Luan Santana Brings Sertanejo Universitário to Rio

By Chesney Hearst, Senior Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Currently one of the biggest stars in Brazil, singer and composer Luan Santana will launch his new DVD entitled, “O nosso tempo é hoje” (“Our time is now”) at Rio’s Barra Music in Jacarepagua on Thursday, December 12th. Satana’s musical style is “sertanejo universitário” (university sertanejo), a subgenre of the wildly popular sertanejo genre, a type of Brazilian country music similar to Forró.

In his little over six year career, Santana has sold more than 3.5 million CDs and DVDs combined. Tô de Cara, his debut album, sold over 500,000 copies alone and was certified gold in Brazil.

Sertanejo universitário, as a subgenre, is a more pop influenced style with the use of electronic elements including synthesizers and guitars in place of the more traditional instruments like acoustic guitars and accordions. It is referred to as “university” due to its popularity with younger fans.

In Portuguese the word “Sertanejo” signifies someone or something from the Sertão, a dry, rural region of Brazil known for cattle ranchers, cowboys and similar, in ways, to America’s historic wild west.

Although what is considered to be part of the Sertão region has changed over time and is still disputed, the term generally means backlands and the musical genre which originated in the area spread in popularity throughout the country, including to the biggest cities of São Paulo and Rio.

Santana was born and raised in the city of Campo Grande, the capital of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. He was considered a musical prodigy who first began singing at the age of three, then performing as a teenager at a friend’s party where he was recorded.

A friend put a copy of that recording on Youtube and it went viral. Calls were made in the states of Mato Grosso do Sul, Goiás, Paraná and Rondônia requesting the song on the radio. However, Santana did not perform live until 2007 and it was only in 2009 when he released his debut album, the aforementioned, Tô de Cara.

Since then the singer has gained a following of more than twelve million followers across various social networks and has won multiple awards, both national and international. Earlier this year he was named best male singer at the 20th edition of the Prêmio Multishow awards.

Santana has worked with the likes of Brazilian axé superstars Ivete Sangalo and Claudia Leitte and his well-known songs include: “Tudo Que Voce Quiser” (Everything You Want); “Te Esperando” (Waiting for You); and “Te Vivo”. The new DVD features twenty songs personally chosen by Santana.

“This DVD brings some rewrites that you all [the fans] turned into unprecedented success and that also promise to touch the hearts of the people at home,” Santana told O Repórter.

“At least, that was our intention, to touch people’s hearts in some way, to make those who watch the DVD at home feel the same energy of those who were there and what I felt on stage and singing for this crowd, which was perfect, flawless and that really made ​​the show.” he added.

João Gabriel will open for Santana on Thursday night and the doors will open for the show at 9PM.

Who: Luan Santana
When:Thursday, December 12th
Where: Barra Music, Avenida Ayrton Senna 5850, Jacarepagua
Entrance: Pista Unissex R$30. Mezzanine and Cabins also available, more ticket information available here.