Rio de Janeiro samba schools finalize anthems for 2027 Carnival

Major samba schools in Rio de Janeiro are finalizing their official anthems for the 2027 Carnival season.

Unidos da Tijuca has reached the final stages of its competition to select a samba-enredo for the theme ‘A Cabeça do Santo’, inspired by the book by Socorro Acioli. Notably, Father Felipe Calisto, a priest from Caridade, Ceará, is one of the four finalists. His involvement began after the school's research team visited his parish.

Unidos de Vila Isabel has decided to merge two of its finalist compositions to create the official anthem for its 2027 parade, which will be based on the novel ‘Torto Arado’.

Other schools have also secured their anthems: Salgueiro selected a partnership led by Ian Ruas for its theme ‘Laroyê Xica da Silva’, while Beija-Flor de Nilópolis chose a composition celebrating the life of activist and environmentalist Zeneida Lima.