Despite being jet-lagged and tired, Brazilian singer and guitarist Badi Assad (pictured below) was happy to oblige when an audience member asked her to play just one more song during a question-and-answer session along with Chinese guitarist Fan Ye at the Xuhui Historical Building Art Center Wednesday.

The event will serve as a warm-up for Assad's performance at the Mercedes-Benz Arena Monday night as part of the World Music Festival. The festival itself goes on until Sunday.

From the sound alone, one could be under the impression that Assad's music is created by a full band rather than by a solo performer, such is her talent. When she plays, her fingers are busy plucking the strings or striking the face of her acoustic guitar, while she hums and makes percussive sounds with her mouth at the same time. She can also mimic the sounds of musical instruments, animals and even the wind.

"I treat my voice as a musical instrument," said the artist, who told the Global Times that she regards herself more as a singer than a guitarist.

Born into a family of musicians, Assad learned guitar from her two elder brothers, Sérgio and Odair, both of whom are celebrated classical guitarists. Later on, she embarked on her own experimental music journey using her guitars and her voice.

Her singing and mouth percussion is mostly self-taught. The musician said that, in order to understand the possibilities of the human voice, she listened to a wide range of world music before finally hitting on her unique style of vocalization.

Her sound has its roots in Brazilian music, but reaches beyond traditional forms by introducing jazz, pop and elements from other countries and cultures. With her outstanding album Chameleon, released in 1998, Assad became a fixture on the international tour circuit, and she has performed regularly at music festivals ever since.

Over the years, her music has proved to have a universal appeal. Her single "Waves" remained in the Spanish top 10 for weeks, while 2006's Wonderland was selected as one of the 100 best albums of the year by the BBC.

The World Music Festival will mark her first time performing in China. She'll take to the stage of the Mixing Room at the Mercedes-Benz Arena with Liron Man, a handpan player from Israel.

The two musicians have never met before, but Assad says this is common for world musicians and she looks forward to their improvisation onstage. Songs from one of her latest albums Between Love and Luck will be presented at the concert, and she is also going to play some bossa nova songs.

In the week following the gig, the Mixing Room will welcome a selection of world musicians, with music styles crossing almost all genres including jazz, pop, rock, punk as well as neoclassical.

South Korean musician Jambinai Photos: Courtesy of the event organizer

New Zealand music artist Toni Huata

New Zealand music artist Maisey Rika

Azerbaijan musician Gochag Askarov

 Tuvinian music band Huun Huur Tu

Tuesday will see Gochag Askarov and his Mugham ensemble from Azerbaijan showcase a music feast highlighting Mugham, the time-honored Azerbaijani traditional music genre that combines classical poetry with musical improvisation. Mugham was recognized as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2003 by UNESCO.

Toni Huata and Maisey Rika from New Zealand will take to the stage Thursday, painting a life scene of the Maori with their beautiful voices; while Mongolian singer Urna Charhar-Tugchi will join with Tuvinian music group Huun Huur Tu and Polish jazz trio Kroke Friday.

German composer and virtuoso Stephan Micus will create a mysterious musical realm Saturday night with his creative exploitation of different instruments, such as the Bavarian zither, the Greek pan flute, the Indian harp and his self-made 14-string guitar.

The sounds of young musicians who draw inspiration from their local cultures will also feature during the festival. Jambinai from South Korea will rock the audience Wednesday with their evolutionary post-rock melodies that also incorporate the sounds of traditional Korean musical instruments, while Israeli hardcore band Ramzailech will combine punk, metal, rock, jazz and traditional Jewish music Sunday night.

Date: Monday to Sunday, 7:30 pm

Venue: The Mixing Room, Mercedes-Benz Arena

梅赛德斯奔驰文化中心音乐俱乐部

Address: 1200 Expo Avenue

世博大道1200号

Tickets: 80 yuan ($13.04) to 720 yuan

Visit worldmusicshanghai.com or call 3223-1016 for more details