Politics · Brazil · 2 hrs ago
Nikolas Ferreira’s video loses sound amid dispute over music rights
Brazilian lawmaker Nikolas Ferreira posted a video on Instagram featuring people from the Northeast criticizing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s government.
The video used part of “Grão de Areia,” a song by singer Rubel and Xande de Pilares, but the video later lost its sound.
Ferreira accused Rubel of asking Sony to remove the audio and urged him to approve the song’s use.
That accusation has not been independently confirmed, and it is unclear whether Instagram restricted the audio after a direct request or through its copyright protection system.
Brazilian law generally requires permission from music rights holders to use a song, including in social media videos, so copyright rules can affect political posts online.
A WhatsApp channel supporting presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro urged people to comment on Rubel’s social media post, while Rubel had not publicly responded by publication time.
Nikolas Ferreira’s Instagram video featuring the song “Grão de Areia” lost its audio on October 20, 2026.
The video includes interviews with residents of Brazil’s Northeast criticizing the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Ferreira accused singer Rubel of asking Sony to remove the audio, but the report said this claim was not independently confirmed.
A WhatsApp channel supporting presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro urged supporters to comment on Rubel’s social media post that “the petista silenced the Northeast.”
The report said it was unclear whether the restriction followed a direct rights claim or Instagram’s automated copyright protections.
- Who
- Federal deputy Nikolas Ferreira; singer Rubel was accused by Ferreira of seeking the audio’s removal.
- What
- Ferreira’s Instagram video lost its audio after using part of “Grão de Areia.” The reason was not confirmed.
- When
- October 20, 2026.
- Where
- Instagram; the video featured interviews filmed in Luís Eduardo Magalhães, Brazil.
- Why
- Not stated. Ferreira alleged Rubel asked Sony to remove the audio, but this was not independently confirmed.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Nikolas Ferreira published the video, titled “The Northeast that was forgotten,” on Instagram.
The video’s audio was restricted on Instagram.
Flávio Bolsonaro’s campaign WhatsApp channel urged supporters to comment on Rubel’s social media post.
- Video title
- O Nordeste que foi esquecido
- Song
- Grão de Areia,” by Rubel and Xande de Pilares
- Reported Instagram views
- 83.8 million at 18:00, according to Poder360
- Interview location
- Luís Eduardo Magalhães, Brazil
- Video interviewees
- Five residents of the Northeast
3 sources
What people are saying
Sony was contacted by Rubel to take down the sound. Nobody else asked, only him. Not the producer, nobody else.
Posts on X
A Sony foi acionada pelo o Rubel pra derrubar o som. Ninguém mais pediu, só ele. Nem produtora, nem ninguém mais. O covarde achou que ninguém ia descobrir que foi ele que pediu na calada. No fim, um petista calou a voz dos nordestinos. Nada mais simbólico.
Se o Rubel tiver o mínimo de decência, ainda dá tempo de pedir pra produtora liberar o áudio. Nunca é tarde pra refazer uma covardia contra a voz de milhões de nordestinos.