Chico Buarque facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chico Buarque
Buarque in 2023
Born	Francisco Buarque de Hollanda (1944-06-19) 19 June 1944 (age 81) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Alma mater	University of São Paulo
Occupation	Singer-songwriter writer poet playwright
Years active	1962–present
Notable work	Construção "Cálice"
Spouse(s)	Marieta Severo ​ ​ (m. 1966; div. 1999)​ Carol Proner ​ (m. 2021)​
Children	Sílvia Helena Luísa
Musical career
Genres	MPB samba bossa nova choro
Labels	Polygram Ariola Records RCA Victor Universal Music Mercury Records Som Livre
Associated acts	Caetano Veloso Milton Nascimento Tom Jobim Gilberto Gil Nara Leão Maria Bethânia João Gilberto Edu Lobo
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Chico Buarque, born Francisco Buarque de Hollanda on June 19, 1944, is a famous Brazilian singer, songwriter, and writer. He is known for his music that often shares ideas about Brazil's society and culture.

Chico grew up in different cities, including Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Rome. As a child, he loved to write and study literature. He discovered music through the bossa nova style, especially from artists like Tom Jobim and João Gilberto.

In the 1960s, Chico started performing as a singer and guitarist. He also wrote a play that the Brazilian military government at the time considered dangerous. Because of this, Chico and other musicians faced threats. He left Brazil for Italy in 1969 but returned in 1970. Even though the government tried to stop his work, he kept recording and writing.

In 2019, Chico Buarque won the Camões Prize. This is the most important award for literature written in Portuguese. He finally received the award in April 2023.

Chico Buarque's Early Life and Music Career

Chico Buarque was born in Rio de Janeiro on June 19, 1944. He came from a very smart family. His father, Sérgio Buarque de Holanda, was a famous historian and journalist. His mother, Maria Amélia Cesário Alvim, was a painter and pianist. His sisters, Miúcha and Ana de Hollanda, also became singers.

As a child, Chico loved the bossa nova music style. He especially liked the songs of Tom Jobim and João Gilberto. He also enjoyed writing and wrote his first short story when he was 18. One of his biggest hobbies was playing football, which he started at age four and continued to play even when he was over 60!

Before becoming a musician, Chico started studying architecture at the University of São Paulo. However, he often skipped classes and didn't finish his studies there.

Becoming a Musician

Chico Buarque performing on TV Rio in 1967.

Chico first performed as a musician and songwriter in 1964. He quickly became famous at music festivals and on TV shows. This was when bossa nova music was becoming popular. Another singer, Nara Leão, recorded three of his songs.

His first album, Chico Buarque de Hollanda, showed his unique style. It had catchy samba songs with clever wordplay and a touch of sadness. In 1966, he had his first big hit with "A Banda", a song about a marching band. He soon released many more songs.

Even though he started with bossa nova, Chico also explored samba and Música popular brasileira (MPB) in his career. Some musicians, like Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, thought his music was too old-fashioned.

Speaking Out Through Art

In 1968, Chico wrote a play called Roda Viva (meaning "Live Circle"). The military government did not like it, and Chico was even put in prison for a short time because of it.

In 1970, he left Brazil and lived in Italy for 18 months. When he came back in 1972, he wrote his first novel, which the government censors didn't ban.

Chico Buarque performing in 2007

Around this time, he released the song "Apesar de Você" ("In spite of You"). This song was a hidden protest against the military government. The censors missed its true meaning at first, and it became an important song for the movement wanting democracy. After selling over 100,000 copies, the government finally realized its message and banned it.

In 1974, the censors even banned any song written by Chico Buarque. So, he created a fake name, "Julinho de Adelaide," and even gave fake interviews to newspapers! Under this name, he wrote songs like "Jorge Maravilha" and "Acorda Amor." Eventually, a newspaper revealed that "Julinho de Adelaide" was actually Chico Buarque.

Chico also wrote a play called Calabar, which was about the Dutch invading Brazil a long time ago. He used this story to show similarities with the military government of his time. Despite the censorship, songs like "Samba de Orly" (1970) and "Acorda Amor" (1974) continued to show his opposition to the government.

Later Works and Recognition

During the 1970s and 1980s, Chico worked with filmmakers, playwrights, and musicians to create more works that protested the government. He used his songs to talk about Brazil becoming a democracy again.

He later wrote Budapeste, a novel that received great praise and won the Prêmio Jabuti. This is a Brazilian literary award similar to the Booker Prize.

His 2017 album, Caravanas, was named the 3rd best Brazilian album of that year by the Brazilian edition of Rolling Stone magazine.

"Cálice" – A Song of Protest

After the Brazilian military coup of 1964, Chico Buarque often used clever ways to avoid government censorship. He used hidden meanings and wordplay in his songs.

For example, in the song "Cálice" ("Chalice"), which he wrote with Gilberto Gil in 1973, he used a trick with words. In Portuguese, "cale-se" means "shut up," and "cálice" means "chalice" (a cup). These words sound very similar. He used this to protest government censorship, making it sound like a religious story about Jesus asking God to take away his suffering.

One line in the song, "Quero cheirar fumaça de óleo diesel" ("I want to sniff diesel fumes"), was a sad reference to a political prisoner named Stuart Angel. It was said that Stuart Angel was tortured by having his mouth held to a jeep's exhaust pipe. Chico Buarque was close to Stuart's mother, Zuzu Angel.

Awards and Recognitions

Chico Buarque has received many important awards for his work:

• 2010 São Paulo Prize for Literature — Nominated for Best Book of the Year for Leite Derramado
• 2013 Casa de las Américas prize for Spilt Milk
• 2019 Camões Prize (the most important prize for literature in Portuguese)

Chico Buarque's Music Albums

Other Works by Chico Buarque

See also

In Spanish: Chico Buarque para niños