Samantha Schmutz & Adrian Younge - Samantha e Adrian (2025)

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Samantha Schmutz & Adrian Younge - Samantha e Adrian (2025)

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Two artists met at the perfect moment in their creative journeys and something extraordinary happened: They captured magic. Samantha e Adrian is more than just an album—it is the story of a profound artistic connection between Brazilian actress/singer Samantha Schmütz and American composer Adrian Younge. This record is the intersection where Rio and Los Angeles merge into a lush, cinematic, and deeply personal experience created by two musical soulmates.

Produced and recorded at Younge’s Linear Labs, an all-analog studio, Samantha & Adrian is a grand, orchestral, and soulful record. It’s a bridge between Brazil’s MPB tradition and the elegance of 1970s LA soul. With sweeping string arrangements, rich harmonies, and undeniable grooves, the album conjures the feeling of a lost classic—music that takes the listener back to a 1970s studio session yet feels entirely fresh and contemporary.

For Samantha, this album represents the most vulnerable and sincere expression of herself. Even though she became famous as an actress, music has been her number one passion. Since she was a little girl, singing along to vinyl that her father played, music has been at the center of her artistic interests. Writing music with Younge, for her, was an act of courage—more personal than anything she has done before, sharing her emotions through lyrics that feel intimate, poetic, and raw. Adrian, with his deep appreciation for MPB expressed in his work with Brazilian legends such as Marcos Valle, Joyce, and João Donato, provided the perfect backdrop for her to express who she truly is. It’s a side Samantha’s fans have never seen before.

A shared admiration for Brazilian music and its intersection with American soul set the foundation for their collaboration as Samantha met Younge at a Jazz Is Dead event. Adrian saw in Samantha a voice that could bring something new to this ongoing musical dialogue. After witnessing her perform with the Brazilian artist Criolo, he was inspired to write music that would embrace her vocal and emotional range. Together, they crafted lyrics and melodies that capture the essence of their bond—two artists, from different worlds, coming together to create something that celebrates the musical connection between Rio and Los Angeles.

Each track on Samantha & Adrian tells a story. “Nossa Cor” carries the soft vulnerability of bossa nova, weaving tender reflections on love and identity. The disco inspired “More Than Love” is an invitation to the dancefloor, channeling the danceable energy of New York's legendary Studio 54 icons; the energy of a time when orchestras filled nightclubs with sweeping arrangements and infectious grooves. “Samba Canção” pays homage to the liveliness of Brazilian culture, with the line “vida is a love song, kinda samba canção” embodying the warm magic that defines the album. And in “Feitiço” and “Quando o Sol Chegar,” the spiritual depth of Afro-Brazilian traditions shines through, a testament to the shared African heritage that unites Brazilian and American music.