Music culture in Brazil is flourishing, yet it's becoming increasingly difficult for festival organizers in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro to secure international artists and festivals for the country, even though the Brazilian fanbase is unique and devoted. This development was recently discussed at ADE Pro by a panel of artists, tastemakers, and promoters.


Fernando Nasci and Cao Taborda of Gop Tun, who brought the 'Dekmantel festival' to Brazil twice, explored what made the collaboration work and why it ultimately ceased. A tough COVID pandemic and ongoing economic hardships in Brazil made it impossible to fund the fees that international artists are demanding today.

The panel also delved into why Brazil’s unique community culture proves challenging for international artists to truly understand. Mit Ammar from BOMA stated Brazil has a strong musical culture of its own. “When promoters pitch international acts to festivals in Brazil, they often sum up how good the local pool is and that hiring international acts will only cost them extra money.”


Priscilla Prestes of Alliance Artists also cited timing as a major issue. “Most artists want to visit Brazil in our summer, when it’s winter in Europe, and everything is planned around big events and special dates.” While better for the Brazilian calendar, very few international artists would risk giving up part of their European schedule to start something in Brazil.

The panel concluded on the shared insight that European artists need to be more proactive with the Brazilian industry. Measures like charging reasonable fees commensurate with the local economy or helping to set up countryside tours could make an impact, Paulo Tessuto from Caps Lock said. The Brazilian panel emphasized a core belief: that as members of the same global community, they need greater understanding from the European market.