Despite all the changes taking place citywide, cariocas (residents of Rio) still gather late into the night and sway to the samba music that pours out of bars and cafes in rejuvenated neighbourhoods like Lapa in the south of the city.

BBC: Living in: Rio de Janeiro

But they speak Portuguese, prefer samba to local music, and their children attend Brazilian schools.

ECONOMIST: A flirtation unsettles the neighbours

If samba is the soul of Rio, its heart is undoubtedly Lapa, a rough-and-tumble district on the edge of downtown that is home to dozens of old-fashioned samba clubs and music-filled bars.

BBC: Searching for the perfect samba beat

The influence of mass media and competition from contemporary popular music have contributed to undervaluing this Samba in the eyes of the young.

UNESCO: Intangible Cultural Heritage

Although this record is anything but traditional, Maria Rita has gained the respect of major samba figures with her fresh approach to the music, as in an understated rendition of the song "Pra declarar minha saudade, " written by one of the artists she's up against, Arlindo Cruz.

NPR: Latin Grammys Showcase Best Of Latino Music

Even samba connoisseurs can afford the excruciating fun of sentimental or tacky music.

NPR: In Brazil, Even Bad Music Is Good

In fact, his passion is music, playing percussion in a pagode (a popular variation of samba) band.

FORBES: A Job For Now: Employment In The Favela

But this did not stop people cheering themselves hoarse, hugging each other and dancing jigs to marachi music, while hundreds of cars honked their horns in time, creating a samba-style cresendo of sound.

BBC: Fiesta time in Mexico City