Anitta Isn’t Alone: Get to Know Other Icons of Brazilian Pop Music

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Funk carioca is gaining popularity, and Anitta deserves credit for it. Her latest album, Funk Generation, and the distinct sounds of Brazilian music have helped introduce one of Brazil’s iconic styles to the world. Speaking about her new project, Anitta expressed her excitement, saying, “This album is special because it’s my dream to create an international funk album. It’s amazing to see funk becoming a source of inspiration and art globally.”

But Anitta isn’t the only one making waves with her music. Ludmilla, Pabllo Vittar, IZA, and Luísa Sonza have also played a role in spreading Brazilian pop music worldwide, challenging the dominance of reggaeton.

Ludmilla

Ludmilla Oliveira da Silva (1995) started singing when she was just 8 years old and has been making music professionally since 2014. She’s already released nine studio albums. But it was last year that she gained international recognition, thanks to her collaboration with Emilia on the massive hit «No se ve.»

In her blend of funk, Latin beats, and electronic sounds, the Brazilian seems to have found the winning formula. One of her recent singles, «Piña colada,» with Ryan Castro, is her first song entirely in Spanish. She has some impressive achievements too. She’s the first Afro-Latina artist to hit one billion streams on Spotify and ranks as the sixth most listened-to black female artist globally.

Pabllo Vittar

Phabullo Rodrigues da Silva, known as Pabllo Vittar, is a well-known drag queen on the international scene. She made history by being the first to win an MTV EMA award in this category. TIME magazine also recognizes her as one of the influential leaders of the new generation and a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.

Her music style blends hyperpop with mainstream pop, often with funky beats. You might have heard her music through collaborations with artists like Lali, Anitta, and Luísa Sonza.

Luísa Sonza

Luisa Gerloff Sonza, born in 1998, gained her initial fame by sharing song covers on YouTube starting in 2014. Over time, she became known as «The Queen of Covers» among Brazilians. In 2017, she signed her first record deal and released her debut single, «Good Vibes.»

Throughout her seven-year career, Sonza, also an actress, has collaborated with artists from Latin America, Spain, and beyond. Notably, she worked on «Friend de semana» with Aitana and Danna. She has also collaborated with fellow Brazilians like Ludmilla and Jão, as well as international stars like Demi Lovato in a reissue of «Penhasco2,» and Marshmello in «Sou musa do Verão.»

IZA

Isabela Cristina Correia de Lima Lima, born in 1990 and better known as IZA, is a Brazilian songwriter and dancer. Like Luísa, she gained popularity by covering songs from artists like Beyoncé, Rihanna, or Sam Smith, whom she considers her influences. She made her debut in 2018 with «Dona de Mim» and has since released two projects: «Afrodhit» (2023) and a compilation titled «As Melhores da Iza» (2024).

For Spanish-speaking audiences, her name might be familiar because of her collaboration with Tiago PZK on his debut album Portales. In the song «Eléctrica,» both artists switch roles: the Brazilian sings in Spanish, while the Argentine tries his hand at Portuguese.