Axé (pronounced [aˈʃɛ] in Portuguese) is a type of music that began in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, during the 1980s. It combines different Afro-Caribbean music styles, such as marcha, reggae, and calypso. It also includes influences from Brazilian music, like frevo, forró, and carixada. The word "Axé" comes from the Yoruba language term àṣẹ, which means "soul, light, spirit, or good vibrations." Axé is connected to the Candomblé religion, where it represents the spiritual power and energy believed to be given to people by the orixás, who are deities in this faith. It also has links to the Roman Catholic Church and the Lenten season, which is related to the traditions of Bahian Carnival.
Roots and history
Many African cultures were brought to Brazil because of slavery, which helped shape Brazil’s culture and traditions. Because of this, several popular Brazilian music styles, such as samba, lambada, funk, and axé, were influenced by African traditions and the African diaspora. Brazilian musicians often use themes, symbols, and ideas from the Candomblé religion and its African roots in their music. Artists like Gilberto Gil, Vinicius de Moraes, Caetano Veloso, Sergio Mendes, Daniela Mercury, Carlinhos Brown, and others have used African culture, religion, and symbols in their songs.
After slavery was abolished in 1888, the Bahian Carnival became a way to celebrate African heritage, similar to the Candomblé religion. It honored ancestral spirits and African royalty. Before this, Catholic traditions were already connected to Carnival. For example, the Bahian Carnival focuses on the death and resurrection of Jesus, as it leads into the Lenten season in the Roman Catholic calendar. Catholic Masses are held before Carnival to wish people a positive axé spirit during Lent. Some people participate in Catholic traditions, while others perform Candomblé rituals. These rituals include offering food and drinks to the orixás for good luck and a successful Carnival season. Another example of the connection between Catholicism and Candomblé is the pre-Lenten celebrations in the early 1800s, which included formal dances for wealthy people and street dancing for lower-class people. These events helped shape Carnival, as authorities later banned separate celebrations and replaced them with a single Carnival event where all classes could participate.
Axé music combined African and Caribbean styles, such as merengue, salsa, and reggae, and was also influenced by Afro-Brazilian music like frevo and forró. Axé was named in the 1980s, but it was already present in the 1950s with the use of the "guitarra baiana" (a guitar from Bahia). This genre was originally instrumental and stayed that way until the 1970s, when Moraes Moreira (of the band Novos Baianos) began performing solo.
In 1974, the Carnival in Salvador, Bahia, began to take shape. A group of Afro-Brazilian civil rights activists formed Ilê Aiyê, a music ensemble that used heavy rhythms from Candomblé ceremonies. Ilê Aiyê quickly gained popularity and inspired other artists to use samba-reggae styles and strong beats in their music. Groups like Timbalada, Olodum, and Filhos de Gandhi also used heavy rhythms and African symbols, such as traditional outfits and instruments, in their performances. Olodum’s rehearsals became a place where new artists, composers, and musicians could experiment and share their music.
As axé music developed, all axé ensembles shared a common structure. These ensembles usually include a lead singer, backup singers, an electric guitar, bass, drum set, keyboards, a percussion section, and sometimes a horn section. Axé music has a strong beat that supports dancing and includes lyrics that invite people to join Carnival parades. In the mid-1980s, axé became a template for originality, but it fully formed when Bahian musicians combined different music genres. For example, samba-reggae, the local rhythm of Salvador’s blocos Afro, became a key part of axé’s development. The blocos Afro group was created to fight against prejudice faced by poor, dark-skinned people in Salvador’s Carnival clubs in the 1970s. Their music gave axé a meaningful role in Brazilian culture.
In 1985, Luiz Caldas released an LP called Magia, which included the song Fricote. The song’s simple lyrics matched the lively mood of Bahia, and it became a popular representation of Bahia’s musical style.
Candomblé beads
Candomblé beads are made from plastic, glass, or clay. They look like symbols of status, protection, and connection to Candomblé in both everyday and religious settings. When the beads are made sacred by being bathed in sacred herbs and blood, they gain axé and become a physical form of their God. These beads have many roles in the lives of people who respect them and believe they are important for spiritual health.
In sacred settings, the beads are used to show status through their type and color. For example, people in positions of importance may wear items like clothing, jewelry, or beads. As the owner of the beads carries out their duties over many years, the beads may grow larger and have valuable items added to them. This shows their standing within the Candomblé hierarchy.
In sacred settings, the beads help people connect with axé. This connection allows the beads to protect their owners or, in some cases, cause harm. For example, people often wear beads in public places as symbols of their orixá. They rely on these beads for protection during difficult times.
In public settings, the beads represent pride in African Brazilian culture and religious identity. If Candomblé is not accepted, this connection can be both empowering or dangerous.
In sacred settings, the beads are used to show status through their type and color. During public celebrations, people may wear bead strands to express pride and their connection to African Brazilian culture.
Popularity
In 1992, Daniela Mercury released the album O Canto da Cidade, which helped axé music become popular in Brazil. The song from the album stayed at the top of music charts for many months and became a favorite song for people across the country. O Canto da Cidade allowed other artists and bands, such as Cheiro de Amor, Asa de Águia, Chiclete com Banana, and Banda Eva, to gain recognition. These groups helped introduce Ivete Sangalo to the public and supported her in starting a solo music career. These bands continue to play an important role in Brazilian music and share the axé style with people in Brazil and around the world.
Two years before Daniela Mercury's success, in 1990, the American and European music markets released Margareth Menezes' song Elegibô, which introduced axé music to international audiences.
Axé today
Right now, the most popular artists in axé music are Ivete Sangalo and Claudia Leitte. Claudia is well-known in Latin America for her popular songs, such as "Beijar na Boca," which also became famous in its Spanish-language version, "Beso en la Boca." She is also recognized for other songs like "Baldin de Gelo," "Carnaval" featuring Pitbull, and "Corazon" featuring Daddy Yankee.
Axé International Exhibition
In 1990, one of Margareth Menezes's songs, "Elegibô (Uma Historia De Ifa)," was included in the movie Wild Orchid, which starred Mickey Rourke. This led Island Records in the United States to release a collection of her earlier music from Brazil on their label, Mango. The album, named Elegibô, became very popular quickly, reaching number one on the Billboard World Music chart during a time when David Byrne was promoting Brazilian music in the U.S. The song "Elegibô" became a regular feature in clubs across the United States and Europe that played world music. The album was also released in the United Kingdom, Germany, and France. A single called "Tenda do Amor" was released from the album in some European countries. Menezes traveled internationally after the album's success, which earned her widespread media attention. A follow-up album, Kindala, was released in late 1991 in the U.S. and later repackaged in some regions using the Brazilian version of the same name. This album also achieved some success, including a minor hit in France.
Another notable example of axé music is the work of the group Grupo Cultural Olodum. While in Salvador, Bahia, Paul Simon discovered the group after learning they were rehearsing there. He was impressed by their performance and recorded them two days later for the song "The Obvious Child," which became the opening track of Rhythm of the Saints. Simon used complex drum patterns in many of the album's songs. In 1996, Michael Jackson recorded his song "They Don't Really Care About Us" in Bahia. Spike Lee directed the music video for the song, which was filmed in the historic Pelourinho district of Salvador and a favela in Rio de Janeiro. Michael Jackson worked with Olodum on the video, which featured 200 members of the band playing drums to the sound of samba-reggae from Salvador. Because of this video, Olodum's music reached 140 countries, increasing the global recognition of Afro-Brazilian samba-reggae.
Ivete Sangalo and Claudia Leitte have achieved significant success in the United States. Both singers have sold out concerts wherever they perform. In 2010, Ivete Sangalo sold out Madison Square Garden. Before her performance there, she said, "When I was recognized in Brazil, I was also known, and Brazil is a large place with a lot of talent. I didn't come here to be known, but I came here to do what I came to do." During that show, she brought a "mini-version of Carnival" to the United States. Claudia Leitte gained international attention after appearing on Billboard's Social 50 chart for eight weeks following her collaboration on "We Are One," the 2014 World Cup theme song, with Pitbull, Daddy Yankee, and Jennifer Lopez. Ivete Sangalo is the only artist to have participated in all editions of the Rock in Rio Lisboa festival, as well as in Rock in Rio events in Brazil, Spain, and the United States.