Singer, songwriter, guitarist and one of the most beloved artists of the Música Popular Brasileira scene. That’s because Maria Gadú is also one of the most sensitive interpreters of that scene.

On Sunday, at the Barbican, next to presenting her new album Guelã to the British audience, the artist from São Paulo will display her inspiring and inspired song writing and never banal artistry. Maria Gadú is indeed Brazilian to her fingertips, but she also knows how to go beyond and overpass all the Brazilian clichés. In her music, she mixes samba with funk, sound nordestino and pop, narrating quintessential Brazilian stories, but she doesn’t spare any criticism to her country and has the nerve to touch complex themes.

Despite her sudden and unexpected popularity, she has demonstrated she deserves every single applause she has received, and you will inevitably tribute her plenty during her forthcoming London performance.