Lusophone music refers to music that is sung in the

Portuguese language Portuguese ( or ) is a Western Romance language of the Indo-European language family originating from the Iberian Peninsula of Europe. It is the official language of Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal and São Tom� ...

or in Portuguese-based

creole languages A creole language, or simply creole, is a stable form of contact language that develops from the process of different languages simplifying and mixing into a new form (often a pidgin), and then that form expanding and elaborating into a full-fl ...

. It encompasses a wide spectrum of musical styles and traditions from across the Lusophone world, including countries and regions in

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

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Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

, and

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

where Portuguese or its creoles are spoken.

Definition

The term "Lusophone" comes from ''Lusofonia'', a term that designates the community of Portuguese-speaking peoples and cultures. In music, it specifically denotes vocal and lyrical compositions expressed in Portuguese or in creoles that evolved from Portuguese, such as

Cape Verdean Creole Cape Verdean Creole is a Portuguese-based creole languages, Portuguese-based creole language spoken on the islands of Cape Verde. It is the native creole language of virtually all Cape Verdeans and is used as a second language by the Cape Verd ...

Guinea-Bissau Creole Guinea-Bissau Creole, also known as Kiriol or Crioulo, is a creole language whose lexicon derives mostly from Portuguese. It is spoken in Guinea Bissau, Cape Verde, Senegal and The Gambia. It is also called by its native speakers as , , or . G ...

, and Patuá (Macanese creole).Couto, Hildo Honório do. ''A Lusofonia e os Desafios da Diversidade''. Brasília: Thesaurus, 2004.

Linguistic and cultural scope

Lusophone music is a cultural bridge that connects various musical traditions, from

fado Fado (; "destiny, fate") is a music genre which can be traced to the 1820s in Lisbon, Portugal, but probably has much earlier origins. Fado historian and scholar Rui Vieira Nery states that "the only reliable information on the history of fado ...

in Portugal to morna in Cape Verde,

samba Samba () is a broad term for many of the rhythms that compose the better known Brazilian music genres that originated in the Afro-Brazilians, Afro Brazilian communities of Bahia in the late 19th century and early 20th century, It is a name or ...

in Brazil, and kuduro in Angola. While these genres are often rooted in local musical forms and instruments, they share a common linguistic vehicle—Portuguese or a creole thereof. Some musical traditions, such as bossa nova and MPB (Música Popular Brasileira), have had a global impact while still being performed primarily in Portuguese. Likewise, genres like kizomba, though originating in Angola, have spread throughout the Lusophone diaspora with lyrics in both standard Portuguese and creole variants.Moorman, Marissa. ''Intonations: A Social History of Music and Nation in Luanda, Angola, from 1945 to Recent Times''. Ohio University Press, 2008.

Major contributors to Lusophone music

Brazil

Brazil is the largest Lusophone country and home to globally influential musical genres: *

Samba Samba () is a broad term for many of the rhythms that compose the better known Brazilian music genres that originated in the Afro-Brazilians, Afro Brazilian communities of Bahia in the late 19th century and early 20th century, It is a name or ...

– An Afro-Brazilian rhythm central to Carnival celebrations. * Bossa nova – A fusion of samba and jazz, internationally popularized in the 1960s. *

Forró The term forró () refers to a musical genre, a rhythm, a dance and the event itself where forró music is played and danced. Forró is an important part of the culture of the Northeastern Brazil, Northeastern Region of Brazil. It encompasses ...

– A northeastern genre incorporating accordion, triangle, and zabumba. * MPB (Música Popular Brasileira) – Encompasses sophisticated urban music blending traditional and modern styles. * Axé music, funk carioca, tropicália,

pagode Pagode () is a Brazilian style of music that originated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as a subgenre of Samba. Pagode originally meant a celebration with food, music, dance, and party. In 1978, singer Beth Carvalho was introduced to this music, like ...

, sertanejo – Regional and national genres reflecting diverse Brazilian identities.

Portugal

Portuguese music is shaped by urban and rural traditions: *

Fado Fado (; "destiny, fate") is a music genre which can be traced to the 1820s in Lisbon, Portugal, but probably has much earlier origins. Fado historian and scholar Rui Vieira Nery states that "the only reliable information on the history of fado ...

– A melancholic, lyrical genre often expressing "saudade". * Cante Alentejano – A male choral singing tradition from the Alentejo region. * Vira, Corridinho, and Chula – Traditional dance forms with northern and central roots. * Urban genres like rock português, pop in Portuguese, and hip hop tuga emerged from the 1980s onward.

Angola

Angolan music fuses traditional rhythms with modern styles: * Semba – A precursor to samba with socially conscious lyrics. * Kizomba – A slow, sensual dance genre derived from semba and zouk. * Kuduro – A fast-paced, electronic genre born in Luanda's suburbs. * Rebita – Brass-driven dance music linked to colonial-era ballroom traditions. * Other forms include tarrachinha, ghetto zouk, and Portuguese-language hip hop.

Mozambique

Mozambican music blends African, Arab, and Lusophone influences: * Marrabenta – A popular urban genre born in Maputo during the mid-20th century. * Tufo – A northern ritual dance genre performed predominantly by Muslim women. * Xigubo – Warrior dance performed to assert cultural identity. * Pandza – A hybrid style merging marrabenta with reggae and hip hop influences.

Cape Verde

Cape Verde offers one of the richest Lusophone music traditions: * Morna – A slow, lyrical style marked by longing and melancholy. * Coladeira – A more upbeat genre compared to morna. * Funaná – A once-banned accordion-driven style of Afro-Creole resistance. * Batuque – A call-and-response genre with female vocalists and percussive rhythm. * Contemporary genres include zouk love, kizomba, and international pop in creole.

Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissauan music reflects regional and resistance cultures: * Gumbe – A percussion-based genre symbolizing national identity and struggle. * Kussundé, broce, and ziné – Indigenous traditions sung in creole or Portuguese. * The country also has rising scenes in Afrobeat, rap criolo, and reggae.

São Tomé and Príncipe

Music here combines African rhythms with Lusophone influence: * Ússua, socopé, and dêxa – Traditional genres centered on storytelling and rhythm. * Songs often include a mix of Portuguese and Forro (local creole). * Popular contemporary styles include zouk, kizomba, and imported Portuguese pop.

East Timor

Timorese music features indigenous and colonial layers: * Traditional music includes chanting, flutes, and percussion (e.g. babadok). * Portuguese continues to be used in patriotic and religious songs. * Local artists mix Portuguese lyrics with Tetum and Indonesian influences in folk-rock and pop formats.

Macau

Macanese music showcases a blend of East and West: * Patuá songs – Traditional ballads sung in Macanese creole, now rare. * Portuguese church music with Chinese melodic adaptation. * Modern pop in Portuguese and Cantonese, as well as performances of fado in local venues.

Contemporary Lusophone music

Today, Lusophone music is characterized by its transnational reach. Artists from different Portuguese-speaking countries collaborate frequently, and digital platforms allow for wide circulation across continents. International Lusophone music festivals, such as the "Atlantic Music Expo" in Cape Verde and Brazil's "Lusofonia Festival", celebrate this shared cultural expression.Stam, Robert. ''Lusophone Hip Hop: Global Rhythms, Local Flavors''. New York University Press, 2018.

References

{{Lusophonemusic Lusophone culture Music by language