Matheus Fonseca (Brazil)

Matheus Fonseca is a singer and songwriter from Rio de Janeiro whose music fuses MPB, samba, reggae, jazz, and bossa nova with a contemporary, international sensibility. After studying economics, he walked the Camino de Santiago and busked across Europe before appearing on The Voice Portugal and performing across Switzerland, Ecuador, Spain, Bolivia, France, and the United States. Songs from his 2024 album Latitude Zero (Vol. 1 & 2), recorded in Quito, Ecuador, won two of the most respected songwriting awards in Brazil.

Featured Song:

“A Raiz” (The Root) is a sweeping tribute to Afro-Brazilian cultural heritage, moving through centuries of history by invoking figures including the quilombo leader Ganga Zumba, poet and abolitionist Luís Gama, singer Elza Soares, and flutist Pixinguinha, alongside foods, dances, and rhythms that trace the African roots of Brazilian identity. Recorded in Quito with a Brazilian ensemble, the song draws on samba, afoxé, and carimbó while carrying a message of collective resilience. “From the drums of Candomblé / To the mass at Sé Cathedral / Orixás and saints, so much in common / The root of the culture that made you.”

Artist Website

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