Banda Astral

Banda Astral formed in São Paulo in the late 1990s, with vocalist Anderson Caetano and guitarist Rafael Correia playing local bars and festivals. Their debut album came out in 2003, sharing its name with the track 'Não Consigo Viver Sem Você' that became a hit across Brazil.

That song and others like 'Meu Desejo' dealt plainly with love and heartbreak, which drew some criticism from conservative listeners at the time. The band kept recording through the 2000s, putting out albums like 'Até o Fim' in 2005 and 'Retratos' in 2008.

Bassist Márcio Filho rounded out their core lineup. They worked with artists like Ivete Sangalo and Paula Fernandes on later records, but Caetano's vocals and Correia's guitar playing remained the center of their sound.