R2 (Sertanejo)

R2 is a Brazilian sertanejo duo formed in 2011 by childhood friends Rafael de Almeida and Rafael Fish from Goiânia. They started out playing on street corners and in local bars, working through early rejections from labels. Their sound came together around two guitars and close vocal harmonies, with both members sharing the name Rafael.

Things shifted for them in 2015 with the single "Caso Encerrado." The song's straightforward take on a relationship's end connected widely, pushing them into a broader national conversation. They followed it with other tracks like "Nem Em Ficção" and "Saudade Careta," which kept to similar ground of personal reflection set against sertanejo's melodic backbone.

They've put out albums every few years since, including Pra Ser Feliz in 2018 and Lado C in 2023. In 2020, they were involved in a public disagreement with another artist over songwriting claims, which played out briefly in the press before fading. Their music tends to stay focused on the details of love and distance, delivered without much studio gloss.