Meet your PRESIDENTE

Brian Taylor is a London-based percussionist, rapper, and singer, recognised as one of the UK’s leading practitioners of Brazilian samba music. 

Since 2009, he has dedicated himself to studying, performing, and teaching samba rhythms to adults and children in the UK and internationally.

Trained by some of the most respected names in Brazilian music in London, Brian studied under Barak Schmool, Iian Pattison, Bosco de Oliveira, and Paulo Esteves da Silva, among others.

From 2017 to 2023, Brian served as Mestre de Bateria of Paraíso School of Samba, leading the school to three Notting Hill Carnival championship titles. In 2025, he also led Império da Rainha to a Notting Hill Carnival victory.

Internationally recognised for his work, Brian has led carnival parades and workshops across Ireland, France, Poland, and Germany, and has also participated in the world-famous Rio Carnival.

Alex Talbot is a percussionist, music producer, and samba educator who has been immersed in Brazilian percussion since 2011. One of the longest-serving members of Rhythms of the City, Alex performed, taught, and arranged for the group for over a decade.

Deeply connected to Brazilian carnival culture, Alex travels annually to Rio de Janeiro to study, rehearse, and perform alongside some of Brazil’s most respected samba schools and musicians.

In Rio, he has had the honour of playing in the baterias of Unidos do Porto da Pedra and Estácio de Sá, as well as performing alongside Acadêmicos do Salgueiro and Estação Primeira de Mangueira.

Beyond the Sambadrome, Alex has also performed with some of Rio’s most iconic blocos, including Monobloco, Bangalafumenga, and Sargento Pimenta.

In London, Alex is the founder and leader of Pocket Bloco, bringing the energy and sound of Brazilian street carnival to the UK.

At Império da Rainha, Alex serves as Mestre de Bateria and was part of the leadership team behind the school’s 2025 Notting Hill Carnival victory. He teaches tamborim across all levels, offering students authentic, research-based Brazilian percussion training developed through years of dedicated study and performance experience.

Leila Heinel’s passion for Brazilian culture and samba began in 2003 during her first visit to Rio de Janeiro. Since then, she has spent more than 15 years teaching, performing, and contributing to the growth of samba culture in London and internationally.

With a background in fashion design, Leila is internationally recognised through her costume brand ILa Leila, known for its exceptional craftsmanship, creativity, and attention to detail. 

Since 2012, she has designed and produced costumes for events including Notting Hill Carnival, Rio Carnival, Copenhagen Carnival, and other major cultural productions, with clients across the UK, Europe, the Americas, and Australia.

In 2021, Leila launched a pioneering online samba costume-making workshop, helping students worldwide develop skills in Brazilian carnival costume design and craftsmanship.

Leila is an important part of the creative team behind Império da Rainha, contributing to the school’s costume development and carnival production. 

Emmanuel “Manny” Opoku is a teacher, DJ, and percussionist who began his samba journey in 2008 as a member of União da Mocidade. Since then, he has remained actively involved in the UK Brazilian samba community as both a performer and educator.

Since 2014, Manny has taught samba percussion to adults and children across the UK through Paraíso School of Samba, the National Citizen Service (NCS), and educational programmes within schools.

Throughout his career, he has performed with several respected samba groups, including Rhythms of the City, Bloco X, Pocket Bloco, and TalkingDrum.

From 2012 to 2023, Manny was a member of Paraíso School of Samba, contributing to five Notting Hill Carnival championship victories.

Manny joined Império da Rainha in 2024 as Diretor of Caixa and Surdos, helping lead the school to third place in its debut year and to victory at the Notting Hill Carnival in 2025.

Lizzie is the Diretora de Chocalho at Império da Rainha and has been involved in the London samba scene since 2015. After moving to London to study jazz saxophone, she joined Rhythms of the City, where she studied, performed, and toured internationally for seven years.

In 2023, Lizzie spent six months in Rio de Janeiro deepening her knowledge of samba culture and performance. During this time, she paraded in the Grupo Especial at the Sambadrome with Unidos do Porto da Pedra and performed with Cacique de Ramos. Since then, she has returned to Rio annually to parade with Porto da Pedra and participate in rehearsals and performances with various escolas de samba and blocos.

Lizzie is also the founder of Leoa, a nine-piece Brazilian music group for which she arranges and composes original music inspired by diverse Brazilian musical traditions. She additionally performs with Pocket Bloco and Bloco X, while remaining active in London’s pagode scene.

With over 17 years of music teaching experience across all age groups, Lizzie combines her educational background and passion for samba in her work at Império da Rainha.

Born in the interior of São Paulo, Danielle Gudgeon was raised within a samba community and immersed in Brazilian culture from an early age. Her journey began at the age of six inside the bateria as a Princesa Mirim, surrounded by generations deeply connected to samba tradition — from family members in the Ala das Baianas to musicians and carnival representatives within her community.

Today, Danielle is a Cultural Director, performer, producer, teacher, and cultural representative dedicated to preserving and sharing Brazilian culture with authenticity, respect, and responsibility.

For Danielle, samba is far more than performance or entertainment — it is history, ancestry, identity, and community. Through her work at Império da Rainha and collaborations across Europe, she is committed to creating meaningful cultural exchange and bringing people closer to the roots of Brazilian culture.

Danielle is also the founder of DG Events & Productions, working internationally with Brazilian artists, dancers, choreographers, and productions connected to major names in Brazilian music and carnival culture, including creatives associated with Anitta, Ludmilla, and Ivete Sangalo.

As Cultural Director at Império da Rainha, Danielle’s mission is to help preserve the integrity and soul of samba culture while building bridges between Brazil and the wider world through education, ethics, and cultural connection.