Who is Luiz Melodia?

Luiz Melodia, is a Brazilian actor, singer and songwriter. He was born in Rio de Janeiro on 7 January 1951.When he was young, his father used to play music. Melodia fiddled with his father’s viola, but never his prized guitar.

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“I was picking up his viola, taking a few chords, watching. He would not let me pick up the guitar four-string that was a relic, very beautiful, where I managed to learn somethings,” Melodia said on his website.

Years later, the 65-year-old is set to be the first performer in the opening ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on Friday.

Where is Luiz Melodia from?

The opening ceremony will be a performance in front of his hometown audience. Melodia was born in Rio as Luis Carlos dos Santos. He adopted ‘Luiz Melodia’ as a stage name in the early 1970s.

He has since become one of the city’s most famous performers, releasing 13 albums during the span of his career. He released his most recent album, Zerimia, in 2014.

The full collection of his albums can be found on his website.

How did he get his start in music?

Melodia was interested in music at a young age, and took off in the 1970s. He released his first album, Pérola Negra, in 1973. He released another album, Maravilhas Contemporâneas, in 1976, which helped launch his career even further.

Since then, he has released many more albums and has performed in other parts of the globe. But, he still calls Rio home. Melodia was born in the Estacio region of Rio, and has spent much of his life in the city.

What’s his music style and what will he perform?

Melodia derives his music from a number of different styles and influences. His music contains elements of rock, blues, soul and samba — a Brasilian favourite.

As the first performer in the opening ceremony, Melodia will get a chance to give the crowd a look at the Brazilian music and culture that will be on display. During the ceremony, he will perform Aquele Abraço, a song originally by fellow Brazilian singer Gilberto Gil. The song describes the beauty of Rio de Janeiro, offering a hug to its inhabitants. An English translation can be found here.

Since he is going first, expect Melodia to set the tone for the rest of the ceremony with his performance.

For more about who will take the stage at the opening ceremony, check out this link. And, check out Melodia’s Twitter and Instagram pages for more on one of Rio’s most famous artists.