Sonny Brazil

Sonny Brazil is a Folk singer and Squeeze Box Player from the south east 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 Thames Sailing Barges and living on the Canals; they are one of the founding members of the folk collective Goblin Band described by Martin Carthy as “The band we’ve been waiting for”.
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.