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Garotas Suecas

Biography

Garotas Suecas is a Brazilian band formed in 2005 in São Paulo, emerging from the city’s independent rock circuit with a sound that quickly stood out for its blend of rock, funk, soul and Brazilian music.[1][2] In their early years they condensed these influences into a series of EPs — Hey, Hey, Hey, São os Garotas Suecas (2006), Difícil de Domar (2008) and Dinossauros (2009) — which showcased an energetic stage presence and inventive visuals, earning them a nomination for MTV Brasil’s Revelação (Best New Artist) award in 2009 and a VMB prize for the “Difícil de Domar” video in 2008.[1][2] Their debut album Escaldante Banda expanded their audience in Brazil and abroad, leading to performances at major festivals such as South by Southwest (Austin), Primavera Sound (Barcelona), Bumbershoot (Seattle) and Pirenéus Sul (Spain), and coverage in outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, El País and BLITZ praising their contagious live show.[1]

Musically, Garotas Suecas fuse 1960s and 1970s American soul and funk with garage rock, psychedelia and classic Música Popular Brasileira, often evoking the Tropicalista spirit and São Paulo’s tradition of experimental pop.[1][3][4] Escaldante Banda was independently released in Brazil yet named one of the ten best albums of 2010 by Rolling Stone Brasil and nominated for the 7th Prêmio Bravo! Prime de Cultura for Best Popular CD, cementing their reputation on the national scene.[1] Their second album Feras Míticas, produced by British producer Nick Graham‑Smith and recorded at Pendulum Studio in São Paulo, presented a more solid and introspective sound while still grounded in soul and rock, and featured guest appearances by rapper Lurdez da Luz, Titãs’ Paulo Miklos and American guitarist Kid Congo Powers.[1] After original vocalist Guilherme Saldanha left in 2014, the band reorganized around a more collective approach to vocals and songwriting, inaugurated on the 2015 EP Mal Educado, and continued to refine their mix of soul, funk, garage rock and Brazilian rhythms on later releases such as Futuro do Pretérito (2017) and the album 1 2 3 4, which critics have described as an important statement within Brazil’s independent scene.[1][2][6][8]

Over nearly two decades, Garotas Suecas have become one of the key agents in consolidating the contemporary Brazilian independent rock and new MPB scene, balancing reverence for classic soul and 1960s/70s psychedelia with socially aware lyrics and urban chronicles of São Paulo life.[6][8] Their commitment to strong visual concepts, adventurous arrangements and collaborative songwriting has allowed them to navigate line‑up changes while maintaining a recognizable identity and influencing younger bands attracted to their synthesis of vintage black music, Brazilian grooves and garage‑rock energy.[1][3][6]

Fun Facts

  • Garotas Suecas’ name (“Swedish Girls”) is intentionally playful and ironic, chosen by a Brazilian band from São Paulo whose music is deeply rooted in soul, funk and Brazilian rhythms rather than Scandinavian pop.[1][3]
  • Their video for “Difícil de Domar” won a prize at MTV Brasil’s Vídeo Music Brasil (VMB) in 2008, even before they released their debut album, highlighting how central inventive music videos have been to their identity.[1]
  • The band’s debut album Escaldante Banda was released independently in Brazil yet still ranked among Rolling Stone Brasil’s top 10 albums of 2010 and was nominated for the prestigious Prêmio Bravo! Prime de Cultura for Best Popular CD.[1]
  • Garotas Suecas have played major international festivals such as South by Southwest, Primavera Sound and Bumbershoot, the latter in a line‑up that included legends like Bob Dylan, Booker T. Jones and Solomon Burke, underscoring the band’s reach beyond Brazil.[1]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

  • Os Mutantes - Influential Tropicalista rock band whose psychedelic, experimental approach to Brazilian rock Garotas Suecas explicitly reference and even cover, reflecting their interest in 1960s/70s São Paulo psychedelia. (Cover of “Bat Macumba” (Caetano Veloso/Gilberto Gil) released as a virtual single and included on the compilation La Onda Vampi; general Tropicalista influence echoed on Escaldante Banda and Feras Míticas.) [Influence acknowledged especially around the 2010–2012 period when they released the “Bat Macumba” version.[1]]
  • Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil - Foundational MPB and Tropicália songwriters whose classic track “Bat Macumba” Garotas Suecas reinterpreted, aligning the band with the Tropicalista canon and Brazilian popular music traditions. (“Bat Macumba” cover single (2012) on the compilation La Onda Vampi.[1]) [2012 release and subsequent live performances.[1]]
  • 1960s–1970s American soul and funk artists (generic influence) - The band consistently cites and is described as drawing from 1960s/70s U.S. soul and funk, shaping their grooves, horn lines, and vocal arrangements. (Overall sonic palette on Escaldante Banda and Feras Míticas reflects these influences, as noted in interviews and profiles highlighting their mix of rock with black music and soul.[1][3][4]) [Ongoing influence since formation in 2005, highlighted in press coverage especially around 2010–2013.[1][3][4]]

Key Collaborators

  • Lurdez da Luz - São Paulo rapper who contributed a guest verse, bringing contemporary Brazilian hip‑hop and spoken‑word flavor to the band’s soul‑rock framework. (Guest appearance on the track “A Nuvem” from the album Feras Míticas.[1]) [Collaboration around the recording and release of Feras Míticas (early 2010s).[1]]
  • Paulo Miklos - Member of iconic rock band Titãs; appears as a guest vocalist, linking Garotas Suecas to the established Brazilian rock lineage. (Guest appearance on the song “Charles Chacal” from Feras Míticas.[1]) [Recording and promotion of Feras Míticas in the early 2010s.[1]]
  • Kid Congo Powers - American guitarist known from The Cramps and The Gun Club; his participation underscores the band’s international connections and affinity with garage and psych rock. (Guest appearance on “L.A. Disco” from Feras Míticas.[1]) [Feras Míticas sessions and subsequent promotion in the early 2010s.[1]]
  • Nick Graham‑Smith - British producer who helped shape a more cohesive and mature sound on their second album, enhancing the band’s studio approach. (Producer of the album Feras Míticas, recorded at Pendulum Studio in São Paulo.[1]) [Production period for Feras Míticas (early 2010s).[1]]
  • Skank (via tribute project) - Garotas Suecas participated in a compilation of Skank covers, engaging dialogically with the pop‑rock band’s catalog. (Recorded a version of “Mandrake e Os Cubanos” for the compilation Dois Lados.[1]) [Participation in Dois Lados in 2017.[1]]

Artists Influenced

  • Brazilian independent rock and new MPB bands of the 2010s (scene influence) - Music journalists describe Garotas Suecas as one of the agents responsible for consolidating the contemporary independent scene, especially through their blend of soul, garage rock and Brazilian music and their rigorous live and recording standards.[6][8] (Albums such as Escaldante Banda, Feras Míticas, Futuro do Pretérito and 1 2 3 4 are repeatedly cited as reference points for newer acts seeking to mix vintage black music, psychedelia and MPB within the indie circuit.[1][6][8]) [Influence noted particularly from the 2010s into the early 2020s as the band approaches two decades of activity.[6][8]]

Connection Network

Current Artist
Collaborators
Influenced
Mentors
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Discography

Albums

Title Release Date Type
Feras Míticas 2013-08-12 Album
O Auto da Virada 2025-03-25 Album
Escaldante Banda 2011-05-23 Album
Feras Míticas 2014-02-03 Album
Futuro do Pretérito 2017-10-27 Album
1 2 3 4 2023-07-19 Album
Escaldante Banda 2010-09-07 Album

Top Tracks

  1. New Country (Feras Míticas)
  2. New Country (Feras Míticas)
  3. Eu Vou Sorrir Pra Quem É Gente Boa (Feras Míticas)
  4. Não Se Perca por Aí (Escaldante Banda)
  5. Codinome Dinamite (Dinossauros)
  6. A Nuvem (Feras Míticas)
  7. Banho de Bucha (Escaldante Banda)
  8. Bucolismo (Feras Míticas)
  9. Feito Pra Você (O Auto da Virada)
  10. Todo Dia É De Mudanca (1 2 3 4)

References

  1. monkeybuzz.com.br
  2. bodyspace.net
  3. cultura.uol.com.br
  4. redbull.com
  5. trabalhosujo.com.br
  6. gazetadopovo.com.br
  7. hitsperdidos.com

Heard on WWOZ

Garotas Suecas has been played 1 time on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.

DateTimeTitleShowSpotify
Dec 6, 202514:16Angola, Louisianafrom Futuro do PretiritoTudo Bem (Brazilian)w/ Dean Ellis