As sertaneja climbed in popularity, experiencing a major windfall starting around 2002, many of the style's important artists would find themselves move quickly from obscurity to center stage. The rural style, comparable to American country music, has exploded onto international charts, making stars of nobodies. Such was certainly the case for popular duo Cesar Menotti and Fabiano. The duo follows the common sertaneja rubric of male duet with a primary vocalist (Fabiano) and accompanying guitarist (Menotti). Recording their debut record in 2004, the duo signed a deal with Universal Music a short time later, releasing their first major-label project within a year. The album and accompanying DVD, titled Palavras de Amor ao Vivo proved a lasting success with Brazilian audiences, with a presence on national charts for better than two years after it was release. Recorded live in Belo Horizonte, the album generated such successful singles as "Caso Marcado" and "Paixao Mineria," which became favorites among the sertaneja style's growing audience. ~ Evan C. Gutierrez