The album was produced by five musicians: Mercury herself and her son Gabriel Póvoas, in addition to Ramiro Musotto, Alfredo Moura, Mikael Mutti. According to Mercury, Canibália is the synthesis of the eclecticism of her work. On September 11, 2009, as the album was under post-production, Musotto died of cancer at age 45. A longtime collaborator of Mercury, he produced the electro-samba tracks of Canibália with her. Mercury's friend and producer Neguinho do Samba, credited as "samba reggae creator", died later that month of a heart attack. Mercury chose the title Canibália because she feels "cannibalized" since her breakthrough in the early 1990s with the release of O Canto da Cidade. She had postponed the release of Canibália several times. Seven of the album's fourteen tracks were written by Mercury, making this her most authored release since 1994's Música de Rua. Unlike Balé Mulato, whose tracks complemented each other, Canibália is an eclectic mix of sounds. In honour of Carmen Miranda's centenary, Mercury recorded a "duet" with her in the cover of "O Que É Que A Baiana Tem?", which includes the original 1939 phonogram. Mercury recorded another Miranda classic, "Tico-Tico No Fubá", which received the strong beat of Os Mutantes guitarist Sérgio Dias. Beyond Carmen Miranda, Mercury also pays a tribute to the Brazilian cinema, in the track "Trio em Transe", and to the Native Brazilians, in the track "Dona Desse Lugar", that has arrangements, sounds and instruments specific of indigenous tribes. Mercury also pays a tribute to the Afro Brazilians in the track "Preta", a duet with Seu Jorge which is actually a mash-up of the songs "Eu sou Preta", "Sorriso Negro", and "Rap do Negão". Following the footsteps of Vanessa da Mata and Ana Carolina, which released English language songs, Mercury recorded "This Life is Beautiful", written and performed with Haitian singer Wyclef Jean. In "Oyá Por Nós", Mercury revisits the African roots of Brazilian spirituality. The album also features a cover of Chico Buarque's "O Que Será? ", also performed as a duet with the late Mercedes Sosa on Cantora. In "Cinco Meninos", the whole Mercury family gathers to sing.
Singles
"Preta" was released to radio airplay on December 2007, aiming the 2008 Carnival. Featuring singer-songwriter Seu Jorge, this samba-reggae track is a mash-up of "Eu Sou Preto", "Sorriso Negro", and "Rap do Negão".
"Oyá Por Nós" was released to radio airplay on January 5, 2009. Written and performed with Margareth Menezes, the song was released aiming the 2009 Carnival. A homage to Saint Mary and Oya, it was very well received by the audience, critics and artists such as Ivete Sangalo.
"Sol do Sul" reached number 15 in the Rio de JaneiroFM radio stations chart, although "Oyá Por Nós" was intended as the hit for the 2009 Carnival. It peaked at number 5 in the Rio de Janeiro FM chart, prompting its national release on April 7, 2009.
