Da selva de pedra ao sertão… abrindo veredas para brilhar: Sérgio Reis, a música sertaneja como cultura midiática

Resumo (EN)

This thesis aims to identify some of the reasons that led the singer Sérgio Reis to make a significant change in his artistic trajectory: his transition from the Jovem Guarda musical movement to Brazilian country music (sertanejo), at a time when he was enjoying great popularity with songs such as “Coração de Papel” and “O Menino da Gaita”. The study seeks to clarify to what extent the sertanejo genre encouraged the singer to move from a segment focused on youth-oriented music to one associated with rural culture. The research is based on bibliographic and audiovisual sources. The bibliographic framework includes authors specializing in orality (Zumthor, 2007), the recording industry (Morelli, 1991; Vicente, 2014), and communication studies (Morin, 1972), as well as periodical materials such as Revista da Tulha (USP), interviews, and audiovisual works. With regard to audiovisual resources, video performances and films will be analyzed. The study begins with an examination of Sérgio Reis’s early recordings, from the beginning of his artistic career through his period in the Jovem Guarda movement (1961-1972). Particular attention is given to the song “Coração de Papel”, which propelled the singer to national prominence and made him widely recognized among Jovem Guarda audiences. Subsequently, the songs that marked his transition to sertanejo music will be analyzed, with special emphasis on O Menino da Porteira (1973) and on his recordings of works already established within the genre. In “Saudade da Minha Terra” (1975), Reis appears on the album cover wearing a hat, a symbol of rural culture. Despite his urban background and lack of direct experience with rural life, Sérgio Reis adapted both his image and performance to the sertanejo universe, adopting elements of rural culture, such as the hat and themes associated with the countryside, in order to gain acceptance among the genre’s audience. In this context, the thesis is dedicated to a detailed analysis of the film O Menino da Porteira (1977), highlighting the relationship between sertanejo music and other media forms, such as cinema and radio programs. As a result, Sérgio Reis’s media persona expanded and consolidated his presence within this cultural sphere. The study also examines the impact of the singer’s work, which generated imitators and inspired other artists to enter the field of sertanejo music. It concludes that Sérgio Reis, beyond his role as a performer, contributed significantly to the consolidation of sertanejo music as an important element of Brazilian media and cultural memory.