What DA CRUZ does

DA CRUZ is an independent music group founded in 2008 in Bern, Switzerland, by Afro-Brazilian singer Mariana Da Cruz and Ane H., a former singer and programmer of the Swiss electro-industrial band Swamp Terrorists. The group produces contemporary Brazilian urban and club music that fuses Amapiano, Baile Funk, Shatta, Kuduro, Brazilian Trap, electronic, and hip hop influences, recorded and produced in their own studio using vintage synthesizers, sequencers, and drum machines. Across six studio albums, the catalog has been released on their own independent label Boom Jah Records, with the sole exception of the 2011 album "Sistema Subversiva," which was licensed to US label Six Degrees Records (Bebel Gilberto, CéU). The core lineup consists of Mariana Da Cruz (vocals), Ane H., Bernese guitarist Oliver Husmann, and drummer Pit Lee.

The group generates revenue from three streams: streaming royalties on platforms including Spotify and Apple Music, live performance fees at festivals (Montreux Jazz Festival, Brasil Summerfest New York, Montreal Jazz Festival, Lisboa Mistura) and club tours worldwide, and licensing/release partnerships. Distribution is supported by three regional booking agents covering International, France/Italy, and Switzerland, and music discovery is centralized through a Linktree hub funneling listeners to streaming platforms. Marketing relies on earned media coverage from international outlets (BBC 6 Music, RFI, Rolling Stone, Le Monde, The Independent, Télérama, KEXP, KCRW) and radio rotation, supplemented by organic social media on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

DA CRUZ's customer base is fragmented across global individual music consumers, with a secondary B2B segment of festival and venue bookers seeking politically engaged, high-energy acts with international appeal. The group's competitive positioning is built on a distinctive genre-fusion sound, Mariana Da Cruz's distinctive voice, and politically engaged lyrical content addressing colonialism, social division, racism, and Brazilian politics. The 2019 pre-nomination for the Prêmio da Música Brasileira (Brazil's most important music award) and consistent top-10 placement on US college radio charts across five albums indicate sustained recognition within the world/urban music segment. The group has remained founder-led and independent throughout its 16-year history, with no external investment, parent company, or public listing.

Name

DA CRUZ

Legal name

DA CRUZ

Website

https://dacruzmusic.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Short description

DA CRUZ is an independent music group founded in 2008 in Bern, Switzerland, producing contemporary Brazilian urban and club music that fuses African diaspora sounds (Amapiano, Baile Funk, Shatta, Kuduro, Trap) with electronic and hip hop, distributed globally through streaming, live performances, and own-label Boom Jah Records releases.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Music streaming and digital sales: Revenue from streaming platforms (Spotify) and digital album/single sales distributed globally
2. Live performances and concerts: Concert fees from festival appearances (Montreux Jazz, Brasil Summerfest, Montreal Jazz) and club tours internationally
3. Label releases and licensing: Album releases through own label Boom Jah Records with licensing to Six Degrees Records for US market (2011 Sistema Subversiva)

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

DA CRUZ is an independent music project led by Afro-Brazilian singer Mariana Da Cruz, producing contemporary Brazilian urban and club music that fuses African diaspora sounds (Amapiano, Baile Funk, Shatta, Kuduro, Brazilian Trap) with vintage analog synthesizers and modern production. The band releases studio albums and singles on their own label Boom Jah Records, distributed globally through streaming platforms, and earns revenue from live performances at international festivals and club concerts.

Product overview

DA CRUZ is an independent music project led by Afro-Brazilian singer Mariana Da Cruz based in Bern, Switzerland. The core offering consists of studio albums released on their own label Boom Jah Records, with music spanning Brazilian urban genres, Afrobeat, Baile Funk, Hip-Hop, and electronic music. The discography includes albums 'Baladas da Luta' and 'Som Sistema', along with singles released through streaming platforms like Spotify. The band operates independently, recording and producing in their own studio since 2008.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Baladas da Luta (Album) Sixth studio album of contemporary Brazilian urban music featuring 11 politically engaged songs addressing hatred, delusion, and social injustice. Includes collaborations with British-Nigerian rapper Magugu and legendary Brazilian musician Arnaldo Antunes. Released on Boom Jah Records.
• Som Sistema (Album) Studio album exploring African and Brazilian roots through modern black club music, fusing South African Amapiano, Brazilian Baile Funk, Caribbean Shatta, Angolan Kuduro, and Brazilian Trap with vintage synthesizers, sequencers, and drum machines. Features AI-generated visual content.
• Chata (feat. Magugu) (Single) Single featuring British-Nigerian rapper Magugu, inspired by Shatta music style and recorded with vintage synthesizers, sequencers, and drum machines.
• O Corpo (Single) Single contribution to body positivity - an ode to one's own body combining 70s strings, 80s drum machines, and Brazilian disco appeal.
• Bate Panela (Single) Single inspired by Brazilian protest tradition of pan banging, addressing pain and anger toward a government that ridiculed Afro-Brazilian values.
• Serpentes (feat. Magugu) (Single) Single featuring British-Nigerian rapper Magugu - a musical and political statement describing Brazil's situation under far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, combining Afrobeat and electronic bass elements.
• Live Concert Performances Live concert and festival performances at major events including Montreux Jazz Festival, Brasil Summerfest New York, Montreal Jazz Festival, and Lisboa Mistura, plus club tours internationally.

Quantifiable outcome

• Six studio albums released since 2008, all charting in top 10 of American college radio
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Six Degrees RecordsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2011US label partnership for release of 2011 album 'Sistema Subversiva'. Six Degrees Records is known for artists like Bebel Gilberto, CéU, and The Do. This was a strategic distribution partnership for the American market rather than a full label deal.
• Boom Jah RecordscoreOthersDA Cruz's own independent record label. All albums released on Boom Jah Records except 'Sistema Subversiva'. The label handles production, distribution, and artist operations.
• MagugucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBritish-Nigerian pidgin rap artist, described as 'the man with arguably the deepest rap voice in the world'. Multiple collaborations including 'Serpentes', 'Chata', and tracks on upcoming album 'Som Sistema'. Deep creative partnership with artistic and political alignment.
• Arnaldo AntunesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegendary Brazilian musician chosen by Rolling Stone as one of the 100 best artists in Brazilian music. Featured on the track 'Novo Mundo' on the 'Baladas da Luta' album.
• AnittaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMariana Da Cruz conducted an interview with Brazilian superstar Anitta after a concert in Bern, Switzerland. Discussed Anitta's political stance and image of Brazil, and her European market expansion. Potential promotional relationship.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bebel Gilberto: Brazilian-international artist known for fusing bossa nova with electronic, samba, and global pop; released on the same Six Degrees Records label that partnered with Da Cruz for the 2011 album. Directly comparable on Brazilian-diaspora fusion positioning and label pedigree.
• CSS (Cansei de Ser Sexy): Brazilian band fusing Baile Funk, electronic, and indie rock with global touring. Comparable mid-sized Brazilian act with international festival positioning and politically tinged dance music.
• M.I.A. British-Sri Lankan artist explicitly referenced as a comparison to Da Cruz in press ("Brazil's answer to M.I.A."). Both blend diaspora rhythms (Amapiano/Baile Funk with South Asian and African influences respectively) with politically charged lyrics and electronic production.
• Céu: Brazilian singer-songwriter blending samba, Afro-Brazilian rhythms, electronic, and pop. Also released on Six Degrees Records; comparable scale, genre-bridging approach, and critical-acclaim-with-modest-sales profile.

Emerging players

• Tropkillaz: Brazilian DJ/producer duo blending Baile Funk, global bass, and electronic music with major-label-adjacent reach. Operates in the same Brazilian-club-electronic lane as Da Cruz but with a stronger DJ-circuit focus.
• Metá Metá: Brazilian experimental trio blending Afro-Brazilian percussion, electronic, jazz, and politically engaged lyrics. Comparable artistic positioning, independent production model, and Brazilian avant-garde credibility.
• Luedji Luna: Afro-Brazilian singer blending MPB, Afro-diaspora, and electronic production with strong critical reception. Comparable scale, Afro-Brazilian identity-driven artistic positioning, and indie label trajectory.
• Liniker: Brazilian singer blending soul, MPB, and contemporary urban production with critical acclaim and festival presence. Comparable independent artist trajectory, minority-diaspora identity, and Brazilian prestige positioning.

Regional players

• Karol Conka: Brazilian hip-hop artist with strong political messaging and international touring. Comparable on political/urban Brazilian positioning, though primarily Brazilian-market focused.

Broad incumbents

• Anitta: Brazilian pop superstar who actively crosses into European and global club markets, including recent forays into funk and urban territory that intersects with Da Cruz's lane. A much larger incumbent, but increasingly encroaching on the same global Brazilian-diaspora positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQPAgFe1gwtwCIWIFzx4Lxw
• Facebookfacebook.com/dacruzmusic
• Instagraminstagram.com/dacruzmusic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DA CRUZ