Anitta — 2017

Abstract The year 2017 marked a critical transitional period for Brazilian singer Anitta (Larissa de Macedo Machado). While already a national celebrity, 2017 saw her strategically shift from traditional Brazilian pop and funk carioca toward a more internationalized sound and image. This paper analyzes Anitta's musical releases, business decisions, and media presence in 2017, arguing that this year laid the groundwork for her later global success with hits like “Downtown” (2017, featuring J Balvin) and “Vai Malandra” (2017, featuring Tropkillaz and MC Zaac). 1. Introduction By 2017, Anitta had already released three studio albums (2013, 2014, 2016) and established herself as a major force in Brazilian music. However, 2017 represented a deliberate rebranding: moving away from the "meiga" (sweet) image of her early career toward a more empowered, sexually confident, and internationally accessible persona. 2. Key Musical Releases in 2017 | Release | Type | Collaborators | Significance | |---------|------|---------------|----------------| | “Paradinha” (January) | Single | — | First fully Spanish-language track; tropical house beats; targeted Latin American market. | | “Will I See You” (March) | Single | Poo Bear | First predominantly English single; EDM/pop production. | | “Sua Cara” (July) | Single | Major Lazer, Pabllo Vittar | High-budget music video filmed in Morocco; LGBTQ+ celebration; funk and baile funk fusion. | | “Vai Malandra” (December) | Single | Tropkillaz, MC Zaac | Shot in Vidigal, Rio de Janeiro; returned to funk carioca roots but with international visual polish. | | “Downtown” (December) | Single | J Balvin | Latin trap/reggaetón; major Latin American crossover. | 3. Strategic Analysis 3.1 Linguistic Diversification Anitta recorded in Portuguese, Spanish, and English in 2017. This trilingual approach was rare for a Brazilian artist and showed intentional market segmentation.

The music video for “Sua Cara” featured Anitta and Pabllo Vittar in hypersexualized, futuristic Arab-inspired costumes, directly challenging conservative Brazilian gender norms. “Vai Malandra” embraced the favela aesthetic but reframed it as glamorous and aspirational. anitta 2017