Hugo Ferreira facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hugo Ferreira
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Ferreira performing with Tantric in 2024
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| Birth name | Hugo Fernando da Silva Ferreira |
| Born | March 7, 1974 Luanda, Portuguese Angola |
| Origin | Hudson, Massachusetts, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1994–present |
Hugo Fernando da Silva Ferreira, born on March 7, 1974, is an American musician. He is most famous as the lead singer of the rock band Tantric.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Hugo Ferreira was born in Luanda, Angola, on March 7, 1974. At that time, Angola was a Portuguese colony. After Angola became independent in 1975, his family moved to Hudson, Massachusetts, in the United States.
Hugo started playing the piano when he was about five years old. By the age of 14, he began to think about writing his own music. Before becoming a well-known artist, Ferreira played in different types of bands. These included wedding bands and groups that played dance music. He also performed in Portuguese folklore groups.
Starting the Band Merge
After finishing Hudson High School in 1992, Hugo moved to Detroit, Michigan. There, he formed a band called Merge with Paul Hemsworth. Over the next four years, Merge released their own record and a six-song tape.
Forming the Band Tantric
In November 1998, three musicians, Todd Whitener, Jesse Vest, and Matt Taul, left their band, Days of the New. They started looking for a singer for their new group. Hugo Ferreira knew these musicians from touring with them when he was in Merge. He auditioned for their new band in March 1999 and was accepted.
Soon after joining, Ferreira moved to Louisville, Kentucky. He and his new bandmates recorded demo songs under the name Carbon 14 (C-14). They later decided to change the band's name to Tantric.
Ferreira explained that he joined the band because he felt he needed a change. He mentioned that he and his bandmates were struggling financially. He even sold his TV and VCR to pay for his move to Louisville.
Eight months later, Tantric's demo caught the attention of Maverick Records. The band signed a deal, which gave them the money to record their first album. They recorded the album in Nashville with producer Toby Wright.
First Albums with Tantric
The Tantric Album
Ferreira's first album with Tantric, simply called Tantric, was finished by October 2000. It was released on February 13, 2001. The album reached number seventy-one on the Billboard 200 music charts. It also had a number one hit song on the Mainstream Rock charts called "Breakdown." The album also released two more popular songs, "Astounded" and "Mourning." Both songs did well on the charts. Ferreira and Tantric toured with bands like Creed and Kid Rock to support the album.
The After We Go Album
In 2003, Ferreira and the band went back into the studio to record Tantric's second album, After We Go. The recording process was difficult because of issues with their record label. However, Tantric finally released the first song from the new album, "Hey Now," on December 9, 2003. After We Go was released on February 24, 2004. This was Ferreira's second album with Tantric.
The Tantric III Album
In 2005, Ferreira started recording Tantric's third album, which was planned to be called Tantric III. The album was supposed to be released in May 2006. However, it was put on hold because Tantric was dropped by Maverick Records on March 7, 2006, which was Ferreira's birthday.
On May 8, 2007, three songs from Tantric III were shared on the band's Myspace page. But on the same day, guitarist Todd Whitener left the band. This meant Ferreira was the only original member left. Jesse Vest had left in 2005, and Matt Taul could no longer tour. Whitener was also frustrated with the band's struggles. Because Ferreira was the only original member, Tantric III was put on hold for good. However, Ferreira later shared some of these songs with fans for free. These songs included "Letting Go," an early version of "The One," and "Fall Down," which featured the hip-hop group Nappy Roots.
In late May 2007, Ferreira started a side project band called "State of the Art." This group included former members of Fuel and Puddle of Mudd. They recorded an album, but it was only released on the band's Myspace page, making it hard to find. The members of State of the Art later became the new members of Tantric.
New Beginnings (2008–2012)
The The End Begins Album
Even though he was disappointed, Ferreira was determined to keep Tantric going. He found new bandmates: Kevin Miller on drums, Joe Pessia on bass, Erik Leonhardt also on bass, and Marcus Ratzenboeck on electric violin. Soon after, the band announced they had signed with an independent record label called Silent Majority Group.
Ferreira released his third album with Tantric, The End Begins, on April 22, 2008. This album featured a completely new band lineup and a new record label. The album had a hit song called "Down & Out." It sold over 70,000 copies in its first week. While touring for this album, Ferreira began writing and recording songs for another new Tantric album.
The Mind Control Album
Ferreira released his fourth album with Tantric, titled Mind Control, on August 4, 2009. This album produced two songs that were released as singles: "Coming Undone" and the title track "Mind Control."
The band's lineup for Tantric changed often while they toured for the Mind Control album. This made Ferreira the only constant member and the main person behind the band.
On November 23, 2010, Ferreira released a cover of the Christmas song "Carol of the Bells" on iTunes. This was the first time he released music under his own name, not Tantric's.
From late 2010 to mid-2013, Ferreira and Tantric were mostly quiet. Ferreira mentioned in November 2010 that he was writing music for a new Tantric album. The band's lineup continued to change, leaving Ferreira as the only official member. He still toured under the Tantric name, but no major tour dates were announced during this time.
Tantric's Later Years (2013–Present)
The 37 Channels Album
On July 17, 2013, it was announced that Tantric had signed with Pavement Entertainment. They would release their fifth studio album, 37 Channels, on September 17, 2013. Hugo Ferreira was the only official member of Tantric when this album was recorded and released.
For this album, Hugo invited several guest musicians. These included singers Austin Winkler, Shooter Jennings, Leif Garrett, and David '2B' Mouser. Kenny Olson (Kid Rock) and Kevin McCreery played lead guitar. Scott Bartlett, Hugo Ferreira, and Johnny K. played secondary guitar. Kevin McCreery also played rhythm guitar. Gary Morse played pedal steel guitar. Greg Upchurch and Emanuel Cole played drums. John Abel and Hugo Ferreira played bass. Hugo also played the piano on the album.
In an interview on August 27, 2013, Ferreira shared that he wrote and produced almost all the music for 37 Channels himself. He called it his "ultimate baby" and said he oversaw every part of the record. He also mentioned that it took him over three years to finish the album. He waited until the album was 100% complete before signing with a label. This way, the record company would not control the album's sound or style.
Ferreira also said he wrote 116 songs for the 37 Channels album. He then chose 19 songs to record for the final album.
The album received good reviews and reached number 24 on the US Hard Rock albums charts. After the album's release in late 2013, Hugo brought in new musicians for touring. These included drummer TJ Taylor, bassist Scott Wilson, and guitarist Derek Isaacs. They later became official members of the band.
The Blue Room Archives Album
On August 1, 2014, Ferreira announced on Tantric's Facebook page that a new album, Blue Room Archives, would be released on September 30, 2014. This album included seven songs that had never been released before from Tantric's history. It also featured new acoustic versions of their two biggest hits, "Breakdown" and "Mourning." Additionally, there were two new remixes of previously released songs, "Mind Control" and "Fall To The Ground." In total, the album had 11 tracks. It was released through Pavement Entertainment. To promote the album, the band offered signed pre-orders from Ferreira for US$20.00. This offer ended on September 1, 2014.
The band explained that the album's title came from Ferreira's home studio, which they called "The Blue Room."
Ferreira commented that this album was not planned in advance. Instead, it was a collection of music he always loved but never found a place for. He described the songs as being in their purest form, without fancy production. He said it was like a "mix tape" of songs he wrote or co-wrote. It offered a look into another side of Tantric's music.
The album released a song called "Cynical" on SoundCloud.
Blue Room Archives was released on September 30, 2014, as planned. This marked the release of Tantric's sixth studio album.
Ferreira toured for the "Blue Room Archives" shortly after the album's release. The band played many shows as headliners and as supporting acts throughout late 2014 and 2015.
On April 2, 2015, it was announced that Ferreira had separated his shoulder while on tour. He tried to continue playing a few shows, but the pain became too much. Tantric had to cancel the rest of their tour dates in April. Ferreira stated on Facebook that he needed surgery. However, Tantric eventually resumed touring on May 11, 2015.
Images for kids
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Ferreira performing with Tantric in 2024
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Ferreira performing in 2009
