NEW YORK (AP) – The Brazilians are coming. Over nine days starting on July 17, some 20 acts representing a cross section of Brazilian popular music will descend upon New York playing at venues across the city for the fourth annual Brasil Summerfest.
The ensuing party may do little to avenge the country’s spectacular World Cup flameout, but at the very least it will serve to show that Brazil has more than just soccer: They still have their samba.
“Hopefully all the artists will be happy because soccer is a sensitive topic to talk about in Brazil,” explains Brasil Summerfest founder Petrit Pula, adding that he thinks the festival will get a boost from the Cup, “because you’re thinking about Brazil all the time, you’re hearing, you’re watching a sporting event that’s taking place in Brazil and here you have a Brazilian music festival.”
While Spanish-language sounds are amply represented in New York City, Portuguese-language Brazilian music has long flown below the radar.
Pula aims to change that.