Music Grant
2020 Spring Grantee
Brazilian Girls
Brazilian Girls
Photo by Vladimir Radojicic
Brazilian Girls returns to the world stage recording their 5th studio album. Unlike previous albums, the band is now embarking on a new format with multiple vocalists and instrumental tracks. Collaborating in multi genre-bending futuristic time traveling methods, crossing all social and cultural barriers.
An air of sultry modernity infuses the future-forward Brazilian Girls, who vibrate with invigorating, globe-trotting electricity. Founded in 2003, the NYC-based band swings hard with groove music and a truly open mind. They’re a dance floor filler that draws from a saucy array of inspirations far from club land. Compelling rhythms drive their sound but there are always long, curious fingers reaching out to snare interesting accents, beguiling complications, and fresh sounds from the natural and man-made worlds to drive their adventurous yet immediately appealing sound.
Navigating lazy lovers and uncool critics, Brazilian Girls are the descendents of New Wave pioneers like The B-52s, Grace Jones and the Talking Heads and sway shoulder-to-shoulder with contemporaries like Grouplove, Reptar, Of Montreal, Rubblebucket, and Moloko. For Brazilian Girls, inspiration is everywhere.
While exceedingly EDM-friendly, Brazilian Girls are grounded in top-shelf musicianship that sidesteps brainy noodling in favor of something stickier and earthier. Playful synergy abounds in their swirling, pleasantly heady songs where shimmying, caressing bass and drums draw one in.
“Music is evolved around rhythm. It's always the first thing that happens. Even most melodic ideas come out of rhythm,” says Johnston. “I love understanding this and being able to see, clearly, the response and shape that music takes out of rhythm.”
Veterans of Coachella and Bonnaroo, Brazilian Girls know how to ignite a crowd as well as spark home stereo systems like pros.
“Everyone brings such diverse material and influences – from jazz rolls to African echoes - to the table, and then the Brazilian Girls juicing process begins, sometimes right before the audience’s eyes,” says Murphy about the group’s musical fluidity.
“There’s a sense of adventure and strong emotions that come up when finding something, making something happen together,” adds Gutman.
“There’s honest joy playing live with this band,” says Johnston. “Records never do the songs justice, and that goes for every song and band on the planet. They might have captured a moment and that's fine, but the thrill of being in front of a live audience and it happening right there together is always much more powerful. It's up to the musicians to be on their game and be creative at the same time.”
With past appearances on the late night circuit including Jimmy Kimmel and David Letterman, a guest turn with Talking Heads David Byrne on 2008’s New York City album with a Grammy nomination, and tracks on two of the Red Hot AIDS tribute albums, Brazilian Girls enter recording their fifth record with a lot of happy precedents behind them.
Their line up of guests will truly blow your mind further establishing this incredible musical production super team. From the roots of New York’s dance underground and beyond, Didi Gutman, Aaron Johnston, and Jesse Murphy, bring yet another incredible breath of fresh air to the world of rhythm and sound.
Please visit Brazilian Girls’ Instagram, Facebook and their website for more information.