Exaltasamba

Formed in 1982 by a group of amateur musicians from São Paulo, Exaltasamba first entered the public eye at the Festival de Música Popular de São Bernardo do Campo, where the newcomers captured first place and then repeated the victory the following year. What began as a modest ensemble of working men soon turned professional when the band backed Jovelina Pérola Negra throughout the final years of the decade. Their track “Deixa Como Está,” also known as “Melô da Padaria,” appeared on a Chopapo compilation and drew sufficient attention for the musicians to cut their debut album, Eterno Amanhecer, issued by Kaskata in 1992. That release produced the popular single “Quero Sentir de Novo,” while “24 Horas de Amor” and “Cartilha do Amor” further strengthened their early catalog.

The third album, Luz do Desejo, marked their first release on a major label, EMI Odeon, in 1996 and brought the band national prominence. Its title track became their initial countrywide success, quickly joined on the airwaves by “Telegrama” and “Louca Paixão.” The follow-up, Desliga e Vem, arrived in 1997 and moved one million copies. Their fifth effort, Cartão Postal, earned consecutive Crowley Prizes in January and February 1999 for the most-played song across Brazil, “Me Apaixonei Pela Pessoa Errada.” Performances abroad later carried the group to Buenos Aires, New York, New Jersey, and Boston, confirming their transition from local obscurity to widespread recognition.