Rodrigo Amarante

Rodrigo Amarante, a versatile performer adept at singing, songcraft, poetry, and an array of instruments, first attracted notice through his association with the Brazilian rock outfit Los Hermanos, though he entered the group after its formation and only later shaped its direction during the 2000s while simultaneously participating in the expansive Brazilian ensemble Orquestra Imperial. His wide-ranging tastes led to partnerships with figures as diverse as Moreno Veloso and Devendra Banhart, alongside leadership of the indie-rock project Little Joy. Launching his own path with the 2013 release Cavalo, he wove together rock, electronic elements, and Brazilian roots; following his contribution of the main theme to the Netflix series Narcos, he returned to solo work with Drama in 2021.

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Amarante entered Los Hermanos just before the band’s 1999 debut album, whose breakout track “Anna Júlia” propelled them to prominence. Although his contributions remained limited on that first record, he assumed a steadily larger role across the three albums that followed, composing and performing much of the material as the group shifted toward Brazilian and bossa-nova textures while reducing its earlier rock emphasis. Concurrently he joined Orquestra Imperial, an outfit that united Carioca pop figures such as Nina Becker and Moreno Veloso with seasoned samba players. The orchestra issued its first album, Carnaval Só Ano Que Vem, in 2006, the same year Los Hermanos approached an extended break that became official in early 2007. That year Amarante headed to California to appear on Devendra Banhart’s Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon; there he connected with Strokes drummer Fabrizio Moretti and multi-instrumentalist Binki Shapiro, and together they formed Little Joy, whose self-titled Rough Trade album appeared in 2008. Amarante kept writing during the ensuing period, lending songs to occasional outside projects. Brief Los Hermanos reunions took place in 2009 and 2010 without producing new material. In 2013 he issued Cavalo, his first solo album, an eclectic collection that united his disparate stylistic threads; after touring internationally he reemerged in 2015 with “Tuyo,” the theme he composed for the Netflix series Narcos. Eight years after Cavalo, the 2021 album Drama arrived, another precisely crafted set marked by cinematic textures, unexpected turns, and cross-genre reach.