Os Bilias

Os Bilias came out of Salvador, Bahia in the mid-1990s. Their name means "The Marbles," which gives you a sense of their playful approach. They worked through some early resistance to their sound, playing local bars and street corners.

In 2001, "Morena Faceira" caught on and became a national hit in Brazil. The song's celebration of a dark-skinned woman resonated widely, though it also brought the band more scrutiny. They followed it with tracks like "Chimarrão de Cuia Grande" and "Tranco Galponeiro."

Their albums include Nação Manguebeat from 2001, Nunca Fiz Mal a Ninguém in 2005, and Rei dos Montes in 2010. The band kept making music through that period, though the details of their later work aren't as well documented.