The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Musa launched as part of Jequiti's collaboration with Brazilian singer Ivete Sangalo. The word itself means muse, and the fragrance plays to that idea. The bottle came in an eau de parfum format, aimed at women who wanted something more layered than the brand's everyday offerings. Leandro Petit is credited as the perfumer. The brief was clear: build a floral that carries warmth without losing its sense of lift. What emerges is a composition that balances bright citrus and spice against a soft, woody base, the kind of contrast that keeps you leaning in to smell your wrist again. The grapefruit in the opening cuts through with a clean, slightly bitter edge, while the ginger behind it adds a gentle warmth that keeps the citrus from feeling sharp or overly fresh.
What makes Musa interesting is how it treats iris. Iris is usually the cool, reserved member of any floral family, powdery and a touch aloof. Here it shares space with ginger and grapefruit in the top, which pulls the iris forward and gives it a little sunburn. The rose in the heart adds the obvious sweetness, but cashmeran does the unexpected work in the base, wrapping the vanilla and sandalwood in a soft, woody musk that feels closer to a second skin than a traditional drydown.
The evolution
The first ten minutes are all ginger and grapefruit, sharp and fizzy, almost like cracking open a cold drink on a warm afternoon. The bergamot underneath rounds it out so the citrus doesn't read as aggressive. Then something interesting happens. The iris arrives and shifts the temperature. It takes maybe 20 to 30 minutes to settle into the heart, and once it does, the whole composition goes quieter, more intimate. The rose shows up alongside it, but it never dominates. Instead it lends a gentle sweetness that makes the iris feel less austere. By the two-hour mark, the vanilla, amber, and cashmeran have taken over completely. The sandalwood underneath gives it weight without heaviness. The transition from the bright citrus opening to the warmer, woodier base is gradual rather than abrupt, each phase folding into the next without any jarring shifts.
Cultural impact
Musa fits comfortably within Jequiti's catalogue of fragrances tied to Brazilian personalities, in this case singer Ivete Sangalo. The composition is a floral with enough structure to feel composed and intentional, carrying enough complexity to reward repeat wear without becoming overwhelming. For shoppers familiar with the Ivete Sangalo name, the fragrance carries a built-in sense of recognition that feels personal and immediate. The connection to Sangalo herself, a figure synonymous with Brazilian music and energy, gives the scent a personality that goes beyond the notes themselves.
