Biography

Gil do Carmo

Gil do Carmo was born in Lisbon in 1973.
His first musical memories are linked to his grandmother's shawl which he pulled, with a boy's hand, while listening to her sing.
His father had a habit of sitting him on the living room floor listening to Jaques Brel, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra and Zeca Afonso.

From an early age he accompanied his father, Carlos do Carmo, to concerts and album recordings.

He has learn to hear and feel through the artistic environment in which he grew up.

At the age of 14, he began to go to bars and friends' houses to make and listen to music. On Thursdays, he used to sing outside.

At the age of 15, he began his singing lessons with Lúcia Lemos, which marked his future desire to be a musician.
He started to write and compose since then.

He met Pedro Joia and took part of the founding formation of the guitarist's first Trio.

At age 19, he studies at two of the world's leading music schools: the “Musicians Institute” and the “Berkelee College of Music”, in the United States of America. He was a student of Jamie Lula and learned singing and composition.

Gil do Carmo's first album was released in 1997. “Mil Histórias” is a portrait of Lisbon, from a new approach, with respect for the past, in a look at the new times of the city.
From a sound that was intended to be mixed and unifying, Gil do Carmo's creations explore the roots of Portuguese tradition in constant contact with the Atlantic influences that arrive on the Tejo's tides.

“Nus teu Olhos”, from 1999, becomes a great success in Portugal and projects the artist in Portuguese-speaking countries.

Creator of one of the most emblematic spaces for live music in Lisbon, the “Speakeasy”, Gil do Carmo marks a new way of being in Portuguese music by giving stage to young musicians and authors for 17 years.

It has been almost 10 years without recording a disc of originals, but throughout that time, he composed themes for Mariza, Dona Maria and Carlos do Carmo, among others.

“Sisal”, from 2008, is the artist's musical turn. The single “Na Maré de Ti” is one of the biggest hits of that year in Portugal.

“A Uma Voz”, from 2016, was his fourth album which had the participation of João Frade, Vicky Marques, José Manuel Neto and António Serrano, among others, recorded with the musicians total spontaneity to create the right creative environment that the singer and song writer wanted for this record.

He performs in several countries, in a growing international career: from Spain to Scotland, passing through Mexico, Brazil, England, France.
And suddenly, the pandemic arrives.

“SÊ” is the latest album, which marks the end of a cycle, at the same time as he begins a new poetic path which intersects with “Lisboa de Amanhã”, from the neighborhood and to manjerico, passing through the percussion of different latitudes.

“SÊ” was born primarily from the desire to honor the voice of his grandmother, Lucília do Carmo, free form prejudices, from having a new electronic approach to her music.
While facing the recent death of his father, the singer and song writer also records “Fado Breve”, the duet he composed for Carlos do Carmo's latest album. But there was no more time.
This album also features a duet with fado singer Ana Sofia Varela.
Virtuous musicians such as João Barradas, João Frade and Manuel de Oliveira have participated in this album.

Miguel Sá Pessoa is once more the producer of an album of Gil do Carmo. The singer and song writer considers him a brilliant musician, composer and the right ally to establish the complicity and originality that he wants in this “SÊ”.
Tiago Santos is one of the essential elements as well: the “second musical right hand” of Gil do Carmo.

The quest for risk lead the musician to bet on creations between electronic and the acoustics in order to bring to the musical scene a new sound in themes such as “Whole World” and “People”.

A return through affective and felt memory to the world of the new audacious and prodigious times of this Lisbon which is the cultures' and mixtures' balcony, departing and arriving: the great inspiration for Gil do Carmo.