A sertanejo band (yes, a band, not a duo) with just over a year on the road is already approaching 2 million monthly Spotify listeners. Their music videos — like “Eu Não Previ” featuring Murilo Huff — have surpassed 10 million views in a single month on YouTube, and most importantly, they’re rapidly gaining fans on the streets. It’s unusual. But nothing is usual about Traia Veia, a quartet from Greater São Paulo forging a unique path outside the traditional sertanejo strongholds of Goiânia and Campo Grande.
It all started when Edu Araújo, Dario Rodrigues, Vini Gouvea, and Pedro Cordeiro casually joined forces. Each already had solo careers in the genre and had crossed paths in Guarulhos nightclubs. One night, they decided to blend their strong individual voices during a party. The chemistry was immediate. Within months, they went from a few gigs to over 40 monthly shows.
Their sound engineer, “Duzão,” noted that their vocal blend was reminiscent of legendary Brazilian group Roupa Nova — known for its harmonized fusion and enduring pop legacy. Inspired, Edu joked, “If they’re Roupa Nova, we’re Traia Véia.” The name stuck.
“We’ve seen duos, bands, and solo acts, but a quartet with a unique take on modão (classic sertanejo) is a real identity. A concept. We don’t fully understand the scale of what’s happening yet, but God is paving the way for us,” accordionist Dario told UBC.
With no professional structure in the beginning, fans organically promoted the band by posting videos of their performances on YouTube and Instagram. It didn’t take long to catch the eye of music entrepreneurs. Marco Aurélio Bernardino and Rodrigo Redoshi saw the raw potential and proposed a partnership — leading to a significant boost and the band’s first DVD recording in Goiânia in 2023.
The project included big-name collaborations such as Huff, Luiza Martins, Lauana Prado, and Fred & Fabrício. The accompanying EP featured 13 tracks — eight reimaginings of well-known hits and five original songs. While all four members are songwriters, their debut recording doesn’t yet include original compositions.
