Artists going digital to overcome Covid-19 in Brazil’s musical scene

: Caetano Veloso case study

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic represents an unprecedented global crisis. It has transformed society, changed consumption patterns, and drastically affected various fields, such as the cultural sector. Consequently, restrictions on staying at home and policies of social distancing have imposed countless challenges for one of the most representative pillars of this sector: the music industry.Thus, the singularity of the condition generated by the pandemic led much of cultural life to adapt to digital platforms. The music industry was faced with the need to reinvent itself, and the increasing prevalence of artists on social networks was observed, translating into an opportunity for the sector. Throughout 2020, their use allowed several musicians to record performances from their homes, give concerts online, collaborate with other artists, and communicate with their fans.This dissertation aims to investigate how social media has the potential to significantly contribute to overcome a crisis such as Covid-19, in one of the sectors and countries most affected by the pandemic, the Brazilian music industry. One of the main players of this industry, in Brazil, will be used as a case study: how, the iconic and unmistakable Caetano Veloso, at the age of 79, used one of these platforms, Instagram, to adapt to the new reality, and how this impacted his career and audience is analyzed.

Date of Award	3 Mar 2022
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Mariana Victorino (Supervisor)