Brazil MPB 2000s ▶ 355K subscribers

Lenine

Lenine is a Brazilian singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer from Recife, Pernambuco. He is also a prolific composer for others, with a catalogue of more than 500 songs recorded by artists such as Maria Bethânia, Milton Nascimento and Elba Ramalho.

Origins

He moved to Rio de Janeiro at 18 to compete in a music festival and released his first LP, Baque Solto, with Lula Queiroga in 1983. After Olho de Peixe (1993) with percussionist Marcos Suzano, his first solo album, O Dia em que Faremos Contato, came out in 1997.

The sound

His music sits within MPB, mixing northeastern rhythms such as embolada, maracatu and frevo with samba, rock guitars and electronic elements. His percussive guitar style and dense, image-rich lyrics are central to his sound.

Legacy

He won the Latin Grammy for Best Brazilian Contemporary Pop Album with Falange Canibal and Best Brazilian Song for "Martelo Bigorna" in 2009, among several Latin Grammy awards. His album Eita was nominated for Best MPB/MAPB Album at the 2026 Latin Grammys.