Anitta’s new album: is it really a sample of funk for the world?

Anitta debuted in the Republic Records and Universal Music Latin Entertainment with her long-teased Funk Generation, released on April 26. The album brings 15 tracks, including 7 features. Mixing three languages: English, Spanish and Portuguese, the Brazilian singer promises to go beyond her national linkups and keep up with her Latin American endeavors — a remarkable approach for a Brazilian artist.

Since the promotion phase of the album, on June 2023, when Anitta began the teasing with following tracks releases, she already seemed very satisfied with it as she said it was going to be an album to celebrate her “roots”. The Brazilian pop star wanted to express the power of Rio de Janeiro’s funk, mostly the favelas culture, in every track with its unique, danceable and sensual beats. 

And shall we say that she definitely got what she wanted to. The album brings us back to the “baile-funk”, while adapting the sonority for the crowd that exceeds the limits of Brazilian territory. She intended to, and she could, bring identity and aesthetic, emphasizing the musical genre and taking it to another level, the result is a sound that should dictate the funk’s future success worldwide. 

It is quite beautiful to see a part of Brazilian culture feel more seen and valued. However, we have to stay aware of the fact that it is a funk album exported to foreign countries, a journey between different genres. In her new era, she is definitely able to celebrate her roots while embracing a new chapter of her much more evolved career, after a long time stuck in an effort to pave her path abroad and remaining close to Latin pop. 

FAVORITE TRACKS

The album is getting a lot of buzz from the international press and the reviews were mainly positive. Associated Press (USA) confirmed that Funk Generation is in fact what Anitta wanted to build, although the plurality of the album may seem a little confusing, she could bring a good, joyful upbeat aesthetic. 

The carioca singer confessed her favorite songs in a press statement: “Love in Common”, with romantic lyrics and a lovely dancing rhythm. The song describes a love affair that was good for a while, but faded away with time, making a trade between the expressions “a lot in common” and “love in common”. 

And also “Sabana”, with a darker style and a “funkier” beat. This track was especially more acclaimed for the fans from Belo Horizonte, seeing that it brings sounds similar to the MTG, a type of beat also known as “Funk de BH” for its popularity in the region.  

The fans seem to enjoy “Joga Pra Lua” and “Double Team”, putting those 2 tracks on the top of most popular songs of Anitta’s Spotify profile.

“Joga Pra Lua” is a feature with the singers Dennis and Pedro Sampaio, a very upbeat, dancing song in Portuguese. The song was a carnival’s hit in Brazil, in February 2024. Therefore, it became a trend on TikTok and the top song in the “bloquinhos”.

And “Double Team”, a song in Spanish, featuring the singers Brray and Bad Gyal, with a good mix of Latin pop and funk beats. The track was a success in Portugal, reaching the 87th position in the Spotify Charts.

IS IT REALLY “FUNK FOR THE WORLD”?

The album could work very well in the mainstream market as a gateway to funk through commercial channels. However, I don’t think that there is a historical force that would make it remembered, as it usually happens with these kinds of songs. Even with some of Anitta’s old songs. 

And that is simply because we are at a time when the social media world is too relevant for making a song become a hit and the movement of the underground is much more active and interesting. Some of the songs in the album were hyped up for a while, especially in Brazil, but you don’t see the massive externally digital achievement that the singer was probably looking for, which was the whole purpose of the discography. 

The variability of genres that the album presents may cause confusion enough to some listeners, to the point of not giving enough effort on trending the songs on more platforms. 

Funk Generation’s purpose forms a great deal of sampling funk for the world, especially if we go deep into the album aesthetic, the singer’s history, and all the concepts adopted to it. My guess is that maybe the international media did not capture all the beliefs of this album to make a true sensation around the world. Or sometimes, it could be that the international public is not prepared for the power of Brazilian culture and music.

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The article below was edited by Bruna Blanco.

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• anitta
• funk
• music