Chameleo Is Blending Pop, Underground And Everything In Between
We caught up with Chameleo — the shape-shifting force redefining Brazil’s pop and underground scenes. Known for his bold sonic experiments and unapologetic authenticity, he opens up about SOBRECARGA, a high-voltage remix EP that channels anxiety into dance-floor liberation. Featuring fierce underground talents and queer icons like his muse friend Pabllo Vittar, the project cements Chameleo as more than a genre — he’s a movement. Blending pop, rock, R&B, and more, he embraces transformation as a creative and personal constant, standing at the forefront of Brazil’s queer music revolution.
FEATURE INTERVIEW:
“Alta Tensão” dove deep into the anxieties and contradictions of modern life — and now, with “Sobrecarga,” you’re taking all that straight to the dancefloor. What drove you to turn that universe into something so rhythmic and explosive?
“ALTA TENSÃO” was based on my own way of dealing with anxiety and I feel like when it comes to anxiety it can always get bigger and stronger, so it only made sense to make a SOBRECARGA and keep that energy even higher adding big names from the underground electronic music scene from Brazil to reimagine each song. I wanted it to be really be an experience where you literally feel rushed listening to it. Great for your workout and to dance your ass of haha.
“Sobrecarga” is also a celebration of collaboration. How did you curate the list of artists and producers to remix each track? Was there any moment in the process that completely surprised you?
I invited independent queer artists that I was listening to the most at the time and who is doing major movements to keep pushing the music scene in Brazil, making more people pay more attention to it . And I was surprised but not really, on how much potential there is within our community, doing completely independently with basically no investment.
You’ve always moved between pop and experimental sounds, and now you’re leaning further into Brazil’s underground — tribal, hyperpop, techno. Where do you feel most at home today: in the mainstream, in the underground, or somewhere in between?
I feel like I’m too Pop to be underground, and too underground to be Pop. But I do drink inspirations from both universes, and I am somewhere in between. I do not limit myself when it comes to exploring music, I literally listen to so many different styles of music that I don’t feel like limiting myself to only picking one genre. So yes, I am Pop and yes, I am underground, but I’m also rock, R&B and many other things. I’m never one thing for way too long, I’m in constant transformation and my music walks along with it.
The Brazilian queer scene is living a powerful moment — despite many ongoing challenges. What do you believe is the role of art and music in this context, and how does “Sobrecarga” contribute to that movement?
Yes, despite living in a super conservative country there is an exponent scene growing and getting more attention from the outside, where artists are free to express their sexuality and talk about literally anything freely through their music, and with this project, I was able to gather many artists that are contributing to this movement happening right now and I’m lucky enough to have them joining me and reimagining their versions of the songs. I feel like as artists our main job is to keep questioning people, to keep pushing them to think from outside their bubbles and scripts. And of course keep provoking it a little bit haha.
Who’s your dream collab?
I have two songs with my dream collaboration, which is Pabllo Vittar and I’m lucky enough to call her a really good friend. But Nathy Peluso, Rosalia or Mahmood would be a surreal.
TEAM CREDITS:
Editor-in-Chief: Prince Chenoa
Feature Editor: Taylor Winter Wilson (@taylorwinter)
Brazil Editor & Writer: Leonardo Loreto (@leonardoloreto)
Photographer: Igor Almeida (@almeida_igr)
Photographer & Wardrobe Stylist: Scoz (@juniorscoz)
Art Director: Roberth Augusto (@roberthaugsto)
Grooming: João Miranda (@egoflui)
