Neguinho da Beija-Flor

Neguinho da Beija-Flor has been a puxador (the official singer in a samba school) since 1970, and since 1975, the puxador of the samba school Beija-Flor de Nilópolis, which has grown in popularity since then. Having recorded 17 albums from 1980 to 2001, he has had many hits. His biggest one is "O Campeão," a kind of anthem to the soccer-goers. He also won a Sharp prize in 1991. Son of a trumpeter of the famous Orquestra Tabajara, DaBeija-Flor took musical lessons from his father when he was very young. At ten he won a contest by singing a samba by Jamelão. He became puxador in 1970 in the bloco Leão de Iguaçu. In 1975, he became the puxador of the samba school Beija-Flor de Nilópolis and remained in this position. In 1976, his samba-enredo "Sonhar Com O Rei Dá Leão" gave him the first title in the Carioca Carnival. His first album came in 1980, Vida No Peito (CBS). His other 15 albums until 2000 had hits with sambas-enredo like "Os Cinco Bailes da História do Rio" (Silas de Oliveira/Dona Ivone Lara/Bacalhau) and "Aquarela Brasileira" (Silas de Oliveira). He had hits in other styles like samba and samba-canção, like "Ângela" (Serginho Meriti/Alexandre). In 1991, he won the Sharp prize as Best Samba Singer. In 2001, he released his first live-recorded CD commemorating 25 years of career, 25 Anos De Fé E Raiz, on Indie Records. ~ Alvaro Neder