Bossa Nova / Brazilian / Brazilian jazz / Música Popular Brasileira

Brazilian Days | Bianca Rocha: A Lot of Calor In The Cold!

by Michel Labrecque

Sunday September 8 will go down in Montreal history as an unusually cold day. It couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Journées Brésiliennes, which celebrate the culture of a tropical country. But the Brazilian artists didn’t let it get them down. Bianca Rocha injected warmth into our souls, with inspired MPB (Brazilian popular music) that delighted a large audience, some of whom knew most of the lyrics.

Bianca Rocha’s smile is totally infectious when she sings. Irresistible. Her music is a blend of bossa nova, Afro-Brazilian music, gaucho music from southern Brazil, pop and jazz, impeccably arranged by guitarist Rodrigo Simoes. Everything flows naturally, with highly competent musicians, including drummer/percussionist Lara Klaus, who instantly conveys the joy of making music…even when it’s freezing.

Bianca has a versatile vocal range, alternating between meditative sweetness and power. Most of her songs are sung in her native Portuguese, but she did deliver a composition in French, about the possibility of creating paradise on earth; as well as a very feminist song by the excellent Canadian-Colombian artist, Lido Pimienta.

Bianca Rocha is also a committed singer, but with a playful perspective. Even her song Fim Do Mundo (End Of The World) makes you want to dance. In fact, it’s the title of her only album, released in 2021.

This woman, originally from Curitiba in southern Brazil, came to Montreal in 2019 because of the rise to power of far-right politician Jair Bolsonaro, she tells me in an interview after her show. Her partner landed an interesting professional opportunity and the family moved north. Since then, Bianca Rocha loves to live Montreal and plans to stay here, while eventually opening up to the Brazilian music market.

Bianca Rocha is thus a welcome addition to Montreal’s increasingly rich Brazilian musical ecosystem, as we heard this weekend.

Let’s face it: there’s musical talent from all over the world in Montreal. And all these people are mixing and creating together. No matter what some politicians think, it makes Montreal great. Even for native Quebecers, who were present at the Journées brésiliennes

Publicité panam

Latest 360 Content

Suoni: The Spiritual Quest, The End in Transcendence

Suoni: The Spiritual Quest, The End in Transcendence

FIJM | Thundercat, A Feline on The Loose

FIJM | Thundercat, A Feline on The Loose

FIJM | Bill Frisell, Thomas Morgan and Rudy Royston Exposed

FIJM | Bill Frisell, Thomas Morgan and Rudy Royston Exposed

FIJM | Branford Marsalis Among Four MF’s Playin’ Tunes… Live!

FIJM | Branford Marsalis Among Four MF’s Playin’ Tunes… Live!

FIJM | About Derrick Hodge’s Idea of the Color of Noize

FIJM | About Derrick Hodge’s Idea of the Color of Noize

FIJM | Queen of Afrobeats, Ayra confirms her status as a Global… Starr

FIJM | Queen of Afrobeats, Ayra confirms her status as a Global… Starr

FIJM | Black Jazz by Marquis Hill

FIJM | Black Jazz by Marquis Hill

Festival de Lanaudière | Leonardo Garcia Alarcon/Monteverdi’s Coronation of Poppea: being marketwise

Festival de Lanaudière | Leonardo Garcia Alarcon/Monteverdi’s Coronation of Poppea: being marketwise

FIJM | Nate Smith and his Supremely Talented Quartet

FIJM | Nate Smith and his Supremely Talented Quartet

Nuits d’Afrique 2025 | Tyrane Mondeny Presents Her Mandingo Soul

Nuits d’Afrique 2025 | Tyrane Mondeny Presents Her Mandingo Soul

FIJM | Nai Palm? Creature of Exception! Hawa B? Future Star!

FIJM | Nai Palm? Creature of Exception! Hawa B? Future Star!

FIJM 2025 | Funky funky, Trombone Shorty

FIJM 2025 | Funky funky, Trombone Shorty

FIJM | Nubya Garcia Becomes a Star in MTL

FIJM | Nubya Garcia Becomes a Star in MTL

FIJM 2025 | Symphonic Avishai Cohen: Bewitching magic

FIJM 2025 | Symphonic Avishai Cohen: Bewitching magic

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Phantom Island

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Phantom Island

Common Holly – Anything glass

Common Holly – Anything glass

FIJM I Hanorah Sets the TD Stage Ablaze with Soulful R&B

FIJM I Hanorah Sets the TD Stage Ablaze with Soulful R&B

FIJM | Jeff Goldblum: Storyteller, Comedian and Pianist

FIJM | Jeff Goldblum: Storyteller, Comedian and Pianist

FIJM I Still Taking Us There, Mavis Staples Electrifies Montreal JazzFest

FIJM I Still Taking Us There, Mavis Staples Electrifies Montreal JazzFest

FIJM | Gabriella Olivo, Musical Journey in Three Languages

FIJM | Gabriella Olivo, Musical Journey in Three Languages

FIJM | Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp – Ventre Unique

FIJM | Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp – Ventre Unique

Fantastic Negrito – Son of A Broken Man

Fantastic Negrito – Son of A Broken Man

Cumbia, Chaos, and Resistance: Empanadas Illegales Bring the Heat to Montreal Jazz Fest

Cumbia, Chaos, and Resistance: Empanadas Illegales Bring the Heat to Montreal Jazz Fest

Turnstile – Never Enough

Turnstile – Never Enough

Subscribe to our newsletter