From the easternmost tip of Brazil comes a woman who couldn’t be more recognisable: Lia de Itamaracá. The singer-dancer is an icon of north-east Brazilian culture and a key figure in the ciranda, a dance typical of the island of Itamaracá. According to legend, fishermen’s wives used to sing the ciranda and dance to the rhythm of the waves as they waited for their husbands to return from the high seas. However, the repertoire of the “Rainha da Ciranda” extends far beyond Coco and Maracatu, showing the facets of her rough, warm voice in completely new and unexpected ways.

The Solar – Brazil Music Festival is an event organised by the Adalu association that showcases Brazil’s cultural wealth with a fresh, active and conscious approach. At a critical time for Brazilian culture, when artists are suffering from censorship and lack of support, the Solar Festival seeks to celebrate the gap between popular tradition and modern experimental music.

The guest artists for the third edition are Luiz Gabriel Lopes, Lia de Itamaracá & Band, Yabás (Solar artistic residency with Anna Tréa, Dandara Modesto and Jabu Morales), Joanina & Batucada and DJ Sampa, who brings together the richness and diversity of Brazilian culture to represent it. The music ranges from youth to tradition and ancestor worship in Brazil, as well as the strength, power and daily struggle of Brazilian artists.