Axé (music)

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Axé (Portuguese pronunciation: [aˈʃɛ]) is a popular music genre originating in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil approximately in 1986, fusing different Afro-Caribbean genres, such as Marcha, Reggae, and Calypso. It also includes influences of Brazilian music such as Frevo, Forró and Carixada. The most important creator of this music style was Alfredo Moura, conducting Carlinhos Brown, Luiz Caldas, Sarajane and others. The word "axé" comes from a Yoruba religious greeting used in the Candomblé and Umbanda religions that means "soul", "light", "spirit" or "good vibration".


When Daniela Mercury released O Canto da Cidade in 1992, axé entered the mainstream pop music scene and became one of the most popular genres in Brazil. Two years before, the American and European release of Margareth Menezes' Elegibô took the style to international audiences.

Roots of Axé[edit]

The root of axé is in guitarra baiana, a 1950s guitar style that used electric guitars to play the frevo from Pernambuco. This genre was purely instrumental, and remained so until the 1970s, when Moraes Moreira (of the band Novos Baianos) went solo.

Axé was officially labeled after Luiz Caldas released his album Magia in 1985, and became popular after Daniela Mercury's album "O Canto da Cidade" became a hit.

Carnival bands like Filhos de Gandhi, Olodum and Muzenza then fused the electric frevo with maracatu and Olodum rhythms, African ijexá and Caribbean merengue. Olodum's afro-music fusion was a Bahian success in the 1980s and was followed by deboche (debauchery), an electric frevo/ijexá fusion.

Axé in 1990s[edit]

The release of O Canto da Cidade set the stage for artist and bands like Ivete Sangalo, Banda Cheiro de Amor, Banda Eva, Bandamel, Asa de Águia and Chiclete com Banana.

Though axé was very popular through the 1990s, it had famous detractors like Dorival Caymmi. On the other hand, Caetano Veloso supported it.

Axé today[edit]

Currently, the biggest axé music stars are Ivete Sangalo and Cláudia Leitte.

Axé Bahia is a six-member eurodance/axé music group from Brazil, who achieved fame in South America with their single "Beijo na Boca", particularly the Spanish-language version, "Beso en la Boca".

External links[edit]