PEDRO SAMPAIO IS THE MOMENT
Pedro Sampaio has reached a point in his career where his music can no longer be contained within Brazil. In just a few years, he has brought his art to new audiences and transformed his Brazilian identity into a force capable of crossing borders.
The Brazilian Chaos Tour traveled through 28 cities across 13 countries, with sold-out shows throughout Latin America, the United States, and Europe. The tour added new dates in November, with shows in Los Angeles, San Diego, Houston, Chicago, and New York. The international reach is impressive, but what makes Pedro’s journey here even more compelling is the way he got there: without ever softening what makes his music Brazilian.
In Brazil, 2026 brings another major milestone. Pedro will make his debut on the Mundo Stage at Rock in Rio, where he will present “ABRAÇA!”, his new era, centered around his connection with the audience. After a chapter defined by chaos, the artist has chosen the embrace as the symbol of a new phase — one focused on connection, exchange, and the collective experience.
DJ, producer, singer, and performer, Pedro occupies a unique place within pop. His hits have gone far beyond the dance floor, his live shows have reached an international scale, and Brazilian funk has begun circulating in spaces that once seemed far removed from the genre. More than exporting his music, Pedro has expanded the space for a Brazilian aesthetic within global pop.
On September 27, Pedro will join the halftime show for the first NFL game in Rio de Janeiro, at the Maracanã, alongside Ricky Martin. Once again, the star is stepping onto an international stage, this time in one of the country’s most iconic stadiums. Pedro Sampaio isn’t just going farther. He’s taking Brazil with him, and perhaps that is exactly what makes him the IT BOY of the moment. Higher. Farther. And this time, at home: the world.
FEATURE INTERVIEW:
You’re returning to Rio to perform at the Maracanã alongside Ricky Martin, in a historic moment for the city. What does it mean to experience this meeting between Brazilian funk and Latin music in the very place where your story began?
I grew up in Rio de Janeiro looking at the Maracanã as a place where the biggest moments happened. I always dreamed that one day I would be there, and I couldn’t imagine a better moment for this debut than alongside Ricky Martin, who has always been a huge inspiration to me. Brazilian funk and Latin pop have a very strong connection through rhythm, dance, and energy.
I’m incredibly happy and grateful to be the first Brazilian male artist to perform at an NFL event and to experience this in the city where everything started for me.
We’re preparing an unprecedented performance worthy of this moment. I’m bringing Parris Goebel to choreograph the performance, and it will be the first time she has choreographed for a Brazilian artist. She is a phenomenon and one of the biggest references in dance in the world, with work alongside artists such as Beyoncé, Rihanna for the Super Bowl, and Lady Gaga. Working with her has always been a dream of mine, and being able to make it happen at this particular moment makes it even more meaningful. I’m producing the entire musical side of the performance, and I’ll be bringing the biggest ballet ensemble I’ve ever performed with.
After taking the Brazilian Chaos Tour to 13 countries and reaching around 300,000 people, what did you discover about the reach of Brazilian funk that you perhaps hadn’t realized when you first started the tour?
Funk is huge, and it’s global. Not just funk, but our music, our rhythms, and our way of celebrating. It’s crazy to arrive in another country and see someone singing, dancing, doing the “cavalinho,” and living that moment as if they were in Brazil.
It’s like taking a small fragment of Brazil with you to every place. There’s also this very immediate association. You play funk, and people understand that there’s a Brazilian energy there. Funk has the power to translate a very strong part of Brazil without needing any explanation. I’m very proud to be able to take that to other places and to be part of this movement.
You’re about to begin a new era with “ABRAÇA!”, following a period defined by chaos. What changed within Pedro for connection to become the center of this new chapter?
Chaos was never really about mess. It was always about people. At a show, certain barriers simply disappear, and that became increasingly clear to me. The person standing next to you stops being a stranger for a few hours, and you begin sharing a moment together.
So I found in this gesture, which is so present in my shows, a new way to translate my music, my connection with the audience, and the feelings I want to create from now on. And ABRAÇA! was born exactly from that — from this human reaction. It’s about exchange, intensity, joy, and emotion. It’s about that collective energy that connects people and makes everything feel bigger. HUG YOUR FRIEND AND JUMP!
At the beginning of your career, did Pedro Sampaio ever imagine that one day he would be performing on the Mundo Stage at Rock in Rio? What can we expect from this moment?
I believe every Brazilian artist dreams of that at some point. Rock in Rio was born here, it’s part of the history of the city, and it’s a festival that has crossed generations. So, of course, it was a place I dreamed of reaching. When that moment finally happens, there’s a huge mix of happiness and responsibility. I think a lot about the experience of the people in the audience, and I want it to be unforgettable for them, just as it will be for me.
My family, my friends, my team, and everyone who has been with me since the beginning are also part of this moment. So this achievement isn’t only mine. We’re preparing an unprecedented show. Everything is being designed and built specifically for this moment. I want people to leave feeling like they experienced something truly unique.
You’re a genius at mixing rhythms and celebrating different cultures. Can we expect more collaborations with artists from other countries?
Being a producer allows me to experiment, mix references, and create collaborations that people might not have imagined. I really enjoy understanding how Brazilian funk can connect with other rhythms and cultures, and I also see myself as a bridge for taking this sound further outside Brazil.
There are definitely more features, remixes, and unprecedented collaborations with international artists coming. I’m finalizing a few projects in Spanish that I’m very excited about, and they expand this mix even further. And next year, an album in collaboration with Anitta.
The Brazilian Chaos Tour has added new dates in the United States, including cities where you’ve never performed before. Is there anywhere in the world that still feels unlikely, but where you dream of bringing your show?
I would love to take my show to Africa or Asia. They’re two continents where I haven’t performed yet and that I really want to experience. Doing that through music would make it even more special. In Africa, I feel a very strong connection to the dance and the energy of the people, so I think it would be a very special exchange and, at the same time, a great learning experience for me as an artist and producer.
In Asia, I’m very curious about the meeting of cultures, discovering new references, and finding out how different sounds can connect with Brazilian funk. I really love the idea of taking my music to new places, but also arriving there ready to learn and absorb new influences.
If your friends had to reveal a habit of yours that the public would never imagine, what would they probably expose?
I love watching classic Brazilian television shows from the 2000s. Whenever I’m with my friends, they already know I’m going to find a way to end the day watching “Telegrama Legal” or some other prank show. (Laughs.)
If you could throw the perfect party and had to choose only three things — one song to start the night, one food, and one person to share the dance floor with — what would they be?
That’s hard to choose, but I would start the night with “Meet Me Halfway” by the Black Eyed Peas. It’s an energetic song that makes you want to sing and dance along with everyone.
For food, definitely Japanese. And to share the dance floor with, Anitta or Pabllo Vittar. Actually, can it be both of them? I think that would be the perfect party.
TEAM CREDITS:
Editor-in-Chief: Prince Chenoa
Feature Editor: Taylor Winter Wilson (@taylorwinter)
Brazil Editor: Leonardo Loreto (@leonardoloreto)
Writer: Gillian Caetano (@gilliancaetano)
Photographer: Fernando Tomaz (@fernando_tomaz)
Assistant Photographers: Fabricio Marconi (@fabriciomarconi) , Diego Dias (@narebaa) , Vanessa Gomes (@vanessagomes_bs)
Creative Director: Vito Soares (@vitonoinsta)
Grooming: Augusto Allencar (@augustoallencar)
Casting Makeup Artist: Gabriella Anyele (@anveleeee)
Wardrobe Stylist: Marcell Maia (@marcellmaia)
Assistant Wardrobe Stylist: Mônica Garcia (@moonica_garcia)
Casting Stylist: Hugo Machado (@hugomchadoo)
Fashion Production & Assistance: Kauany Valin (@kauany.valin)
Seamstress: Silvana Moura (@silmoura.iam)
Wardrobe Dressers: Paola Bonilha (@paola_83) , Deise Gomes (@deisocagomes)
Fashion Producer: Pedro Paiva (@opedropaivaa)
Hairstylist: Igor Antoniassi
Casting Hairstylist: Igor Costa (@iigor.costaa)
Executive Producer: Bibi Lellis (@bibi_lellis)
Production Assistant: Julya (@juuuulyaaaaaa)
Art Director: Jean Labanca (@jeanlabanca)
Art Producer: Giovanna Lima (@giovannalimas)
Art Production Assistant: Luis Eduardo (@luiscoiradass)
Art Assistants: Arthur Bento (@_0bento) , Cedric Rolemberg (@cedric.rolemberg) , Hallan Rubens (@hallan_rubens) , João Eugênio (@eugeniobrosco) , Ricardo (@rcrepardi)
Talent’s Team: Team: Nath, Léo, João, Cassiano, Magno
