Donning a Kendrick Lamar hoodie, her gold chains glittering in the setting sun, Brazillian everything artist Flor settles in onstage of Rivian Park on Monday, March 10. By the end of her first Afro Samba number “Poolside,” the crowd has swarmed like flies to her honey-sweet voice, all swaying in tandem to the music.
“You guys are so attentive, it makes me nervous,” she laughs, her tooth gem making her smile glisten.
Flor Jorge, a 22-year old songwriter heavily inspired by sounds found in traditionally Black artistry, opened the SXSW International Showcase with a setlist determined to make the crowd come close and start dancing. Daughter of Brazilian samba renaissance king Seu Jorge, the soul running in both their blood finds itself repurposed in Flor’s music as she effortlessly blends Afro Samba with Hip Hop and R&B throughout her discography.
Translating brilliantly to a live set with the help of famed producer Pedro Dom, who shifts between bossa nova guitar and angelic keys, Flor’s 30-minute performance ran through her short-but-impactful repertoire in its completion.
Quality trumps quantity by a mile here.
Halfway through, “FOMO” lyrics “If you’re a bad bitch / Throw some cat / Throw some cash / Throw some ass” reignite the swaying of the people once again. The song so danceable even Flor herself, despite dealing with the nightmare of performing SXSW with brutal cramps, had to stand up and join the crowd in their dancing.
Letting the mood settle back down over the next few songs, she introduces her 2020 debut single with a new level of delicacy. Written shortly after the death of George Floyd, “Sapiens” shifts the mood dramatically as her silky vocals entrance the audience, forcing them to reckon with the heartbreaking lyrics, “What a filthy time / Glowing with hope / Wake up the people / It is a wound we can’t cope.”
Having taken a journey with Flor, her final song “Pra Melhorar” feels like a premature arrival. By the end, three young sisters left completely enamored with her, even following her manager for their own personal meet and greet. This connection to life and music, as perfectly demonstrated by the giddiness of the youngest who gifted Flor her personal princess crown, proves the importance of Black Brazilian music — especially to those ready to fall in love with it for the first time.
