On BELEZA, Muca and Roberto Menescal create the kind of album that feels warm from the very first note. It’s a record built on reconnection with memory, language, rhythm, and home.
After years living in London, Muca returns to the spirit of Brazilian music with obvious affection, but what makes BELEZA special is how naturally it balances tradition and modernity.
Menescal’s gentle guitar work gives the album its heartbeat, while the wider arrangements bring in touches of folk, jazz, indie pop, and MPB without ever overwhelming the intimacy at its core.
In search of new colours, textures, and tonalities, Muca brought together twelve singers from across the globe, each offering their own distinct voice and sensibility. Performances from Liana Flores, anaiis, Josyara, Fabiana Cozza, Sofia Grant, Sahra, Mirella Costa, Ilessi, Alice SK, Heidi Vogel, and Amanda Maria give the album its depth and character, layering it with personality at every turn.
‘A Beleza de Ser’ with IIessi immediately sets the tone with soft percussion, fluid melodies, and a relaxed groove that feels effortless. Ilessi’s vocal performance carries warmth and elegance, while the instrumentation drifts with the ease of an afternoon breeze. There’s nostalgia in the song, but it never feels trapped in the past.
Versos Singelos featuring Mirella Costa has a breezy, melodic sway. Costa brings a lightness that feels like morning sun on tiled floors. On Ladeira, the stunning Josyara adds grit and brightness in equal measure, it’s a track that climbs and curls, true to its name.
‘Midnight Lullaby’ is a dream for British-Brazilian singer-songwriter, Liana Flores, who brings together bossa nova, indie and folk into a cinematic masterpiece. Her soft voice deftly brushes the velvety strings in this gentle love song, with Muca’s surf guitar solo foreshadowing the waves of Flores’ vocals into a state of bliss.
‘Playing On The Loose Fields’ featuring anaiis leans further into the album’s contemporary side. The production feels dreamier here, blending subtle electronic textures with classic Brazilian rhythms. anaiis adds a smoky softness that gives the track an almost floating quality, as if the song is moving slowly through sunlight.
What makes BELEZA work so well is its sincerity. The album doesn’t try to reinvent bossa nova or force modern ideas onto it. Instead, it gently opens the doors wider, letting different generations and influences sit comfortably beside one another. The result is calming, soulful, and deeply human, the kind of record that feels even better the longer you stay with it.
