“O Baile Começou” emerges from a fictional setting inspired by the sensations of a baile funk — dim lights, sweat, bodies in motion, and an energy that pulses with every beat. “I envisioned the atmosphere of a baile funk in a poetic way, imagining everything happening at once in a dark, hot room” says Leo.
The track also reflects the artist’s international experience. After more than 400 shows across 16 countries, Leo discovered that rhythm is the key to bringing foreign audiences closer to Brazilian music. O Baile Começou was crafted to shine live: its simple, onomatopoeic chorus gets any crowd singing along, even without speaking Portuguese — something that has proven true on stage.
This year, he opened a concert for the brazilian band Gilsons, in which the song was tested live and instantly drew foreign listeners into the baile’s atmosphere, with the crowd enthusiastically echoing the chorus. Leo has been presenting Brazilian music abroad within the world music scene, selling out dates in countries like Argentina, Poland, Germany, and France. The single previews the mood of Notícias de Puglia, an album that offers an outward-facing vision of Brazil and invites foreign audiences — already familiar with Leo’s sound — to dive into his cultural roots and Brazilian swing.
Produced by Breno Virícimo, mixed by Tó Brandileone and Guigo Berger, and mastered by Felipe Tichauer, the record blends Brazilian identity, storytelling, and rhythm into a body of work that resonates with Brazilian listeners as well as the international audience Leo has built across Europe.
