Castello Branco

Brazilian singer, composer and instrumentalist.

b.: December 11, 1986 - Rio de Janeiro, RJ.

Born in Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro. From the age of three to 16 was raised in the ecumenical monastery Núcleo de Serviço Crer-Sendo at Serra do Capim, in Teresópolis (RJ). While living in the monastery, he learned to play the guitar. At 16 he went back to live in Rio de Janeiro. He settled in São Paulo.

In 2004 he created the band R.Sigma, performing as a singer with Diogo Strausz, Tomás Tróia, GB, and Eric Kendi. With the band, he released the EP [r21609853] (2009), which included several songs of his own. The music video of the song "O mito do insubstituível", which he co-wrote with Larissa Silva, was included in the programming of Multishow, MTV and Play TV channels. In 2008 he won the "Nokia Xpress Bands Festival" with the band R.Sigma. In 2011 he left the band to pursue a solo career.

In 2013 he participated in the event "Dobradinhas e outros tais", in which he shared the stage with the singer Rafael Rocha. That same year he released his first solo CD [r7445429], which included 11 unpublished and authorial tracks, with which he toured Brazil and performed three European tours. In 2016 he released in Portugal the poetry book "Simpatia", which sold over five thousand units. Produced in São Paulo several editions of the German party of electronic music and audiovisual effects called Kubik.

In 2017 he released the CD [r14031917], with unpublished and authorial songs and guest appearances by Ana Cláudia Lomelino/Mãeana in "Providência", Verônica Bonfim in "Do Interior", Filipe Catto in "Nascer do Sômm" and Tomás Tróia/Tô in "Assuma". The release show was presented at Casa Natura Musical, in São Paulo, with the participation of Phill Veras and Alice Caymmi; and at Teatro Ipanema, in Rio de Janeiro, with the participation of singers Alice Caymmi, Mãeana, DUDA BEAT and Verônica Bonfim.

In 2020 he released the album [r19663099], thus closing the "S" trilogy, which began with Serviço.

In late 2021 he released the album [r21354655]. The album features Rubel, DUDA BEAT, Mahmundi and Lazúli. The name of the album helps to understand the meaning of the work. Niska is how Castello Branco called himself at the age of 7, after reading Niskalkat - Uma mensagem para os tempos de emergência (1993), by writer and spiritualist philosopher José Trigueirinho Netto.

"The message of the record is about living in a possible future. The impossible interests me: seeing the world consume consciously, acting to solve major contemporary challenges, among them social inequality, climate change, and pollution."