David Fonseca facts for kids

Quick facts for kids David Fonseca
Background information
Born	(1973-06-14) 14 June 1973 (age 52)
Origin	Leiria, Portugal
Genres	Alternative rock
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Years active	1998–present
Labels	Universal, Castle of the Amazing Cats
Associated acts	Silence 4, Humanos

David Fonseca was born on June 14, 1973, in Leiria, Portugal. He is a talented Portuguese musician, singer, songwriter, and photographer. David plays many instruments, like the acoustic guitar and organ.

He is well-known for his successful music career. He was a member of the band Silence 4. Since 2003, he has also been a popular solo artist. David also designs his album covers. He helps direct his music videos too. From 2004 to 2006, he was part of a special music project called Humanos.

Early Life and Interests

David Fonseca studied cinema at the Lisbon Theatre and Film School. He earned a degree there. He also studied at the Escola Superior de Belas Artes de Lisboa. This was from 1992 to 1994.

David started his career as a photographer. He worked for different fashion companies. He also showed his photos in many art shows. For a short time, he even worked at a radio station.

David chose to focus on his love for music. He became a pop/rock musician. Many artists influenced his music. These include Sérgio Godinho, Jeff Buckley, and The B-52's. Their music helped shape his unique style. David has a son and a daughter from his first marriage. On December 27, 2019, he married model and actress Ana Sofia Martins.

Music Career

David Fonseca performing live

Silence 4 Band

David Fonseca's music journey began with a band called Silence 4. He formed it with friends from his hometown. Their first album, Silence Becomes It, came out in June 1998. It was a huge hit! The album sold 250,000 copies. This is like earning six platinum records. It was a big deal in Portugal.

Most songs on the album were in English. One song, "Sexto Sentido", was in Portuguese. It featured the famous singer, Sérgio Godinho. Silence 4 played at many summer festivals that year. They even closed the famous Expo '98 in Lisbon. About 50,000 people watched them play.

In December of the same year, Silence 4 made history. They were the first Portuguese band to sell out Pavilhão Atlântico. An amazing 18,000 fans came to see them. This was only six months after their first album.

Their second album, Only Pain Is Real, was released in July 2000. It sold about 100,000 copies. The band's tour for this album ended with two sold-out shows. These were at the famous Coliseu dos Recreios in Lisbon. These concerts were later released as a CD and DVD. In 2001, Silence 4 decided to take a break. They have not played together since.

Solo Music

David Fonseca started his solo career in the 2000s. His solo music sounded different from Silence 4. For his first solo album, Sing Me Something New (2003), David sang and played almost all the instruments himself. He explored many new sounds. The album was recorded in Portugal and New York City. It quickly reached number 2 on the sales charts. It also earned a Gold record. His first single, Someone That Cannot Love, was played on 150 radio stations at once. David toured all over Portugal to support this album.

His second solo album, Our Hearts Will Beat As One, came out in 2005. David said it was "scarily personal." The first single was Who Are U?. He called it "the song I always wanted to write." It reached number 3 on the Portuguese charts. Critics loved Our Hearts Will Beat As One. It went straight to number 1 and earned Gold status in its first week.

In October 2007, David released his third album, Dreams in Colour. The first single was Superstars II. This song became very popular. A cellphone company used it in their ads.

In July 2009, his new single "A Cry 4 Love" was released. His album, Between Waves, came out on November 2, 2009. On the same day, his online fan community, Amazing Cats Club, started.

David's fourth album, Seasons:Rising, was released on March 21, 2012. The first single, What Life Is For, came out in February 2012.

Humanos Project

In 2004, David joined a new music project called Humanos. The group wanted to record songs by a famous Portuguese artist from the 1980s, António Variações. These songs had never been released before. David Fonseca was one of seven members in the group. Other members included Manuela Azevedo and Camané.

The Humanos album was a huge success. It sold five times platinum and stayed at number 1 for weeks. Songs like "Muda de Vida" and "Maria Albertina" became big hits.

The group performed three sold-out concerts. Two were in Lisbon and one in Porto. They also played for 40,000 people at the "Sudoeste" Portuguese Festival in 2005. The Humanos project was always meant to be short. There were only a few unreleased songs by António Variações. So, in November 2006, a CD and DVD of their live concerts were released. This marked the end of the Humanos project.

Live Performances

David Fonseca is known for his energetic dancing on stage. He often wears his Chuck Taylor All-Stars shoes. He plays different instruments during his shows. His band includes a drummer, guitarist, bass player, and keyboardist.

David plays his popular solo songs and some lesser-known tracks. He often plays "Angel Song". This was the first song he wrote, at age 18. It was on Silence 4's first album. It is a favorite among his fans. During the show, he sometimes changes into a white suit. He then announces that it's "dancing time" and might even do a "moonwalk" dance move.

Discography

Studio albums

as part of Silence 4

• 1998: Silence Becomes It
• 2000: Only Pain Is Real

as part of Humanos

• 2004: Humanos

Solo

Others

Christmas CDs

Live albums

as part of Silence 4

• 2004: Ao Vivo - Coliseu dos Recreios
• 2014: SongBook Live 2014

as part of Humanos

• 2006: Humanos Ao Vivo

solo

Compilation albums

DVDs

• 2008: Dreams in Colour Live
• 2009: Streets of Lisbon - Acoustic Live Sessions (Bonus-DVD with Between Waves CD)
• 2011: Christmas 2011 DVD [Between Waves Tour @ Coliseu do Porto]

Singles

Other Projects

David Fonseca has worked with many other artists. These include Trovante and Sérgio Godinho. In 1999, he went to England. He worked with producer Darren Allison on a song called "City." He also appeared in a music video for "Encosta-te a mim" by Jorge Palma.

Books

• 2012: Right Here, Right Now

Film and TV

• 1996: Gel Fatal (He was the director of photography)
• 2002: Esquece Tudo O Que Te Disse: David/Jovem no Karaoke (He had a small role)
• 2005: Lastro (He composed music for this)
• 2008: Os Contemporâneos: Ele Próprio (He appeared in a sketch)
• 2010: Gru – O Maldisposto (He was the voice actor for Vector)

See also

In Spanish: David Fonseca para niños