2021: Still in the pandemic, still keeping the faith

Acclimated to the new pandemic lifestyle, Gilberto Gil celebrated the start of 2021 with the arrival of his new granddaughters Roma and Pina, the twins born to his son José Gil and his wife, the singer Mariá Pinkusfeld.

Another feature of the year was Gil's involvement in health care and the fight against coronavirus. He defended the vaccine and mask wearing on his social media sites and received his two CoronaVac jabs in March and April. 

In the second half of the year, he became a global ambassador for a campaign to raise awareness about chronic kidney disease. Using the hashtag #NãoFiqueEsperando—which literally means Don't Wait—the campaign was jointly run by the company AstraZeneca and the Brazilian health and wellness program Faz-Bem.

In June, when he turned 79, Gilberto Gil joined his family at his home in Araras, in the Serrana Region in the state of Rio de Janeiro, to record Viajando com os Gil (Traveling with the Gil Family), a series produced by Amazon showing him going about his everyday life with his family.

Gil also added to his catalog in 2021 with new digital releases. In January, his livestream performance alongside the guitarist Bem Gil and the Gilsons—the band made up of his son José and his grandsons João and Francisco—was made into the EP  Coala VRTL 2020.

In May, it was the turn of the album from another of his livestream performances, São João em Araras, which he had recorded on his 78th birthday on June 26, 2020.

And, as the year progressed, there were yet more releases and collaborations: Gil featured in the recording of O Amor with Analu Paredes and Interestelar with Anastácia and Fi Bueno, as well as re-recording Tenho Sede in support of the One Million Cisterns Program and Pai e Mãe with his daughter Preta Gil.

Recorded while in exile in 1971 and sung in English, the album of the same name was also re-released, with the vinyl being remastered for the first time in Brazil since its original release.

In the midst of so many awards, the major highlight of 2021 for Gil was being elected as one of the 40 permanent members (known as immortals) of the Brazilian Academy of Letters. Representing music, Gilberto Gil was elected by an absolute majority to occupy chair number 20 at the Academy,  being only the second Black man to become a member in its 124-year history.

Another major highlight of 2021 was Gil's return to the stage. On a joint tour with the gaucho singer Adriana Calcanhotto, Gilberto Gil toured Europe between September and November. With a band made up of his sons Bem and José Gil, his grandchildren João and Flor Gil, and the drummer Marcelo Costa, Gil did 19 concerts in 8 countries.

With his customary style, Gilberto Gil engaged in so many new ventures in 2021, showing that while still following pandemic protocols and taking precautions, it is vital to keep the faith.