Gil Felix (Brazil)
- jocelyn331
- Apr 16
- 1 min read
Updated: Apr 23
Gil Felix is a Brazilian singer-songwriter from Salvador de Bahia who proudly traces his roots back to West Africa. He began his career in the 1990s by forming the reggae band Passo 48, which helped establish Salvador’s reggae scene. Drawing influence from artists like Gilberto Gil and Salif Keita, his music blends Afro-Brazilian styles such as samba, axé, and bossa nova with Caribbean and African genres like rocksteady, soukous, and Afropop. Felix later moved to Europe, performing at festivals including Montreux and Fest’in Bahía, and charted two EDM hits in the UK. Now based in Sweden, he continues to perform and record, releasing his albums Enfim (2021) and Ubalafon (2024), both produced between Stockholm and Salvador.
Featured Song:
Originally from his album Ubalafon, “Mairê” blends Afro-Brazilian rhythms with a smooth, percussive groove and melodic chants that evoke both celebration and reflection. The song acknowledges the richness, beauty, and transformation of African and Afro-diasporic cities like Kisangani, Bissau, Maputo, and Salvador, affirming that African culture is vibrant and thriving. “Africa doesn’t stay behind / No, it doesn’t stay behind / Beautiful Senegalese / Kisangani is amazing.”
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