Erick Rangel

Erick Rangel grew up in São Paulo, where he first heard the Pentecostal worship music in his local church. That sound stuck with him, and he started working on his own voice, eventually pulling together elements from Brazilian music and American gospel. He put out his debut album in 2006, which included the track 'Estar Com Deus.' That song caught on and helped push him toward a wider audience in Brazil's gospel scene.

In 2014, Rangel got tangled up in a legal fight over song rights that paused his music production for a while. He's also drawn attention for speaking his mind on religious and social topics, which has earned him both supporters and critics. The music itself, though, kept finding listeners who connected with his straightforward approach to faith.