Two Carnivals, One Lesson: What Brazil 2026 Taught Me About Storytelling

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Hey MightyBrawnies and 💪MightyPros, this is B.

This trip to Brazil has been nothing short of amazing. Not only have I been able to reconnect and visit my family, but I feel overwhelmingly grateful to have experienced the two main flavors of Carnival while being here. When most of the world hears the word Carnival, they immediately picture the Rio de Janeiro parades—dazzling lighting, gigantic floats, and those incredibly creative, colorful costumes. Or maybe you scroll through Instagram and see millions of people taking over the streets and the beaches, dancing crazy in what looks like pure, beautiful chaos. The magical thing is that both of these are the real Carnival.

The origins of this celebration stretch all the way back to the 1500s during the discovery of Brazil, but it has evolved into this massive spectacle that draws people from all over the world for a week-long release. A lot of people outside of Brazil think Carnival is just a single day of partying. The truth is, for many Brazilians, the energy starts building a week, sometimes a full month, before the official dates. There is even a famous local joke that the country doesn't actually start working until Christmas, New Year’s, and Carnival have all passed. It is not about slacking off; it is about a culture that deeply values enjoying life during these overlapping moments of celebration.

Historically, the concept comes from the Catholic tradition of Quaresma, the fasting period that follows. The days leading up to it were the time to indulge, to eat meat, and to freely be whoever you wanted to be before the restrictions set in. Today, that spirit of release remains, but it has transformed into something much deeper.

I experienced both sides of it this year. I went to the massive, highly organized Sambódromo parades, and I also immersed myself in the blocos de rua—the street blocks where a music truck slowly rolls through the city and thousands of people follow along, dancing through the avenues.

What blew my mind is the hidden structure behind all those dazzling colors. When you watch the samba schools cross the avenue, it is not just random beauty. They are in a fierce competition. They follow strict rules regarding time limits, pacing, and most importantly, storytelling. Every single float, costume, and song must perfectly match a central theme. On February 14th, the first school I watched was paying a breathtaking homage to the city of Amsterdam. The school that actually won the São Paulo parade this year built their entire narrative around paying homage to African gods through the legacy of Léa Garcia.

But it goes even deeper than the visual theme. These schools use their time on the avenue to deliver profound political and social messages, touching on social justice, income inequality, and systemic racism. And you see this exact same depth in the chaotic street parties, too. I spent time at a bloco de rua hosted by a downtown bar I go to called Cabaret da Cecilia, and their entire street celebration was dedicated to promoting the rights and visibility of transsexual and transvestite individuals. It is a space for pure fun, yes, but it is also a powerful platform for consciousness and human rights.

Brazil is a massive country of over 200 million people. While not every single person celebrates—many stay home or use the time to rest—having tens of millions of people collectively participating in this energy is staggering.

Before this trip, I hadn't been to a Carnival party in more than twenty years. I had spent so long just focusing on work and everyday life. But this year, I knew I needed to experience it again. The most unforgettable part wasn't just the visuals; it was the vibe. There is this incredibly rare, collective energy where everybody around you is just happy, truly enjoying the act of living without worrying about tomorrow. In our modern lives, especially with social media, we are so isolated. Even when we are happy in a coffee shop, we are all staring at our own separate screens. But on the avenue, thousands of people are sharing the exact same frequency, looking at the exact same beautiful thing, completely connected.

I took my mom to see the parade this year. She had never watched it live before. These parades can easily last for eight straight hours, and the fact that we stayed together in the stands for four hours was a massive win. Sharing that rare, collective joy with her is a memory that will stay with me forever.

Watching all of this unfold has made me reflect deeply on BrawnyAi. The way these samba schools orchestrate a complete experience—weaving sound, visuals, emotion, and deep social themes into a structured story with a clear beginning, middle, and climax—is profoundly inspiring. We already have the music, the visuals, and the emotional core of our stories in Lumberlandia. But seeing Carnival has shown me a new way to tie them all together into a more coherent, powerful force, rather than just releasing random drops. I want to learn how to weave our narratives with the kind of depth and purpose I saw on the avenue. It will take time to digest and translate this into our digital world, but the vision is clearer than ever.

As I sit here tonight, I am also reflecting on the sheer amount of human effort it takes to create that magic. Every float and every rhythm relies on the foundation of artists who came before them. It made me think about our own medium. I want to take a moment to acknowledge that BrawnyAi, and the AI data that powers our creations, can only exist because of the endless work of past artists and creators. I know there are massive debates around this space, but I want to explicitly show my appreciation. We are standing on the shoulders of the artists who came before us.

And finally, I am filled with gratitude for you. March 6th is just right around the corner, marking the beginning of our third year. I can only exist in this space, creating these stories and these digital hunks, because of the unwavering support of my MightyBrawnies and 💪MightyPros. Without you, I truly don't know where I would be right now.

I am pouring all of this inspiration into what comes next. I can't wait to share the new chronicles and a few surprises I have planned to celebrate our anniversary. Hopefully, it matches the beauty and depth that this community deserves.

Stay tuned for more.

With love ❤️, B

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