Sertanejo music

Música sertaneja (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈmuzikɐ seʁtaˈneʒɐ]) or sertanejo (pronounced [seʁtaˈneʒu]) is a music style that had its origins in the countryside of Brazil in the 1920s.^[1] Its contemporary developments made it the most popular genre in the country, particularly throughout the southern, southeastern, and center-western interior.^[2] Subgenres include sertanejo raiz, sertanejo romântico, and sertanejo universitário.

Sertanejo songs have been, since the 1990s, the most played music genre on Brazilian radio, constantly topping the Brazilian music charts. Additionally, from 2000 to 2003 and since 2009, música sertaneja albums have been granted a specific category at the Latin Grammy Awards.

Many sertanejo artists are duos, at times formed by siblings, typically singing vocal harmonies, especially major thirds, and employing frequent vibrato. Men have traditionally dominated the scene, although some women such as Paula Fernandes, and Maria Cecília, and Simone & Simaria have achieved mainstream success in the 21st century.

A subgenre, called "sertanejo universitário" (college sertanejo), has developed from the mid-2000s on, consisting of a more stripped-down, acoustic-oriented use of the guitars influenced by Western pop music. It has grown very popular among Brazilian youth nationwide and has dominated the sertanejo scene.