Moreno Veloso

• Genre: Brazilian Pop

About

It can't be easy to grow up to be normal when your father is widely regarded as one of Brazil's most significant cultural figures of the 20th century and an elder statesman in the 21st century. But Moreno Veloso seems to have fared remarkably well given his father Caetano's near-legendary status. Music was the lingua franca of the Veloso household, and Moreno learned classical guitar, cello and percussion growing up. He also played with his father's band and even penned the lyrics for one of his father's songs as a teenager. But Veloso also found his own way, studying physics and playing in deeply experimental bands. His 2005 debut Music Typewriter doesn't fall far from the tree, however, mixing homages to samba and bossa nova with some trendy electronic effects. While the young Veloso may not push music's boundaries the way his father did, he's possessed of the same tender vocal delivery and an unerring instinct for what makes a good song -- which is ultimately all you can, or should, ask.

- Sarah Bardeen