Yesterday, on Valentine's Day, the Brazilian underground was shocked to see none other than Pabllo Vittar , one of the biggest names in current pop, wearing a t-shirt from the hardcore crust band Manger Cadavre ?.
In stories on her Instagram, which were then shared by the band, the artist showcased her merchandise to millions of followers.
On other occasions, Pabllo has been accused of appropriation and being a "poser" for wearing t-shirts of mainstream metal bands. However, as the years have passed, the diva has posted photos and various content with bands considered underground and from the extreme scene. Some of these, in fact, are unknown to many "real headbangers".
What surprised fans was that, until then, Pabllo hadn't been seen wearing any t-shirts from Brazilian bands, at least not from the independent scene. This event sent fans of the national underground scene into a frenzy.
One of the reasons for this is the fact that Manger Cadavre? is a band led by a woman, Nata Nachthexen , known for her extreme vocals. Furthermore, the group has a left-leaning political stance and has made this clear in their music for the past 10 years.
Furthermore, it's no surprise to fans that the underground has never been as conservative as it is now. The spectrum ranges from anarcho-capitalism to openly far-right headbangers. The LGBTQI+ community within the scene is frequently attacked by this segment, which is also misogynistic.
In any case, the fact is that Pabllo Vittar chose to support an underground band. With all the more mainstream options, such as Sepultura , Krisiun , Ratos de Porão , among others, which in itself would already be a great achievement, the choice was different. In this way, the artist shows thousands of fans that she supports the independent movement, in addition to enjoying the music and the political stance.
The conversation about inclusion in the movement isn't new, but the resistance from "true fans" is undeniable. Perhaps the scene has aged and failed to renew itself because there hasn't been dialogue with the younger audience, who are more open-minded to progressive issues and have a broader musical taste, listening to both pop and thrash metal on the same playlist.
With Pabllo Vittar's performance, it's possible to see that a love for metal can coexist with pop and any other styles one wants to listen to and enjoy. No one is less of a headbanger for listening to other types of music; quite the opposite. Gaining references to other genres allows the listener to have a larger repertoire and appreciate even more the details of what they like.
There is no longer room for fan bases that choose to act superior, being purist about their own music and only respecting conservatism and supporting far-right politics. There is a range of bands doing essential work to reclaim the underground for libertarian and revolutionary values.
Yesterday, Pabllo Vittar did more for the scene than the headbanger who boasts about knowing 300,000 underground bands, but doesn't buy any merch, doesn't promote any of them, ridicules the actions of women and LGBTQI+ people in the scene, doesn't attend shows, among many other things.
Check out the artist's stories, replicated in a post on Manger Cadavre's Instagram:
