This came out in 2000 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
A domestic servant and manicurist from northern Brazil, Virginia Rodrigues was discovered by world music superstar singer Caetano Veloso in 1997.
Under his direction, she debuted her angelic, richly textured voice on 1998’s Sol Negro, a set of classic Brazilian songs. For this followup, the 35-year-old stays just as true to her roots, tackling the music heard during the annual Carnival. But don’t expect frenetic drumming, horny horns and high-stepping grooves; Rodrigues takes a more gentle approach, reinterpreting the festive melodies in a chamber-samba setting of plucked acoustic guitars, pitter-patter percussion and soothing, orchestral manoeuvres. It’s the most restrained party you’ll attended — but also the most elegantly beautiful.
