Benito Di Paula

Benito di Paula originated a distinct samba variant marked by elaborate attire and emotive, lachrymose deliveries from the keyboard, establishing himself among the leading creators of sambão-jóia—an excessively sentimental, market-driven samba style that directly preceded today’s pagode romântico. International artists such as Paul Mauriat have interpreted his material, while his commercially robust catalog—multiple albums exceeding 600,000 units—has been augmented by his contributions as a composer for major national telenovelas, among them Nino, O Italianinho, and Simplesmente Maria. The song “Faça De Mim Uma Ilha” earned him the Chico Viola award, and he further served as presenter of the popular musical program Brasil Som 75.

Di Paula first worked as vocalist with a regional dance ensemble in Nova Friburgo before relocating to Rio de Janeiro, where financial hardship compelled residence in the Morro da Formiga favela; there he encountered genuine sambistas and absorbed the traditional repertoire that shaped his development. He subsequently settled in Santos, São Paulo state, assembling his initial ensemble. After nightclub engagements he secured a contract with Copacabana and cut his debut LP in February 1971. Commercial breakthrough arrived with his third album, Um Novo Samba, issued in 1973, which moved 150,000 copies and featured the major success “Retalhos de Cetim”—later covered by numerous leading artists including Paul Mauriat—alongside the hit “Violão Não se Empresta a Ninguém,” which also fared well in Japan. In 1975 he undertook concerts across Mexico, Japan, the United States, and France, appearing at MIDEM in Cannes; the same year his LP reached Argentina and Roberto Carlos recorded “Quero Ver Você de Perto,” generating another chart triumph that prompted numerous Brazilian performers to add Di Paula compositions to their repertoires. A subsequent album yielded the popular track “Meu Amigo Charlie Brown,” a homage to the Schulz character. That year he also hosted the prime-time series Brasil Som 75 to strong ratings. In 1976 his residency at Rio de Janeiro’s Vivará nightclub opened, running a full year to capacity crowds from Thursday through Sunday backed by a 42-piece orchestra, while his records maintained average sales of 600,000 copies. Europe became the next destination with a 1977 tour that began in Italy. He continues to appear before devoted audiences, although his commercial peak remained concentrated in the 1970s and, to a reduced degree, the 1980s.