Few genres have travelled internationally as quickly in recent years as funk carioca, and Pedro Sampaio has helped drive that momentum. Emerging from Rio de Janeiro, the DJ, producer and artist has become one of the genre’s most recognisable global ambassadors, bringing its energy, rhythm and culture to audiences far beyond Brazil.
Bringing his Chaos Tour to a sold-out Electric Brixton, Pedro continues to build on a career that has already amassed more than 3.8 billion streams. With festival and carnival appearances at Carnaval na Cidade, Camarote Salvador, Lollapalooza Brazil and Tomorrowland Brazil, he’s also collaborated with artists including Anitta, J Balvin and Cardi B, bringing Brazilian funk to an increasingly global audience. Yet despite the scale of his success, his focus remains simple: to create real moments where people can connect, both with him and one another, through music. Whether performing to more than a million people during carnival celebrations or DJing an intimate surprise café set in Argentina, Pedro approaches every crowd with the same charged enthusiasm and belief that music has no boundaries.
Pedro Sampaio talks with 1883 about taking Brazilian funk global, staying connected to his roots, and why passion has always been a driving force behind his music and culture.
You performed at some of Brazil’s biggest carnival celebrations in front of over a million people, but you’re also the kind of artist who will turn up and DJ in a café in Argentina. Do those smaller, spontaneous moments still give you something that huge shows can’t?
The smaller shows are just as important as the big ones. I can gauge a crowd more easily in a small setting and figure out what is and isn’t working, which is helpful in the long run. Plus, I love human interaction, so meeting fans is always such a great situation for me.
The tour is called “chaos,” but much of your content shows someone who seems genuinely playful and approachable. How much of Pedro Sampaio is chaos, and how much is just a guy who enjoys connecting with people?
The show is called Brazilian Chaos because I want to share my culture with the world in a fun, energetic way! My main focus is always to connect with people and help them connect, and I feel it’s easy to do during my shows because everyone is just there to have fun.
When you started out, did you genuinely believe funk carioca could reach audiences this far beyond Brazil, or has the scale of its global growth surprised even you?
The growth has not surprised me. Brazilians do everything with intense passion, and that is evident in the music, which is why people are so drawn to it. I’m very proud of my roots, and it has been amazing to see the funk all over the world.
Your electric Brixton show sold out before you arrived. Were you expecting that level of support in London? What has surprised you most about the audience you’ve built outside Brazil?
I’m just grateful people are coming out to my shows. No matter where I am in the world, it’s been great to see a crowd of people having fun and letting loose. It’s also surprising to see how many Brazilians are all over the place; I love to see us represented.
Your career has taken you from Rio’s Baile scene to some of the world’s biggest stages. What has stayed the same about the way you approach music despite everything that’s changed?
No matter what stage I’m on, I choose not to think about that and just do what feels right. I play pop, ballads, reggaeton, music in Portuguese, Spanish, English. Music has no boundaries; it’s just whatever you enjoy.
Timing seems very important in what you do. With JETSKI, you wanted the remix out before Carnival. How much are you thinking about cultural moments like that when you’re planning releases?
I’d say some strategy is always helpful when releasing new music, and my team is extremely helpful in that. But I also love surprising people, and sometimes it’s fun to just put out a mix or a teaser. It really just depends on the song, because when you know you have a hit, a strategy can make or break it!
As someone from the UK, one thing that always strikes me about Brazil is how openly people seem to express themselves through music and dance. It feels much less reserved than what we’re used to here. Why do you think that confidence exists?
Brazil is a magical place, and once you visit, it all makes sense. The environment is much more relaxed and allows people to be themselves in whatever capacity they want. Brazilians do everything with passion, and the music shows that through and through.
“Jetski” ft. Melody and Meno K is out now. Follow via @pedrosampaio
Interview Nancy Anekwe
