Mari Froes' Debut Esquina do Sol Feels Like a Summer Romance

It’s one of those hot summer days. Slowly, the intense heat fades into a warm summer evening. We put on Esquina do Sol, Mari Froes‘ debut album, and from the very first notes you can already feel a little piece of the Brazilian way of life. Over the past few years, Mari has become one of Brazil’s most exciting new voices. And with Esquina do Sol, she opens a new chapter. She tells stories you somehow understand, even without understanding the language. The twelve-track album opens with the beautiful Dezenove Verões, and right away one sentence comes to my mind: “Deixa a vida me levar.” – Let life carry me. This sense of trusting life and believing that everything will somehow find its way, even through difficult times, feels so present. The melancholy at the beginning of the song blends with lightness and nostalgia, while the soulful melody carries you through it all. Maybe it is the memories of past summers that suddenly come back.

Reza Braba starts with minimalist guitar sounds and Mari’s mesmerizing voice. Then comes Rio Lua, mixing traditional Brazilian sounds with the energy of a pop song. The song tells the story of an imagined summer romance, inspired by a stay in Rio, where Mari spent a week working in the studio. Every night, a large golden full moon hung above the city, shining through the studio window. You can almost picture what this must feel like live, creating exactly the kind of moment Mari loves most: “What I love most is being able to pass that energy on to people … seeing everyone singing along and smiling.”

“I have to write and I have to sing. It’s like a basic human need. It’s how I can express myself in my purest, most authentic form.”

And before you know it, you are carried further through the rhythm of the album, moving between samba, jazz, bossa nova and alternative pop. Songs like Garoa, which means drizzle, Mania, Côco Caramelo, and the wonderful Rua de Pedra all have their own character. Rua de Pedra enchants you with its delicate guitar from the very first seconds and slowly builds into something bigger and bigger – different sounds, rhythms and melodies blending together without ever feeling too much. It is one of those songs where you simply disappear into the music for a moment.

Se Eu Nunca Mais Lhe Ver – If I Never See You Again – reminds me of fado, the Portuguese style of music filled with melancholy, longing and deep emotions. “It’s really funny because writing songs is almost like talking to my subconscious … sometimes I only understand later what I was actually feeling back then, and what it all meant.” Maybe that’s what Esquina do Sol really is. A collection of songs that feels a little like opening an old photo album. Somehow, it brings back moments you thought were long gone. The bittersweet summer romance, the unpredictability of emotions, and the longing to hold on to those days just a little longer, to live every moment as intensely as possible.