Music

The Rhythm of Rio; the Human Pulse Behind the Spectacle

BY Julia Vasconcellos

Photo by Julia Vasconcellos

Few celebrations in the world capture the identity of a country as powerfully as the Brazilian Carnival. For a few days each summer, music, dance and colour transform entire streets into improvised stages. Yet the true heart of this celebration lies not only in the costumes or the parades, but in the rhythm. Behind every drumbeat and parade, however, are countless individuals, musicians, artisans, dancers and community members, whose work and creativity bring the celebration to life.

From north to south, Brazil’s Carnival moves to the sound of different beats, each carrying its own histories, traditions and communities. From Rio’s samba to Pernambuco’s frevo, passing through the powerful drums of Bahia, Carnival is, above all, a musical celebration.

In Rio de Janeiro, Carnival pulses to the rhythm of samba. Long before the parades begin, the city is already alive with rehearsals, samba circles and blocos that fill streets and squares.

The highlight of the festivities takes place at the Sambadrome Marquês de Sapucaí, where samba schools transform music into spectacle. There, thousands of musicians and dancers tell stories through elaborate costumes, choreography and drum sections that seem to never lose their breath.

Behind this spectacle lies months of collective work. Designers, stylists, costume makers and artisans collaborate in the samba schools’ barracões, transforming sketches into elaborate garments that must combine visual impact with freedom of movement on the avenue. During the 2026 Carnival, one such example drew international attention when actress and drum queen Juliana Paes wore a costume developed in collaboration with the Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana and the creative team of the samba school Unidos do Viradouro. As stylist Yan Acioli described, the process involved “working in two teams and many hands”, beginning with the original sketch by carnavalesco Tarcísio Zanon and continuing through the detailed craftsmanship carried out both in Italy and in the school’s own workshop.

Yet the true spirit of Rio’s Carnival also lives in the streets. Hundreds of blocos bring together vast crowds who follow the music through entire neighbourhoods, celebrating a tradition that blends spontaneity, creativity and collective joy.

Photo by Julia Vasconcellos

If in Rio the rhythm pulses, in Salvador it moves. During Carnival, trios elétricos travel through the city while crowds follow the music for kilometres.

Among the sounds that define this celebration is Axé, a genre that emerged in the 1980s and quickly became the soundtrack of Bahian Carnival. Blending Afro-Brazilian influences with reggae and pop, axé transformed Salvador into one of the largest open-air music stages in the world.

The city is also marked by the cultural strength of samba-reggae, popularised by Afro-Brazilian groups such as Olodum. Founded in the historic neighbourhood of Pelourinho, the collective has long used Carnival as a platform to celebrate Afro-Brazilian identity through music, art and storytelling. In 2026, the group brought to the streets the theme “African Masks: Magic and Beauty”, exploring the symbolic power of masks in African cultures, objects that often represent ancestry, spiritual connection and communal identity.

Photo by Julia Vasconcellos

A short distance away, climbing the historic hills of Olinda reveals Carnival with a different energy. Among street bands and dancing crowds, the dominant sound is frevo: fast, vibrant and accompanied by acrobatic steps and small colourful umbrellas.

Created at the end of the XIX century, frevo blends military marches with popular music, resulting in a style that seems perpetually in motion. During Carnival, brass bands move through the streets while dancers improvise rapid steps, turning the city into a spontaneous choreographic spectacle.

Olinda’s Carnival is also defined by its famous giant puppets, towering figures that parade above the crowds and represent cultural icons, artists and local personalities. Among the most beloved is the legendary “Homem da Meia-Noite”, a giant character that has been part of the city’s celebrations for decades and whose midnight appearances during Carnival are among the most anticipated moments of the festivities. For many locals, the figure carries a deeper meaning. As the club’s president Luiz Adolpho once explained, the giant is woven into the identity of the city: “He entered the lives of people in Olinda. He is part of the families of the city.”

Pernambuco also preserves deeply rooted traditions such as Maracatu, marked by processions, powerful percussion and references to the historic symbolic coronations of Black kings and queens.

From the samba echoing along the avenues of Rio de Janeiro to the trios elétricos crossing Salvador and the frevo racing through the hills of Olinda, Brazilian Carnival reveals a country that expresses itself through rhythm. Yet this rhythm is shaped not only by music, but by the communities, artists, percussionists and artisans who bring the celebration to life each year. The cities change, the sounds evolve, yet the essence remains the same: crowded streets, music in the air, and the feeling that, for a few days, time itself moves to the rhythm of celebration.