Flavia Coelho is a Brazilian singer who delivers an effortless mix of samba, bossa nova, Brazilian rap, reggae and ragga with a quirky, playful confidence and attitude. Her joyous, almost irreverent approach underlies her worldly adventurous spirit. But it’s no wonder. The daughter of a hairdresser for drag queens, Coelho discovered her voice by singing the songs of Diana Ross, Nina Hagen and the divas of Brazilian pop such as Gal Costa with a homemade echo chamber - a bucket on her head.

In 2006, Coelho left Rio for Paris where she now resides. There she would record her debut album, Bossa Muffin, a collection of songs, which made a huge impact earning her a legion of fans who warmed to her voice that channelled the spirit of world music legend Manu Chao.

Mundo Meu sees her going back to her roots plunging into an urban jungle with coloured native slang. Is an album that defies definition; Coelho neatly sidesteps stereotyping and delivers a listening experience that is hard not to fall for hook, line and sinker.

The album contains 13 tracks (50 min, 21 sec) of perfectly sculptured listening pleasure. It's an experience you won't forget in a hurry.

8

Nick Smithson