Chico César

Chico César came up in Catolé do Rocha, a small town in Brazil's northeast. He grew up hearing the regional music of that area, the forró and samba rhythms that would later shape his own writing. When he moved to Rio de Janeiro in the early 1990s, he began putting those sounds together with his own perspective.

His songs often work with straightforward, conversational language that can turn suddenly poetic. Tracks like 'Deus Me Proteja' and 'A Primeira Vista' have a direct, almost plainspoken quality, but they're built on complex rhythmic foundations. He's recorded with musicians like Carlinhos Brown and Targino Gondim, and his albums include 'Aos Vivos' from 1995 and 'Cuscuz Clã' from 1998.

Some of his writing touches on social themes, which has occasionally drawn attention beyond just the music. He kept making records through the 2000s, like 'Mama África' in 2005, and songs such as 'Sobradinho' and 'Estado de Poesia' have stayed in circulation.