Margareth Menezes

The Afro-Brazilian artist will celebrate nearly forty years of her musical career, 17 albums, and 23 world tours, with over 20 million views on YouTube and more than 4 million streams on Spotify. She is one of Brazil's most internationally recognised artists, her name linked to renowned Brazilian figures like Gilberto Gil, Maria Bethânia, Caetano Veloso, and Daniela Mercury. Margareth Menezes’ work is inspired by her African heritage while connecting to a vast and modern universe of Bahian Brazilian rhythms.

A unique performer, she is considered one of the leading representatives of Brazilian Afro-pop, a musical movement that draws from both traditional and contemporary music. Her carnival performances and her raw talent as an accomplished actress on television and in film create a stunning spectacle for audiences.

With original compositions from her latest album and hits from her beloved repertoire featuring globally recognised Bahian styles such as Samba Reggae and Axé, she brings these dynamic genres to major European stages, celebrating the Northeastern Brazilian culture and its composers like Dorival Caymmi, Jacinto Silva, and Jackson do Pandeiro, while paying tribute to her late collaborator João Donato, one of the key figures of Bossa Nova.

Staying true to her roots, she blends African, Brazilian, and pop elements in her music, within a movement called Brazilian Afro-pop. Rich in aesthetic symbolism, the Afro-pop movement strives to reclaim history while adding innovative touches. The result is something entirely new, stimulating, and contemporary.

On stage, Margareth Menezes is a ball of pyrotechnic energy. Her voice, a rich and dark instrument, screams and crackles in festive songs, while purring with wild sensuality in slower pieces. “Divindade do Egito,” for example, is a chart-topping carnival anthem since the late 80s; it is nearly impossible to find a Brazilian who hasn’t sung the refrain of “Eu falei faraó.” In addition to her international tours, she has performed at World Cups, and prestigious venues and festivals such as Barbican Center, Montreux Jazz, Umbria Jazz, Rock in Rio, and Brazil Day in New York, receiving awards and accolades worldwide.

A long journey has been made since her humble beginnings in the vibrant capital of Bahia to her recent astonishing appointment by Brazil’s current president, Lula da Silva, as Minister of Culture. “President Lula believes in culture. For six years, culture in Brazil was completely abandoned by the government. The cultural sector has been completely undermined, which has been very detrimental to the cultural sector and artists. [...] Culture disturbs because it is the expression of democracy and its rights.”

Since the 80s, she has been one of the first to bring the high-decibel excitement associated with Bahia’s electric trios—the carnival music groups—to the stage. Margareth Menezes embodies the power and charisma of contemporary Bahian diversity, honoring the work of the Afro blocs Olodum, Muzenza, and Malê Debalê, community organizations that promote and strengthen black heritage and music.

The artist is heavily involved in social projects, particularly for children, youth, and small entrepreneurs in Salvador's creative economy, with initiatives in education, culture, and sustainable development. Since 2004, she has presided over the Fábrica Cultural Association, a nonprofit founded in the neighborhood where she was born. One of her most representative projects, Mercado Iaô, has become a major cultural reference in the capital of Bahia, bringing together different artistic expressions: music, crafts, poetry, dance, theater, gastronomy, and fashion, offering workshops, lectures, and performances.

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THE PRESS

« With Menezes at the helm of the Ministry of Culture, music has made a comeback in Brazil, performed on stages all over the country.»
ROLLING STONE