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Music

Why Brazil Lacks Great Original Christmas Carols Despite a Rich Music Scene

2024-12-06

In any December day in Brazil, a radio station often plays Simone's 1995 version of “Então É Natal,” a local take on John Lennon and Yoko Ono's “Happy Xmas (War is Over).” This cover has become extremely common, to the point that in 1999, a newspaper columnist even suggested that people left the country at the end of the year to avoid its constant playing. ( 1)

Christmas Music in Brazil: A Diverse Landscape

Brazil's love for translated Christmas songs extends beyond radio to church music. Most Christians sing and Christian radio stations play Portuguese versions of old European carols like “Cantai que o Salvador Chegou” and “Oh Vinde Adoremos.” While there are some traditional Brazilian Christmas songs like those by Assis Valente, Otávio Babo Filho, and Ataulfo Alves Júnior, they all mainly focus on Santa Claus. ( 2)

The Impact of the Judaizing Movement

Renato Marinoni, the founder of the Institute of Worship, Culture, and Art, believes that part of the reason for the lack of original Christmas music in Brazil is the Judaizing theological movement that gained popularity in the 1990s. This movement led many churches to downsize their Christmas celebrations as it argued against the celebration of Jesus' birth. ( 3)

Comparison with Latin American Neighbors

In Hispanic America and the United States, Christian musicians regularly release Christmas albums. Artists like Marcos Witt and Jesús Adrián Romero have been doing this for years. However, the same phenomenon is not seen in Brazil. Marcell Steuernagel, the director of Southern Methodist University's master of sacred music program, points out that while Brazilian evangelicals produce a lot of original worship music, Christmas-related repertoire is not a priority. ( 4)

Traditional and Popular Christmas Music

Fabiane Behling Luckow, an art history professor, says that Brazilian Christians celebrate Christmas in a more introspective way. Many Christmas practices, including singing Christian carols, came with immigration. These songs connected newcomers to their homeland and family. ( 5)

The Role of Worship Leaders

Anuacy Fontes, the president of the Council of Music of the Presbyterian Church of Brazil, notes that traditional arrangements of Christmas carols are different from popular new worship songs. Worship leaders may feel that Brazilian genres like Música Popular Brasileira are too simple for the holiday. ( 6)

One Band's Efforts

Purples, a band from Limeira, São Paulo, has been releasing Christmas songs since 2022. Their first song, “Emanuel,” was inspired by the birth of Julio Filho's son and the humility of Jesus. The following year, they released “Isaías 9,” and their most recent track, “Glória,” includes a local church children's choir. ( 7)

The Need for Intentional Celebration

Julio Filho says that Brazilian Christians are concerned about commercialism in Christmas music. They need to be more intentional about celebrating occasions like Christmas and Easter to avoid being overwhelmed by popular tunes. ( 8)