Rio de Janeiro is a city I miss every moment I'm not there. The atmosphere there is hard to describe; you can't really explain it, you have to experience it. Imagine, for instance, that it's late, you're walking home after a great concert, and suddenly you hear drums in the distance. The evening's over, but the night is still young, and you decide to follow the sound. It leads you to a little square where a percussion band is playing fiery rhythms. Everywhere people are dancing, young and old alike; people are flirting, whirling, drinking and laughing.
This is what makes Brazil so special. Everywhere you go there is music, a party, and good times – and it's usually right round the corner! In Brazil music is a basic necessity, as vital as sleeping and eating. Wherever there's a party there's music, and wherever there's music it turns into a party. You don't need an instrument; a matchbox, a beer bottle, or a table will do. Music there is everywhere.
I can still remember arriving at Rio de Janeiro airport in February. I was going to spend three months in Brazil, and I knew how much I was going to miss my boyfriend, all my other friends, and my family. Lost in these wistful thoughts, while waiting for my luggage to appear, I heard something I recognized. I looked around to see where it came from. An older guy was tapping a coin against his suitcase to create a rhythm: the samba. There and then I knew it. I was home. These were people I understood. Viva Brasil!
This is what makes Brazil so special. Everywhere you go there is music, a party, and good times – and it's usually right round the corner! In Brazil music is a basic necessity, as vital as sleeping and eating. Wherever there's a party there's music, and wherever there's music it turns into a party. You don't need an instrument; a matchbox, a beer bottle, or a table will do. Music there is everywhere.
I can still remember arriving at Rio de Janeiro airport in February. I was going to spend three months in Brazil, and I knew how much I was going to miss my boyfriend, all my other friends, and my family. Lost in these wistful thoughts, while waiting for my luggage to appear, I heard something I recognized. I looked around to see where it came from. An older guy was tapping a coin against his suitcase to create a rhythm: the samba. There and then I knew it. I was home. These were people I understood. Viva Brasil!
 | Femke Smit is the singer of Mrs. Smit and the Boys from Brasil. She studied jazz at the Amsterdam Conservatory, specializing in Brazilian music. Though she's all Dutch, her heart is Brazilian. In early 2015 Femke spent three months in Brazil to find inspiration, to learn, and to immerse herself in the country's rich and beautiful culture. She is currently writing a blog about her experiences for Viva Brasil Festival. |
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