Sonny Brazil

Sonny Brazil is a folk singer and squeeze box player from the southeast of England. Raised in South East London and Brighton, Sonny dwells among the Bargee Traveller Community, living and playing music as they have for centuries on the inland waterways of England.

Sonny lives entrenched in the world of English folk culture, working as a crew member on the Thames Sailing Barges and living on the canals.

Sonny’s style is rhythmic and raw at times giving contrast to their sweeter more pastoral repertoire of traditional songs, reminiscent of a past and a future where community, solidarity and connection with the land run strong in people’s everyday life.

Sonny’s unique style of folk performance stems from the Queer folk scene in south London. They make a point of exploring different voices in these folk songs that were largely collected under the heavy colonial blanket of the Victorian era and early 20th century. In keeping folk music alive and viewing it through a queer, anti colonial, anti capitalist lens, Sonny does their bit to carry on the living tradition in a way that sparks new energy into the old songs.

Twenty-seven year old Sonny Brazil is a class act. Entrenched in the world of old folk song from the British Isles and the stories within, he lives on a boat, doesn’t have WIFI and embodies the true essence a folk musician. Equally at home performing his own compositions or arranging versions of lost and forgotten folk song, Sonny’s pure voice and immaculately meditative guitar performances are set to stun.

(2022)

Sonny Brazil is also a founder member of the folk collective, “Goblin Band”, (described by leading folk singer Martin Carthy as “The band we’ve been waiting for”) and also may be seen performing alongside Seb Stone.