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One of the last cultural events of 2025 for Montreal’s Brazilian community is the double anniversary celebration for the groups Forró Rasta Paix and Tamboréal. While the former will be celebrating its second anniversary, the latter will be blowing out its very first candle. To mark the occasion, we met with Fabio Stilben, founder of Forró Rasta Paix, who told us about the band’s origins and, more importantly, the history of forró and its many variations. He took the time to trace the roots of forró back to its founders, such as Luis Gonzaga, and his many disciples. Fabio is a “carioca,” the name given to natives of Rio de Janeiro, but he has always been fascinated by forró, which originated in northeastern Brazil. After several years of playing and singing in various bands in Montreal, an encounter at the Jean Talon Market changed the course of his musical career. Sandra Gasana spoke with him for PAN M 360, a few days before the concert eagerly awaited by Brazilian music lovers.
