Attracting upwards of 2 million attendees on each of its five days of celebrations (13-18 February), Rio de Janeiro's Carnival is the biggest in the world  – and it’s only growing. In recent years, the celebrations have seen increasing numbers of foreign visitors, with this year’s event being an estimated 8.2 per cent larger than in 2025. While your friends’ Instagram stories might have focused on the more high-octane parties, however, photographer and underground rave expert Yushy was on hand to capture the in-between moments that reveal the true spirit of Rio Carnival.

“Last year, I went to all the big blocos (‘street parties’) and parades during the midday sun and this time I did the reverse: I went around earlier and later on during the day to get those moments of ‘between’,” Yushy tells Dazed, having attended Rio Carnival for his second year in a row last weekend. “There’s so many people and nothing really finishes or starts on time, so a lot of people told me not to make a concrete plan and just to enjoy myself in the moment.” The resulting photos reveal a tenderness less emphasised in traditional portrayals of the celebrations – a couple waltz on an empty street in darkness, a party-goer suckles on an ice cube in the sweltering heat, another is captured midway through dusting himself with glitter.

But that doesn’t mean that Yushy’s trip was a subdued affair. “The atmosphere is pretty electric. Unlike London, everything is open past 12 and people are up and doing stuff at all hours,” the photographer explains. “You can go from a parade here to a bloco there, to a parade at 7am the following morning followed by a samba show in a local bar. After that, it feels good to sit down and eat at 1am after partying for ten hours.” 

Still, the main highlight for Yushy was the music itself. Brazil, of course, has a rich musical history – from forró, samba and bossa nova through to baile funk and MPB (Música Popular Brasileira) – and all of these were on full display across carnival weekend. “You would hear a funk remix of Red Hot Chili Peppers’ ‘Under the Bridge’ then the most pure and soulful samba then earth-shattering walls of bass hitting your chest,” recalls Yushy, whose recent photobook Section 82 documents his time infiltrating illegal raves in the UK. “I also heard lots of UK sounds, like dub/dubstep, breakbeat and UKG. There were loads of different sounds reflecting the full diversity of the city.” 

This celebration of musical diversity is particularly significant in light of a recent massacre that Rio’s favela residents suffered at the hands of state police, with many of the above genres originating in the same impoverished communities that are discriminated against in employment and access to government services. Rio's carnival isn't just the largest in the world, but also one of the most important, fostering community in a country that is both deeply diverse and riven by inequality.

In order to enjoy it to its fullest, however, Yushy has one piece of advice: “It’s a marathon not a sprint. Take your time, do your research and enjoy whatever party you end up at.”

Check out Yushy’s exclusive photos for Dazed in the gallery above.