As well as capturing the hearts of Europe and taking the Eurovision title in 2018, Israel’s Netta Barzilai and her high-energy single “Toy” has been making waves beyond the continent. This time, with Gold certification in Brazil.
“Toy” has already taken Africa by storm, with Ugandan dance troop Spoon Youth performing a dance routine to the song, and now its South America’s turn to be hit by Hurricane Netta.
“Toy” has just received Gold certification in Brazil, meaning we can expect to hear Netta on full volume, not only at Tel Aviv Pride but even at Rio’s infamous Carnival, where sun-kissed Brazilians will be dancing with their dolls on the madabaka beat!
In order for an international artist to achieve Gold certification from Pro-Musica Brasil — the representative body of the record labels in the Brazilian market — a single must sell 20,000 physical copies or achieve 50,000 digital downloads.
If Netta plans to go platinum in Brazil, she’d need to double both of these sales figures. Meanwhile, domestic artists in Brazil get a rougher deal, needing to shift double the physical copies — 40,000 CDs — before achieving Gold status.
The Brazilian Gold certification for “Toy” joins a growing list of international achievements for the Eurovision 2018 winning song. “Toy” reached No.1 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, it was added to the 2019 edition of the popular video game Just Dance, and was used as part of a lipsync performance by drag superstar Shangela.
And “Toy” isn’t the first recent Eurovision song to enjoy success in the Brazilian market. Salvador Sobral’s winning song “Amar Pelos Dois” — sung in Portuguese which is also the official language of Brazil — is breaking the market in a more unique way.
It may not have shifted the same sales figures as “Toy”, however it is the theme tune of a popular Telenova in Brazil!
What do you think? Did you predict that Netta would achieve global success before she lifted the Eurovision trophy, or are you surprised by “Toy” and its impact? Let us know in the comments!
I live in Brazil since 2009 and never heard this song on the radio. Amar Pelos Dois and Euphoria are two songs that got some buzz here, that I can remember of the last couple of years
Never knew you lived here. And my experience is basically the same. Already heard Euphoria playing in clubs, pride parades, parties. And Amar Pelos Dois got the huge boost of being the theme of a novela.
It would be interesting to know how many of those streamings came from people who knew it was an Eurovision song and how many caught it because the song was trending on streaming services (Brazilian people are very avid social media and streaming users). I say that because sadly most people here don’t even know what’s Eurovision. Sure, there are fans (you guys probably had already noticed our flag popping out every single year in the contest), but we aren’t as many as we could be. And not nearly as connected on a community as we should be.
This news proves that Brazil has an Eurovision fanbase. Thanks to Salvador Sobral, we were free from the geoblock and able to watch the festival again. EBU recognizes that Brazilians belong to the group of foreigners who buy tickets the most. We had Eleni Foureira in the top 3 in our streamings last year … Eduardo Lobo, one of the great ESC promoters in the country, was responsible for the Norwegian scenario this year. Sebalter did some concerts in São Paulo and Rio few weeks ago … And now Netta getting a gold record. I wish Brazilians and Eurovision artists… Read more »
Don’t forget Laura Rizotto’s participation for Latvia. And yes, I whish Brazil could be closer and closer to the ESC. I had the secret expectation that RTP would invite a Brazilian composer for the FdC, as it did in 2018. But unfortunately not…
Good memory L’oiseau … We can’t forget the first Brazilian, Myrian Christine, representing Malta in 95. In fact, Mallu Magalhaes was invited to FC 2018 and, because of a mistake during the semifinal (by the production), didn’t qualify . For 2020, there is Tiago Nacarato, a Portuguese singer who adopts the Brazilian sound in his works. If we think about it, APD is totally inspired by Brazilian contemporary music. So even if we don’t have a native Brazilian artist representing Portugal, as a singer or composer, we may have something inspired by.
Maybe someday they’ll invite Marcelo Camelo, Mallu’s husband. And I’m pretty sure that are also other Brazilian artists living in Portugal these days. I know that a bunch of actors decided to work there.
I don’t know him I have to check him out. But what I really really would like is a song by Tim Bernardes in the FdC. He is my favorite singer Brazilian composer right now. His solo work and the one with his band is just to cry for. Also, check out a duet with him and Salvador Sobral in youtube of “Anda-me estragar os planos”, another FdC 2018 song. Good heavens!…
Another one that would love to see in FdC and even in ESC is Bruna Mendez. Her work is great and really upbeat in a classy way.
Camelo is known more from his time in the alternative rock band Los Hermanos. Some of their songs are great (from their second album on, the first one is a little silly), they built such a cult following here.
Haven’t heard about Tim before, but his duet with Salvador is indeed beautiful. I’ll definitely look for more of his music. 🙂 Don’t know much about Bruna, but everything I’ve listened from her was good. I wish artists like her had more exposure here.
OMG I had no idea that Myrian Christie was Brazilian… Yes, indeed I remember Mallu. I really love her work, I just whish she would have sang it instead of the artitst she chose. Also the song did not make justice to all her work. You are completely right. APD is inspired by Brazilian music, Luísa said so herself. The music structure is what could be called as a “valsinha” but the whole style is very contemporary Brazilian, indeed. And of course, let’s not forget the giant Caeatano Veloso in the interval act… I have to check out Tiago Narcato.
Nice to see someone else from Brazil here, Mandy. 🙂 Though I would say that “Toy” could definitely make people dance and jump around a trio elétrico (for those wondering, it’s how we call those big trucks that play music on Brazilian street carnival), Miki’s song was indeed the one that would fit the best. I remember writing here that those who appreciated “La Venda” should check Axé Music. The track reminds me about bands like Asa de Águia.
So the major achievements of Netta is to be part of a videogame score and in some lipsync of a drag queen. Good for her!!!…
BTW, in Rio during Carnival they play samba, wiwibloggs. Not obscure European popsongs.
No not at all. You seem, though.
sick burn bro
Stop with this amarican slang… Don’t you see how ridicuous that is? But, there is nothing else to expect from someone that like the hysterical chicken dance.
That is probably due Oxa, a participant in The Voice of Germany. He is from Brazil e became famous here after his performance of “Toy”. Many people shared his video on social media.
This actually makes a lot of sense. I remember watching Oxa’s performance but didn’t know he’s from Brazil.
actually it’s 20,000 UNITS. physical and digital sales are basically dead in brazil, it’s all based on streaming now. 20k units = 10 million streams (including youtube). the 50k threshold for gold is only for brazilian records. congrats netta!
It’s very interesting you consider this question. Brazil still works with this format, because Pró-Música Brasil is the old ABPD, which was reformulated to meet the new market reality. Inclusion of streamings for the award only took place in 2017. Singles certifications are based on digital download. For audio and video streaming, 500 streams are equal to one download. I believe this criterion may change, as it is something that is still being worked on with a reformulated institution.
pro-musica brazil has a lot of work to do tbh:
1. publish weekly singles and album charts. they have no excuse not to have them!
2. review the certification method. they should do like france: only count premium streams, and rather than dividing by 500 which is a lot, divide by 150 like many other countries do. and like france does, raise the thresholds and publish the certs automatically once the units are reached.
Godgarina, I recommend ya to read this article from Billboard that explain Brazilian music market… And yes! I totally agree with your speech.
https://www.billboard.com/amp/articles/columns/latin/8507548/brazil-music-industry-top-markets-streaming
Well, the thing with the certifications in Brazil for international artists it’s so random, generally the certification is not a sucess signal (in many cases are airplay or streams -being attached in a popular playlist/downloads -less each year-) and there, songs that are totally failures in the rest of the world certificates (like The Real Milli Vanilli or “The cure” by Lady Gaga), I think it’s probably because the attention that get for being interpreted in The Voice Germany by a brazilian drag queen. Also, yes, I know that APD not certified yet, but it had airplay, mediatic exposition (there… Read more »
Tragic.
Yes…
Congrats, Netta!!
Hahaha i love the fact that Amar Pelos Dois achieved also succes alongside Toy. Gosh it’s truly a battle of Class (Salvador) vs Trash (Netta
amar pelos dois was so bad and boring. it only won because it’s too defferent
Yes for the ones without the minimum taste in music, as obviously you are. Check out in youtube how many covers there are of amar pelos dois…
Why the need for unnecessary hate?
Just be happy for both songs, or if you really don´t like netta that much, just don´t say anything at all.
Indeed. But this battle is long won by Salvador. So the major achievements of Netta is to be part of a videogame score and in sime lipsync of a drag queen???. Compare that with the full concert schedule of Salvador all over Europe in the prestigeous music houses and not in some gay dance clubs or gay parade. There is where he real competition lies.
I’m so happy for both to have won the competition. I would never call something trash that does not rock my boat. It’s ok to appriceate one or neither of them. But there is no need to shame the pieces of music you don’t like