Jeza da Pedra

Jeza da Pedra formed in Salvador, Brazil in 2015 around vocalist and guitarist Fábio Paim, bassist Fernando Sacramento, drummer Alysson Silva, and keyboardist Juliana Miranda. Their sound pulls from rock and reggae, but what gives it its particular texture is how they weave in rhythms from Candomblé, the Afro-Brazilian religion.

A song called "Rolê de Ogum" came out in 2016 and became their calling card. It's built around a celebration of Ogum, the warrior orixá from Candomblé, and its driving beat and lyrics connected with people in a way that brought the band wider attention. They put out a self-titled album that same year.

They followed that with a second album, "Onda de Pedra," in 2019. Other tracks like "Abafar Loló" and "Celular" show the same mix of propulsive rhythms and grounded, sometimes pointed, lyrical concerns. The music has drawn criticism from some quarters for its direct engagement with religious themes, but it's that very specificity that gives their work its weight.