Americans may be likelier to encounter Brazilian musician Seu Jorge on film than on the radio. He got attention for the toned-down Portugese-language versions of David Bowie songs he performed in 2004's The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and he appeared in 2002's City of God.
Jorge started out in the slums of Rio de Janeiro, a background he refers to in the song "Eu Sou Favela" (I Am the Favela): "I only live there/Because for the poor there is no other way/They only have the right/To a low salary and a simple life."
Jorge later sang in bars around Rio and began appearing in local plays, also contributing to soundtracks for films. His latest album, Cru, was released last fall and he has just begun a North American tour.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.