As I was scrolling through instagram, I was shown an ad for an event hosted by one of the more famous samba schools in Rio—Mangueira. These are the perks of arriving in a city early, your algorithm starts blessing you with events you otherwise would miss. This event peaked my interest for two reasons—feijoada was the highlight of the event, and legendary singer Alcione was performing.
To say I was excited was an understatement. Mangueira was my favorite school, and I literally grew up listening to Alcione. The conversation with my mama on the phone just made me more hype.
“[roughly translated] Alcione?? Oh, my girl, you always have so much fun. Make sure to send me videos!”
I was overloaded with vibrant green and pink as I walked through the gates, my ears blessed with samba rhythms and baianas serving up bowls of feijoada—Brazil’s beloved black bean stew.
I found my seat among a sea of locals decked out in their best Mangueira gear as the band did their sound check. For anyone reading whose been to a samba, you understand those first few notes will have you giddy with anticipation, then before you know it—the samba has entered your feet.
When the diva Alcione finally made her appearance on stage, the crowd’s joy was contagious. Her voice—rich, deep, and unmistakable—shook the room, everyone was singing along to her classics. The energy inside that samba school was unmatched.
It was more than just a concert; it was an immersive experience, a true celebration of Brazilian culture. And as Alcione sang “A Loba,” it took me back to Sunday morning cleaning days with my mama, belting the lyrics into the “microphone” (the mop lol). Now, I’m seeing her in person, the only thing that would have made this any more perfect was experiencing this with my mama.
By the time the night ended, I was sweaty, full of feijoada, and beaming from ear to ear. I walked out of that samba school feeling like I had just experienced a piece of Rio’s soul—a place where music, food, and community come together in the most authentic of ways. And as I texted my mama to share the excitement, I knew I’d never forget that magical night. Mangueira, Alcione, feijoada, and samba no pe—this was Rio.
