Luis Barros


Investor | Entrepreneur | Advisor Leading Business Ventures (LBV) | University of Pennsylvania

Legendary musician Cesaria Evora



Lusófono Music


Luis Barros is the Founder and Chairman at Lusomundo Institute. Formed in May 2008, LMI is a Massachusetts nonprofit corporation dedicated to the preservation, institutionalization, organization, promotion, celebration, and sharing of the common heritage, culture, and unifying identity of the Lusophone world.

LMI was founded by Luis Barros, a native of Cape Verde who lived in Portugal, before emigrating to the United States. His past roles include consulting with LaFace Records (acquired by BMG) and serving as a consultant and advisor to the COO and CFO of Dallas Austin's (Grammy-Award winning producer) entities, including Cyptron Industries.

Click here to see feature and mention on p. 68 on Cover Story of Stereophile (3/09 "Cape Verde Singers: Sexy Sirens from the Islands: Divas of the Diaspora"). Luis is the Founder of Luso Mundo Institute and its related entities, which all specialize in World & Lusophone music, culture and performing arts.

An experienced entrepreneur with extensive venture development and financing experience, Mr. Barros is a native of Cape Verde who came to the United States in 1975. A former mobile and radio DJ, he has been a member of AFTRA and SAG since 1992. His past assignments include consulting with LaFace Records (acquired by BMG) and with Grammy-Award winning producer Dallas Austin's Rowdy Records.

Past projects have been presented in North America at leading Performing Arts Centers (PACs), Commercial Venues , and Festivals and has had extensive media coverage. This includes collaborations with Harmonia Mundi, Lusafrica, and Times Square Records, and some of the artists have been signed to leading agents, such as ICM (now Opus 3 Artists) and Columbia Artists Management (CAMI).


Nelson Freitas - Break of dawn ft. Richie Campbell

Branko & Mayra Andrade - Reserva Pra Dois





Articles and scholarly research


The tiny island paradise where 'people breathe music'

There's an old saying which states the Cape Verde Islands are home to a greater number of musicians per square kilometer than any other country in the world...


Berklee in Cape Verde

The City of Praia, in conjunction with the Kriol Jazz Festival and the University of Cape Verde, is pleased to present the inaugural Berklee in Cape Verde program...




Gardenia - Playlist

Djodje - Txukinha



The Swedish Music Ecosystem


Beyond ABBA: The Globalization of Swedish Popular Music

In the minds of most Americans, music from Sweden is synonymous with the 1970s mega band ABBA...


Max Martin: The Scandinavian Secret Behind All Your Favorite Songs

The software of hit songs now. We’ll look at the algorithms, computer generated beats and producers making it happen for Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, and more.


Is Sweden still the future of the music industry?

Did Sweden’s recorded music market really decline in 2014?


Why Is Sweden So Good at Pop Music? - The Atlantic

Reading the scholarly literature in honor of an Ace of Base anniversary


Music in Sweden: I have a stream - The Economist

The land of Abba takes to streaming


How Sweden became a pop music powerhouse - FT.com

Björn Ulvaeus laughs when I ask about his early experiences in the music business in the 1960s.


8 reasons why Sweden rocks | sweden.se

From ABBA to Avicii, Roxette to Robyn, and hard rockers Europe to Eurovision’s Måns Zelmerlöw, there always seems to be at least one Swedish act at the top.