Mighty Sparrow
Calypso music enjoyed a brief period of popularity in other parts in the world during the 1950s. Trinidadian expatriate Lord Kitchener had helped popularize calypso in England, and Sparrow also found some success there. In the United States, interest in calypso was sparked largely by Harry Belafonte's 1956 album "Calypso", the first LP to sell over one million copies. In January 1958, Sparrow, along with longtime rival Lord Melody, travelled to New York City seeking access to the American music audience. Sparrow had already been recording with Balisier and Cook Records, and with Belafonte's help he also began to record for RCA Victor. He did not achieve the success he had hoped for; he said in a 2001 interview, "When nothing happened for me, I went back to England and continued on with my career."
Banda Calypso
Banda Calypso was a Brazilian brega pop band, with influences of regional rhythms of the state of Pará. The band was formed in Belém, the state capital, in 1999 by singer/dancer Joelma da Silva Mendes and guitarist/producer Cledivan Almeida Farias, better known as Mestre Chimbinha. Early exposure of their work was restricted to only the North and Northeast regions of Brazil. The band now enjoys success throughout Brazil and has begun to establish its career abroad with tours to the United States, Europe and Angola.