OK, we can’t talk about Brazil without talking about their biggest current star, Anitta.  I wanted to show this video because I love Bahia, but also because I think it gives really interesting insight into how Anitta wants to present Brazil to the rest of the world – and make a cross-over to Spanish speaking Latin America and the U.S.

Another VERY popular genre in Brazil is forró (or musica sertaneja): the music of Brazil’s arid ranching regions.  Lots of harmonizing, accordion, and fiddle.

For more of a bossa nova vibe, check out Bebel Gilberto:

And some Brazilian rock!

Yahritza y Su Esencia illustrate another important theme for this week: diaspora…

They reflect the remarkable presence of Latino music in the US, and the way regional Latin American musical styles are being re-imagined by U.S. Latino communities.  And they are a good example of how social media can sometimes allow talented artists to gain national attention: Yahritza e Su Esencia were first discovered when a song cover they recorded went viral on TikTok.

The band is comprised of a trio of siblings from Yakima, Washington: Yahritza (the singer) wa 15 when the band broke out in 2022.  Their family migrated from Michoacán, Mexico to work in the fruit farms of Washington State.  Yahritza and her brothers grew up listening to their father and uncles’ Mexican music. They use instruments like bajoloche and 12-string guitar to create beautiful ballads that highlight the emotions of youth: first love, breakups, and friendship.