Salvador Sobral facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Salvador Sobral ComM
Sobral in 2024
Background information
Birth name	Salvador Vilar Braamcamp Sobral
Born	(1989-12-28) 28 December 1989 (age 35) Lisbon, Portugal
Genres	Alternative soul jazz
Occupation(s)	Singer
Instruments	Vocals piano
Years active	2009–present
Labels	Valentim de Carvalho
Associated acts	Noko Woi Luísa Sobral Alexander Search

Salvador Vilar Braamcamp Sobral (born on December 28, 1989) is a talented singer from Portugal. He became famous when he won the Eurovision Song Contest 2017. He won with the song "Amar pelos dois", which means "Love for both of us". His sister, Luísa Sobral, wrote and composed this beautiful song.

Salvador's win was very special for Portugal. It was their first time winning Eurovision since they started competing in 1964. This ended the longest time a country had waited to win in Eurovision history, which was 53 years! Salvador and his song also set a record for the highest score ever in Eurovision. He earned a total of 758 points. He won both the jury vote (from music experts) and the televote (from people watching at home).

Early Life and Studies

Salvador Sobral was born in Lisbon, Portugal, and grew up there. When he was ten years old, he appeared on a TV show called Bravo Bravíssimo. Later, at age 20, he was one of the top ten finalists on Ídolos. This show is the Portuguese version of the famous Idols TV series. On the show, he sang songs by artists like Stevie Wonder and Leonard Cohen.

He first studied psychology at a university in Lisbon. However, he decided to stop studying psychology to follow his dream of becoming a musician. He even spent some time in Mallorca, Spain, as a student. While there, he sang in local bars.

Music Career

Starting Out: Ídolos (2009–2010)

In 2009, Salvador competed in the third season of Ídolos. He finished in seventh place in the competition. His sister, Luísa Sobral, is also a singer. She had previously placed third in the first season of Ídolos.

Learning and Performing (2011–2014)

Salvador Sobral, with pianist Júlio Resende, at the FOLIO festival in Óbidos. He is singing poems by Alexander Search, a character created by the poet Fernando Pessoa.

After leaving his psychology studies, Salvador went to a music school in Barcelona, Spain. He finished his music studies there in 2014. In 2015, he performed at two music festivals in Portugal: Vodafone Mexefest and EDP Cool Jazz. During this time, Salvador also traveled and sang in different cities in Spain.

First Album and Eurovision Win (2016–2018)

On August 2, 2016, Salvador released his first song, "Excuse Me". This song was from his first album, also called Excuse Me. The album reached number 10 on the Portuguese music charts.

In 2017, Salvador was chosen to compete in Festival da Canção 2017. This is the show where Portugal picks its song for Eurovision. He sang "Amar pelos dois" and won the competition on March 5, 2017. This meant he would represent Portugal at the Eurovision Song Contest 2017.

Before the Eurovision final, Salvador had to rest due to a health issue. His sister, Luísa, helped him by singing during the first practice sessions. Salvador then performed in the final and won with 758 points. This was the highest score ever in the contest's history at that time.

In July 2017, he performed at the Super Bock Super Rock festival in Lisbon. He sang with a rock band called Alexander Search. This band creates music inspired by the famous Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa.

On April 23, 2018, Salvador and his sister Luísa received a special award from the Portuguese president. They were given the Order of Merit as Commanders. This is a high honor in Portugal.

In May 2018, Salvador performed at the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 final in Lisbon. He sang his winning song "Amar pelos dois" with the famous Brazilian musician Caetano Veloso.

New Music (2019–Present)

On March 29, 2019, Salvador released his second album, Paris, Lisboa (Paris, Lisbon). This album was released in 13 countries, and Salvador sings in four different languages on it!

In 2020, Salvador had a small role in the Netflix movie Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga. He appeared as a street musician in Edinburgh, singing "Amar pelos dois".

On May 28, 2021, Salvador released his third album, BPM. This album was later nominated for an award at the 22nd Annual Latin Grammy Awards. His latest album, Timbre, was released in 2023.

Personal Life

Salvador Sobral enjoys the music of jazz artist Chet Baker. He also likes Brazilian singers like Caetano Veloso and Chico Buarque. Salvador is very good with languages. He speaks Portuguese, Spanish, English, Catalan, French, and some Italian. In 2019, he even started learning Swedish.

Salvador married Belgian actress Jenna Thiam in a small ceremony in Lisbon on December 29, 2018.

Health Journey

In September 2017, Salvador announced he would take a break from music to focus on his health. He had a successful heart transplant operation in December 2017. He left the hospital in January 2018. Doctors advised him to take it easy and avoid large crowds as he recovered.

In October 2020, Salvador was diagnosed with COVID-19. He recovered well after staying isolated for 20 days.

Activism and Giving Back

Salvador Sobral wearing an "S.O.S. Refugees" shirt.

Salvador Sobral has used his fame to help others. At the Eurovision press conference, he wore an "S.O.S. Refugees" shirt. He wanted to bring attention to the European migrant crisis. He said that people seeking safety should be helped. He felt it was important to use his platform to share a message of kindness.

The organizers of Eurovision, the EBU, asked him not to wear the shirt again. They said it was a "political message," which is against their rules. Salvador, however, said it was a message about helping people, not politics.

In June 2017, during a concert in Ourém, Salvador made another kind gesture. He announced that all the money from his CD sales would go to help the people of Pedrógão Grande. This town was badly damaged by wildfires the day before.

Discography

Studio albums

• Excuse Me (2016)
• Paris, Lisboa (2019)
• BPM (2021)
• Timbre (2023)

Live albums

• Excuse Me (Ao Vivo) (2017)

EPs

• SAL (2022)

Awards and Honors

• Commander of the Order of Merit (April 23, 2018).

See also

In Spanish: Salvador Sobral para niños