João Selva

A native of Rio, João Selva is a champion of Brazilian Tropicalism. The son of an Ipanema pastor, he dove into artistic practices from a very young age and played his first guitar chords under the benevolent gaze of Wanda Sá, a bossa nova icon.

Passionate about Capoeira, he began his career early as an itinerant artist, performing shows for children from the quilombos of Bahia to Gorée Island in Senegal, as well as in Cape Verde and the Caribbean. Comfortable in both codified traditions and mutant aesthetics, he masterfully reassembled the pieces of his personal puzzle and launched his solo career in 2016, following his meeting with the prolific producer Bruno Patchworks (Uptown Funk Empire, Voilaaa, Mr President, Taggy Matcher, David Walters…).

Collaborating from the slopes of Croix-Rousse in Lyon since 2017, they released their debut album, Natureza. Recognized as “one of the best ambassadors of Brazilian music,” he has become well-known to anyone listening to the new sounds of Brazil, collaborating with numerous artists (Flavia Coelho, Lucas Santtana, Chico César, Voilaaa, Souleance…) on productions released by labels such as Favorite Recordings, Jarring Effects, Selo Sesc, Tru Thoughts, Heavenly Sweetness, or France TV, and featured on stations ranging from FIP to Radio Nova.

Widespread success arrived in 2021 with the LP Navegar, a true gem of tropical pop that received worldwide airplay and critical acclaim. It features a magnetic voice, funky grooves, and elegant melodies set to beautifully arranged songs.

On stage, his quintet has captivated audiences with over 150 performances across Europe: from the Nuits de Fourvière in Lyon to WOMEX in Lisbon, as well as the Amsterdam Roots Festival and the Paléo Festival in Switzerland.

A generous artist, at home both on stage and in the studio, João Selva places great importance on transmission and develops numerous cultural outreach projects. As an associate artist at the Jazz à Vienne festival, his project for young audiences was a resounding success in 2024. Produced by Bruno Patchworks, his fourth solo album was released in January 2025 via Underdog Records.