All the artists behind the official 2016 Rio Olympics theme song are Brazilian, Billboard has learned.
Samba star Thiaguinho will be the lead singer on “Alma e Coração” (Soul and Heart), the 2016 official anthem, which will also feature rapper Projota and was produced by Brazilian electronic duo Tropkillaz.
The track will be released on indie Brazilian label Som Livre, the country’s third-biggest record label, and the music video is slated to premiere on Sunday.
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The track “is a mix of different genres,” says Marcelo Soares, CEO of Som Livre, who spoke to Billboard about this year’s Olympics musical process. “We have samba and Brazilian funk and some more regional genres. To tell you the truth, I was really worried about what kind of song we would be able to produce, because there aren’t many examples of strong Olympic songs. But I’m really, really happy with the final results and how it represents the spirit of the games.”
“Alma e Coração” is only a small part of the musical output Som Livre — the official record label for the Rio Olympics — has prepared for the Games, but it’s certainly the most important and visible element. “We analyzed more than 40 different compositions, and we selected between four and five of those that seemed most promising,” Soares says. The final selection was made by Som Livre, along with the Olympic Committee.
Although little-known in the U.S., Thiaguinho — a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist — is one of Brazil’s most popular singers of samba and pagode. And, as it turns out, he has a sports connection: He’s good friends with soccer star Neymar and has a habit of inviting him onstage during concerts.