Page type: artist reference
Canonical path: /contra
Lyric pages live: 2
Artist profile
Contra
Contra formed in Rio de Janeiro in the late 1990s, a Brazilian rock band led by vocalist João Ricardo. They started playing local clubs, working through the...
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Curated by Ethan Walker
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Contra formed in Rio de Janeiro in the late 1990s, a Brazilian rock band led by vocalist João Ricardo. They started playing local clubs, working through the usual early struggles of a new group trying to get heard. Their name comes from the Latin phrase 'contra spem spero,' which roughly means hoping against hope.
Things shifted for them in 2003 with their debut album 'Cidade dos Ossos.' That record introduced their mix of rock with Brazilian rhythms and produced the hit 'Sai Com Água,' a song that caught on nationally and pushed them into a wider spotlight. Another track from their catalog, 'Samsara,' also became part of their set.
Their path wasn't entirely smooth. In 2005, a video surfaced online showing João Ricardo making some derogatory comments about another band, which stirred up a fair amount of media attention and public criticism. The band apologized publicly and moved forward, continuing to record and release albums like 'De Pé no...'
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