The Legacy of The Tropicalia Movement in Brazil 55 Years After Its Groundbreaking Beginning
Recently, we lost two key music legends who played a significant role in the 1960s Tropicalia movement in Brazil; Gal Costa and Rita Lee from the rock group Os Mutantes. These women were fierce, independent, and reflected the activism of the Tropicalia movement. Other notable figures of this movement include Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, and Tom Ze. Here is the song “Tropicalia” by Caetano Veloso:
I was first introduced to Brazilian music through a local public radio station where this host had a Brazilian music show every Saturday afternoon. I heard the host give great lessons on the history of the Tropicalia movement, and then she played lots of 1960s Brazilian music. I was hooked and since then, I discovered other types of Brazilian music such as samba, bossa nova, and forro. Here is my tribute to a fascinating movement whose legacy still influences Brazilian music today.
