish, just as I mostly sing in Portuguese,” she reflected.
Her collaborations with international artists such as Demi Lovato, Marshmello and Katy Perry further highlight her global reach and influence in the music industry.
“I’m happy to be there [at this year’s ceremony] and what [my third studio album] Escândalo Íntimo has brought me. It was very special to have Demi Lovato sing in Portuguese (‘Penhasco2’) and to create a song with Marshmello (‘Sou Musa Do Verão’),” added Luísa Sonza.
Tickets to attend the Billboard Women in Music Awards presented by Marriott Bonvoy are available to the public. Fans can watch the show on Thurs, March 7 at 5pm PT/8pm ET on billboardwomeninmusic.com.
Warner Music Group has launched the Warner Music Space, a new hub headquartered in Rio de Janeiro that will house Warner Music Brazil, Warner Chappell Music Brazil and ADA Brazil operations. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The newly-inaugurated collaborative space, located in Barra da Tijuca in […]
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Baes & Baddies, Hip-Hop Wired’s spotlight on beautiful women is back again and this time, we’re taking it to South America to feature the beautiful Gil aka @diasdegil. We don’t know much about Gil, but we can say she’s an absolute knockout.
All we know about Gil aka @diasdegil so far is that she hails from Rio de Janeiro and she’s active on both Instagram, where we discovered her, and also her TikTok page. From what we can determine, the lovely Gil appears to be Afro-Brazilian and stuns in any outfit she puts on. The curves are there along with a million-dollar smile that’ll light up any timeline.
With much of her content delivered in her native tongue of Portuguese, we’re unable to determine what she’s sharing with her loving audience but it really shouldn’t matter when you have the visual power Gil commands.
Check out our latest Baes & Baddies entry, Gil aka @diasdegil in the gallery below.
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Photo: Instagram/@diasdegil
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.
Rita Lee, known as the “Queen of Brazilian Rock” for hits like “Ovelha Negra,” “Mania de Você” and “Now Only Missing You,” died on Monday (May 8) at 75, her family confirmed. Lee was notably diagnosed with lung cancer in 2021.
“We communicate the passing of Rita Lee, at her residence in the capital of São Paulo, at the end of the night, surrounded by all the love of her family, as she always wanted,” a statement published on her official Instagram account on Tuesday read, in Portuguese.
Known for her fusion of psicodelia with pop, MPB, bossa and new wave, the legendary Latin Grammy Award-winning artist — who is one of Brazil’s most successful singer-songwriters — got her start with the group Os Mutantes before launching a fruitful solo career. Last November, she was recognized with the Latin Grammy’s Lifetime Achievement Award, but she could not attend to receive it at the ceremony in Las Vegas.
“Rita Lee was a visionary artist and one of the best-selling singer/songwriters in the history of Brazil,” said Manuel Abud, CEO of the Latin Recording Academy, in a Tuesday statement in which he expressed his “most sincere condolences to her family, friends and all lovers of her music.”
Born on December 31, 1947 in São Paulo, Lee began her career with the band Os Mutantes and recorded albums with the band Tutti Frutti, including 1975’s Fruto Proibido. In 1979, she released the LP Rita Lee — which included classics such as “Mania De Você”, “Lança Perfume” and “Caso Sério” — in collaboration with her husband, the multi-instrumentalist Roberto de Carvalho, in an artistic partnership that continued into the 1980s with a long list of radio hits and massive concerts.
In later decades she made acoustic recordings such as Aqui, Ali, em Qualquer Lugar, a collection based on songs by The Beatles. In 2015 she celebrated her career with a CD collection, and the following year she published an autobiography in which she described herself as a “rebel” and “hippie communist.”
A public wake will be held at the São Paulo planetarium on Wednesday, May 10, the family said in the statement, adding that according to Lee’s wishes, her body will be cremated.
Lee is survived by her husband and collaborator Roberto do Carvalho and three children.
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Fans expecting to see Drake at Lollapalooza Brazil were left disappointed. The rapper canceled last minute prompting staff to replace him with Skrillex.
As spotted on Stereogum, Champagne Papi was slotted to close out the three day concert series at the Interlagos Circuit, in São Paulo. The morning of his performance (Sunday, March 26), he apparently notified the folks at Lollapalooza Brazil he would not be performing. In turn the staff hurried to replace him and locked in the American DJ and record producer Skrillex to replace Drizzy.
Once locked in Lollapalooza Brazil announced the switch to the public. “Due to unforeseen circumstances, Drake is without members of his sound and production team, essential to the realization of the Lollapalooza show in Sao Paulo,” a statement translated from Portuguese to English on the festival’s Instagram account. “Drake was excited to perform for his fans in Brazil. Unfortunately, this is beyond his control. Sorry.”
The organization would go on to offer refunds for ticket holders who declined to attend on Sunday. Ironically, Drake was spotted having a good time at a strip club in Miami with the likes of 50 Cent. The “Money In The Grave” MC hasn’t had the best of luck with impressing his fans in South America. Earlier this month he faced backlash from fans at the Argentina and Chile editions of Lollapalooza because his sets were only about 40 minutes. Ticketholders at both shows felt the performances should have been much longer considering he was the headliner at both cities.
Drake has yet to comment on the matter.
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Brazilian pop star Anitta is lashing out at Warner Music, saying she regrets signing with the label and would have “auctioned off her organs” to be let out of her contract.
The artist — who had a breakout 2022 with the success of her tri-lingual album Versions of Me, a No. 1 track on the Billboard Global Ex. U.S. chart with “Envolver” and performances at Coachella and the Latin Grammy Awards — went on a Twitter tirade last week when fans prodded her to explain her tortured history with Warner.
When one fan said he wished she could be free of her contract, she responded that “if there was a fine to pay, I would have already auctioned off my organs, no matter how expensive it was to get out. But unfortunately, there isn’t. When you’re young and still don’t know a lot, you need to pay close attention to the things you sign… if you don’t, you could spend a lifetime paying for the mistake.”
A spokesperson for Warner Music declined to comment. Leila Oliveira, Warner Music Brazil’s new president, did not respond to a message from Billboard. Brandon Silverstein, Anitta’s U.S.-based manager, also did not respond to a request for comment.
Meu amor se tivesse uma multa pra pagar eu já tinha leiloado meus órgãos por mais caro q fosse pra sair fora. Mas infelizmente não tem. Qndo a gente é novo e ainda ñ sabe muito tem q prestar muita atenção nas coisas q assina…se não pode passar uma vida inteira pagando pelo erro— Anitta (@Anitta) March 2, 2023
Anitta signed with Warner Music in the U.S. in January 2020 after previously signing with Warner Music Brazil in 2013. Under the U.S. contract, she produced Versions of Me, which was executive produced by Ryan Tedder. Anitta has said she’s required to deliver two more albums for the label to satisfy the contract. (In January 2022, she signed a publishing deal with Sony Music Publishing.)
This isn’t the first time Anitta has complained about Warner. She previously swiped at the label for having to pay for music videos out of her own pocket, including for “Gata,” which she said Warner refused to produce a video for when they saw that the song’s performance on streaming platforms was falling below expectations.
“They only invest after it pays off on the internet,” Anitta said in an Instagram livestream in May. “Unfortunately, there are things I can’t get, that’s why I don’t buy millionaire cars, because when I want to do something, I pay for it.” (She says she ultimately got a sponsor to help pay for the video.)
During the same livestream, Anitta also said that Warner only invests in her work after a song goes viral on TikTok. “The label is very tied to TikTok, to what goes viral, and if they don’t get a hit right away, they say ‘later,’” she said.
Anitta’s fans have also criticized Warner for the label’s perceived treatment of the Brazilian singer, with many complaining on Twitter that Warner didn’t give her 2021 single “Girl From Rio” the marketing push it deserved by including it in playlists on streaming services. (The song, which combined bossa nova and trap with English lyrics, dropped rapidly on the charts.)
Anitta has also said that Warner initially resisted the release of “Envolver,” the single that blew up after Anitta’s butt-grinding dance in the song’s video, which she directed, became a global TikTok sensation. “[Warner] said the song wasn’t going anywhere and that I wouldn’t have the sway to release it alone [without a feature on the track],” she said during an Instagram livestream in December.
Late last year, Anitta’s fans began urging her to release a funk remix of “Practice,” which she originally recorded with A$AP Ferg and HARV, but the singer said last week that Warner wouldn’t allow her to. “When I saw that you liked [the remix version] I asked to release it, and it has been a long time,” she wrote to her fans on Twitter. “But things can only be released with their authorization.”
Since Anitta’s tirade last week, fans have organized a #FreeAnitta movement on Twitter. One fan posted a photo depicting the singer sobbing in a jail cell with the Warner Music logo on the wall behind her. Another fan asked her if her harsh comments could damage her relationship with the label.
“Is there a way it could get worse? Hahaha,” she responded.
Brazilian powerhouse singer-songwriter Ludmilla has inked a new management deal with WK Entertainment and Central Sonora. The alliance arrives after she won a 2022 Latin Grammy for her album Numanice #2, and after making history as the first Afro-Latina artist to reach one billion streams on Spotify.
“[This deal] is a very important step in my career,” Ludmilla tells Billboard Español. “WK Entertainment/Central Sonora, together with my company Sem Querer Produções, will add structure and they will assist in enhancing my musical work, which is my focus. I am very happy and excited about this partnership and I am sure it will yield many results.”
Together, the teams will work to further amplify Ludmilla’s global artistic development. Central to this growth is Central Sonora’s CEO Cesar Figueiredo, who is leading this new stage in the artist’s career. He will oversee all management functions of the project. Walter Kolm, who is the founder and CEO of WK Entertainment and WK Records, will also provide support while helping develop key relations for Ludmilla’s continued growth.
“Ludmilla reflects the true sonority that exists in Brazil today. She is ready to conquer the world by exploring our Brazilian culture,” Figueiredo said in a statement shared with Billboard Español. “Our alliance began a few years ago as a friendship and has since blossomed, giving us the opportunity to finally work together professionally. It is truly an honor for me as a manager to represent a highly regarded and iconic artist such as Ludmilla.”
“This is a phase in my career that is very diverse and different from anything I’ve ever done, a phase that accompanies my current state and the work I propose, which has 100 per cent my truth and [aligned with] my artistic vein,” the artist adds.
With her propulsive pop and funk formula, Ludmilla has become a force to be reckoned with in her native Brazil and beyond. And her ever-expanding fan base further testifies her rise to prominence — she currently has 28.8 million followers on Instagram and 10.5 million on Twitter. The singer-songwriter navigates stylistic configurations with ease, whether she’s soulfully singing an R&B ballad (“Quem é Você”), spitting some funky carioca bars (“Tic Tac”) or charming listeners with sweet samba songs (“Maldivas”). Her gritty trap features equally intrigue, like on “Tanto Faz.”
“I think of funk as an agent of change, especially in the lives of so many peripheral people who don’t have opportunities,” she says. “Funk embraces and elevates, it makes is claim our place in the world.”
Ludmilla is poised to drop her next singles “Sou Má,” featuring funk MCs Tasha and Tracie, as well as “Nasci Pra Vencer” on Feb. 2. “The lyrics [to the latter trap song] tell my story, which is similar to the story of those who come from a place without [economic] gains, but with talent and hard work, we can reach places we never thought possible. It’s about me, but it’s also about others who I hope feel represented,” she says.
Last week, Billboard Español exclusively announced WK Record’s Brazilian operational expansion, which began quietly running last year. It will function to develop the careers of local talent with global appeal, while creating international opportunities for them.
“I am delighted to welcome Ludmilla to our family of artists and join her in this exciting new journey, in partnership with Central Sonora,” Kolm stated. “Our companies look forward to amplifying Ludmilla’s career around the world and to consolidate [her] position as one of Brazil’s top artists.”
Ludmilla is currently working on an eclectic album which, she mentions, will span genres like pop, R&B, funk, trap and more.
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Supporters of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro stormed government buildings in a move eerily similar to the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
On Sunday (Jan. 8), rioters in support of the former president of Brazil stormed the buildings of Congress, the presidential palace, and the federal Supreme Court in the capital of Brasilia. The mob of far-right individuals numbered in the thousands, smashed windows, set fires while, ransacked offices, and made off with official documents and weaponry. Federal troops were able to regain control and push them out after three hours of their actions.
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Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva swiftly condemned the rioters, stating that the “fanatical fascists” responsible “will be found and they will be punished,” laying the blame squarely on Bolsonaro. His office, along with House Speaker Arthur Lira, Chief Justice Rosa Weber of the Supreme Court, and Veneziano Vital do Rego, the deputy president of the Senate officially declared the riots “acts of terrorism” in a statement Monday (Jan. 9) morning.
The footage and photos from the riots showed scenes eerily similar to the storming of the U.S. Capitol by insurrectionists who were supporters of former President Donald Trump Jan. 6, 2021. Bolsonaro, like Trump, had vehemently claimed that the election which he lost by two percentage points to his leftist opponent in October was “stolen.” He refused to attend the inauguration last week, flying to Florida instead.
According to authorities, over 1,200 people were detained in Brasilia. Ibaneis Rocha, Governor of Brasilia stated on Sunday night that they had arrested 400 of the rioters. But Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered that Rocha, a Bolsonaro ally, be removed from his position for 90 days due to an investigation into his possible involvement in the unrest. Outside observers also noted that local police allowed some rioters through barricades before they began to vandalize the buildings. Journalists on the scene also reported being violently attacked by rioters.
Bolsonaro issued a statement decrying the violence on Sunday night through social media and denied his involvement. Congressional Democrats, including Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, issued calls for President Joe Biden to extradite Bolsonaro back to Brazil in the wake of the riots. President Biden issued his condemnation of the events through social media, with no further word on if there would be steps to revoke Bolsonaro’s visa.
Pelé, the king of the “jogo bonito,” passed away on Thursday (December 29) in São Paulo at age 82. He had been treated for colon cancer since 2021 and was hospitalized for the past month, according to The Associated Press. His agent, Joe Fraga, confirmed the news.
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With his death, the world not only loses one of the greatest athletes in history. The legendary Brazilian soccer player, who won a record three World Cups and was undeniably part of the pop culture (appearing even on The Simpsons), was also a singer-songwriter.
It is a much-less-known side of Pelé internationally: “I didn’t want the public to make the comparison between Pelé the composer and Pelé the football player,” he told British newspaper The Guardian in 2006. “That would have been a huge injustice. In football, my talent was a gift from God. Music was just for fun.”
However, he kept honing his musical vocation throughout his life: “He was never far from a guitar, and he carried a miniature tape recorder to capture tunes or lyrics as the mood struck him,” wrote Lawrie Mifflin on her Pelé obituary for the New York Times.
And he got music published over the years too, from the 1977 LP Pelé to his single “Acredita No Véio (Listen To The Old Man),” featuring Rodrigo and Gabriela just two years ago.
Here are some of Pelé’s albums and songs you can listen to today:
Sergio Mendes’ Pelé
The 1977 album by Brazilian composer and arranger Sérgio Mendes was the soundtrack to a documentary on Pelé’s life and marked the soccer player’s debut as a singer and songwriter. Pelé performed two of his own songs in this production: the main theme “Meu Mundo É uma Bola (My World Is a Ball)”, and “Cidade Grande (Big City)”, accompanied by the Brazilian singer Gracinha Leporace.
“Esperança”
Written by Pelé in honor of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, “Esperança” is an upbeat pagode song about youth performed with a children’s choir. It’s music video combines images of Pelé singing in the studio with some of boys playing soccer and scenes from the city.
Pelé Ginga
This 13-track album released in 2014 includes collaborations with Brazilian music greats Gilberto Gil, on “Quem Sou Eu”, and Elis Regina, on “Perdão Não Tem” and “Vexamão”. It also features Brazilian rapper Rappin’ Hood in “Ginga”, a word that describes a Brazilian style of playing soccer in which the ball is controlled, passed and scored with such ease and flow that it makes the rival feel non-existent.
“Acredita No Véio (Listen To The Old Man)”, featuring Rodrigo y Gabriela
Released on October 20, 2020, just three days before his 80th birthday, the single “Acredita No Véio (Listen To The Old Man)” features the Grammy-winning Mexican acoustic guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela. “I wrote this one because when I used to play with Santos, the coach used to say that when we lost it was the players’ fault, but when we won it was the macumba (black magic) had helped,” said Pelé back then in a press release. “The song is joking about that.”