Banda Calypso

Origin

Belém, PA

Genres

calypso, brega, carimbó, pop brasileiro

Instruments

guitarra, vocal

Biography

Banda Calypso was one of the biggest phenomena in Brazilian music in the 2000s and 2010s, formed in Belém, Pará, in 1999, by singer Joelma and guitarist and producer Chimbinha. The group stood out for popularizing the calypso rhythm and Pará's brega music on a national and international level, mixing Caribbean influences, carimbó, lambada, and cumbia. With a trajectory marked by major visual investments and striking choreographies, the band achieved impressive sales figures, becoming a record holder in Brazil with millions of copies sold and receiving historic certifications, such as the quintuple diamond disc for the recording Banda Calypso pelo Brasil.

Throughout fifteen years of career together, the band released dozens of studio albums and live projects, charting memorable hits such as "A Lua Me Traiu", "Dançando Calypso", and "Pra Te Esquecer". They performed in various regions of Brazil and abroad, participating in large-scale events such as Brazilian Day in New York and receiving Latin Grammy nominations. The strong cultural identity promoted by Joelma and Chimbinha helped break regional barriers and paved the way for new female voices in the national brega scene.

Following the couple's divorce in 2015, the band's activities were ended, but its legacy remained alive in Brazilian pop culture. Renowned artists such as Fagner, Amado Batista, and Reginaldo Rossi shared the stage with the group at different moments, attesting to the relevance and reach of Banda Calypso across various sectors of the country's popular music.