Malandro – Elza Soares was declared the ‘Brazilian Singer of the Millennium’ in 1999, a title awarded to her by the BBC Radio. Many well-known Brazilian artists have interpreted her songs, and this song is one (or the most) of her famous sambas. In between, she composed several samba songs as well as performed during the Carnival Rio’s parades. This song is a “samba party” where the title says “I will celebrate”.Īlguem me Avisou – Dona Ivone Lara, a nurse by profession, she worked as a social worker until she retired. She is known for being behind the movement of modernising samba in the 80’s while shunning pop trends by carefully preserving sambas traditions. Vou Festejar – Beth Carvalho, born Elizabeth Santos Leal de Carvalho is also one of the most popular Brazilian samba singer of all times. The group has sold millions of copies of their music but this song remains one of their most emblematic. Trem das Onze – Demônios da Garoa, initially ‘Grupo do Luar’ before a change of name in the early 1940s is a Brazilian band from Sao Paulo that has been around for over 70 years. This song s one of Costa’s famous samba tracks. The term ‘morro’ is another word for ‘favela’, and the title of the song translates to ‘The Voice of the Favela’.Īquarela do Brasil – Gal Costa, the sister of Caetano Velozo with 18 years old helped shape her career in MPB (Brazilian Popular Music) and tropicalia, two famous genres in Brazil that were born in the late 60’s. A authentic reference of Rio’s samba, this Brazilian singer, songwriter, musician, and poet is considered by many musicians and critics to have been one of Brazil’s best and most successful samba musicians.Ī Voz do Morro – Zé Kéti or José Flores de Jesus, kicked off his music career exactly with this music in 1955. Here we selected ten songs and ten “velhos sambistas” (old samba musicians – most of them have passed away) which we consider songs that never got old and will always be considered samba classics! Add it to your playlist and let’s go samba!Īs Rosas Não Falam – Cartola or Angenor de Oliveira is a samba legend. But do not doubt that samba is within and outside Brazil its greatest reference. Brazil is a very culturally rich country and particularly when it comes to music.

Samba classic