Music in Portuguese
Lusophone music refers to music that is sung in thePortuguese language[1] or in Portuguese-basedcreole languages. It encompasses a wide spectrum of musical styles and traditions from across theLusophone world, including countries and regions inEurope,South America,Africa, andAsia where Portuguese or its creoles are spoken.
The term "Lusophone" comes fromLusofonia, a term that designates the community of Portuguese-speaking peoples and cultures. In music, it specifically denotes vocal and lyrical compositions expressed in Portuguese or in creoles that evolved from Portuguese, such asCape Verdean Creole,Guinea-Bissau Creole, andPatuá (Macanese creole).[2]
Linguistic and cultural scope
[edit]Lusophone music is a cultural bridge that connects various musical traditions, fromfado in Portugal tomorna in Cape Verde,samba in Brazil, andkuduro in Angola. While these genres are often rooted in local musical forms and instruments, they share a common linguistic vehicle—Portuguese or a creole thereof.
Some musical traditions, such asbossa nova andMPB (Música Popular Brasileira), have had a global impact while still being performed primarily in Portuguese. Likewise, genres likekizomba, though originating in Angola, have spread throughout the Lusophone diaspora with lyrics in both standard Portuguese and creole variants.[3]
Major contributors to Lusophone music
[edit]Brazil is the largest Lusophone country and home to globally influential musical genres:
- Samba – An Afro-Brazilian rhythm central to Carnival celebrations.
- Bossa nova – A fusion of samba and jazz, internationally popularized in the 1960s.
- Forró – A northeastern genre incorporating accordion, triangle, and zabumba.
- MPB (Música Popular Brasileira) – Encompasses sophisticated urban music blending traditional and modern styles.
- Axé music,funk carioca,tropicália,pagode,sertanejo – Regional and national genres reflecting diverse Brazilian identities.
Portuguese music is shaped by urban and rural traditions:
- Fado – A melancholic, lyrical genre often expressing "saudade".
- Cante Alentejano – A male choral singing tradition from the Alentejo region.
- Vira,Corridinho, andChula – Traditional dance forms with northern and central roots.
- Urban genres likerock português,pop in Portuguese, andhip hop tuga emerged from the 1980s onward.
Angolan music fuses traditional rhythms with modern styles:
- Semba – A precursor to samba with socially conscious lyrics.
- Kizomba – A slow, sensual dance genre derived from semba and zouk.
- Kuduro – A fast-paced, electronic genre born in Luanda's suburbs.
- Rebita – Brass-driven dance music linked to colonial-era ballroom traditions.
- Other forms includetarrachinha,ghetto zouk, and Portuguese-language hip hop.
Mozambican music blends African, Arab, and Lusophone influences:
- Marrabenta – A popular urban genre born in Maputo during the mid-20th century.
- Tufo – A northern ritual dance genre performed predominantly by Muslim women.
- Xigubo – Warrior dance performed to assert cultural identity.
- Pandza – A hybrid style merging marrabenta with reggae and hip hop influences.
Cape Verde offers one of the richest Lusophone music traditions:
- Morna – A slow, lyrical style marked by longing and melancholy.
- Coladeira – A more upbeat genre compared to morna.
- Funaná – A once-banned accordion-driven style of Afro-Creole resistance.
- Batuque – A call-and-response genre with female vocalists and percussive rhythm.
- Contemporary genres includezouk love,kizomba, and international pop in creole.
Guinea-Bissauan music reflects regional and resistance cultures:
- Gumbe – A percussion-based genre symbolizing national identity and struggle.
- Kussundé,broce, andziné – Indigenous traditions sung in creole or Portuguese.
- The country also has rising scenes inAfrobeat,rap criolo, andreggae.
São Tomé and Príncipe
[edit]Music here combines African rhythms with Lusophone influence:
- Ússua,socopé, anddêxa – Traditional genres centered on storytelling and rhythm.
- Songs often include a mix of Portuguese and Forro (local creole).
- Popular contemporary styles includezouk,kizomba, and imported Portuguese pop.
Timorese music features indigenous and colonial layers:
- Traditional music includes chanting, flutes, and percussion (e.g.babadok).
- Portuguese continues to be used in patriotic and religious songs.
- Local artists mix Portuguese lyrics withTetum and Indonesian influences in folk-rock and pop formats.
Macanese music showcases a blend of East and West:
- Patuá songs – Traditional ballads sung in Macanese creole, now rare.
- Portuguese church music with Chinese melodic adaptation.
- Modern pop in Portuguese and Cantonese, as well as performances of fado in local venues.
Contemporary Lusophone music
[edit]Today, Lusophone music is characterized by its transnational reach. Artists from different Portuguese-speaking countries collaborate frequently, and digital platforms allow for wide circulation across continents. International Lusophone music festivals, such as the "Atlantic Music Expo" in Cape Verde and Brazil's "Lusofonia Festival", celebrate this shared cultural expression.[4]
- ^de La Barre, Jorge; Vanspauwen, Bart (2013)."A Musical "Lusofonia"? Music Scenes and the Imagination of Lisbon".The World of Music.2 (2):119–146.ISSN 0043-8774.
- ^Couto, Hildo Honório do.A Lusofonia e os Desafios da Diversidade. Brasília: Thesaurus, 2004.
- ^Moorman, Marissa.Intonations: A Social History of Music and Nation in Luanda, Angola, from 1945 to Recent Times. Ohio University Press, 2008.
- ^Stam, Robert.Lusophone Hip Hop: Global Rhythms, Local Flavors. New York University Press, 2018.
