The soundtrack to the 2011 computer-animated 3D film Rio features various bossa nova and Brazilian pop-styled songs in keeping with the film's Rio de Janeiro setting. Fittingly, a few of the songs feature legendary Brazilian musician
Sergio Mendes. Directed by Ice Age helmer Carlos Saldanha, Rio, while not technically a musical, does include a number of musical segments and as such showcases singing from the voice actors, including
Jamie Foxx, Anne Hathaway, and Jesse Eisenberg as well as
the Black Eyed Peas'
will.i.am,
Taio Cruz, and others. Also included are tracks by such well-known Brazilian and American artists as
Carlinhos Brown,
Mikael Mutti,
Bebel Gilberto, and
Ester Dean.
Rio is a sunny, dance-oriented album well suited to the film's South American setting. ~ Matt Collar