Marvin Gaye, Studio Rio / Sexual Healing

Artist: Marvin Gaye, Studio Rio
Title: Sexual Healing
Label: Mr Bongo
Cat.#: MRB7231
Format: 7” Vinyl
Country: UK
Released: 2025
Style: Soul, Brazil, Bossa Nova

Track Listing:Following Mr Bongo’s reissue of Studio Rio’s exquisite Brazilian-infused take on Bill Withers’ ‘Lovely Day’, which was one of the standout hits from last summer, we shine a light on another of their superb remakes. Masterminded and produced by the German, Grammy award-winning Berman Brothers, and using the same all-star cast behind the Bill Withers’ reinterpretation, they put a joyous Brazilian twist on the Marvin Gaye classic "Sexual Healing". Rich in positivity and a pure end-of-the-night classic, this is another surefire winner to light up any occasion.

A project born out of Christian & Frank Berman's, aka the Berman Brothers, passion for Brazilian music, they had wondered what some of the all-time classic US soul songs would sound like if they had been recorded in Rio de Janeiro with the best Brazilian musicians. “The idea took root in the vibrant streets of Rio de Janeiro. Beyond the city’s main carnival, countless neighborhood block parties pulse with live samba drumming, colorful costumes, and a joyful mix of freedom, music, and cultural expression. The goal was to capture this spirit and channel it into Gaye’s timeless hit,” explain the Berman
Brothers.

Remolding Gaye's iconic lovers’ anthem from 1982, the brothers flipped ‘Sexual Healing’ into a joy-filled, smoldering samba-driven beauty. It’s a breezy, light-hearted remake, with Marvin's sublime soul delivery sitting perfectly amidst the shuffling cavaquinho and cuica groove. Uplifting horn stabs, building melodies, and heartfelt harmonies elevate the song to an ecstatic climax.

Now pressed to 45 for the first time, with the instrumental on the B-side, this single is the perfect cut to ignite the party or as that feel-good closer that will send everyone home on a high.