Chico Buarque
Francisco Buarque de Hollanda OMCComIH (born 19 June 1944), popularly known as Chico Buarque (ˈʃikʊ buˈahki), is a Brazilian singer-songwriter, guitarist, composer, playwright, writer, and poet. He is best known for his music, which often includes social, economic, and cultural reflections on Brazil. The firstborn son of Sérgio Buarque de Hollanda, Buarque lived at several locations throughout his childhood, though mostly in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Rome.
Also recorded as Chico Buarque de Hollanda
Chico Buarque

CPFL Cultura · originally posted to Flickr as Chico Buarque · CC BY 2.0
- Name
- Chico Buarque
- Birth Name
- Francisco Buarque de Hollanda
- Born
- 19 June 1944
- Birthplace
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Education
- University of São Paulo
- Occupation
- * Singer-songwriter
- Nationality
- Brazil
- Fields
- música popular brasileira · bossa nova · samba · choro
- Known for
- Roda Viva
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Documentary summary
Francisco Buarque de Hollanda OMCComIH (born 19 June 1944), popularly known as Chico Buarque (ˈʃikʊ buˈahki), is a Brazilian singer-songwriter, guitarist, composer, playwright, writer, and poet. He is best known for his music, which often includes social, economic, and cultural reflections on Brazil. The firstborn son of Sérgio Buarque de Hollanda, Buarque lived at several locations throughout his childhood, though mostly in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Rome.
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museum · 3a5d1cc7-627e-48ea-aba3-fdd20d782c33 · wikidata · Q333632 · wikipedia · Chico Buarque
In this article
Biography
Biography
He wrote and studied literature as a child and found music through the bossa nova compositions of Tom Jobim and João Gilberto. He performed as a singer and guitarist in the 1960s as well as writing a play that was deemed dangerous by the Brazilian military dictatorship of the time. Buarque, along with several Tropicalist and MPB musicians, was threatened by the Brazilian military government and eventually left Brazil for Italy in 1969. However, he came back to Brazil in 1970 and continued to record, perform, and write, though much of his material was suppressed by government censors. He released several more albums in the 1980s and published three novels in the 1990s and 2000s. In 2019, Buarque was awarded the Camões Prize, the most important prize for literature in the Portuguese language. However, the awarding of the prize was delayed by four years due to actions by Jair Bolsonaro, but Buarque received it in April 2023. He has also won eleven Brazilian Music Awards, the most important prize for Brazilian music.

24.04.2023 - Presidente da República, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, durante cerimônia de Entrega do Prêmio Camões a Chico Buarque. Palácio de Queluz, Sala do Trono - Portugal.
Palácio do Planalto from Brasilia, Brasil · 24.04.2023 - Cerimônia de Entrega do Prêmio Camões a Chico Buarque
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Chico Buarque • Birth Name — Francisco Buarque de Hollanda • Born — 19 June 1944 • Birthplace — Rio de Janeiro, Brazil • Education — University of São Paulo • Years Active — 1962–present • Occupation — * Singer-songwriter • writer • poet • playwright • Notable Works — * Construção • "Cálice" • Children — * Sílvia • Helena • Luísa
Early life and career
Early life and career
Buarque was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 19 June 1944. He came from an intellectually privileged family background—his father Sérgio Buarque de Holanda was a well-known historian, sociologist and journalist, and his mother Maria Amélia Cesário Alvim was a painter and pianist. He is also the brother of the singers Miúcha, Cristina Buarque, and politician Ana de Hollanda. As a child, he was impressed by the musical style of bossa nova, specifically the work of Tom Jobim and João Gilberto. He was also interested in writing, composing his first short story at 18 years old and studying European literature, also at a young age. One of his most consuming interests, however, was playing football, beginning at the age of four, and he still played regularly in his 60s. During his childhood, he lived in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Rome. Before becoming a musician, Buarque decided at one point to study architecture at the University of São Paulo, but this choice did not lead to a career in that field; Buarque often skipped classes. • Illustration — Buarque on TV Rio, 1967. National Archives of Brazil He made his public debut as a musician and composer in 1964, rapidly building his reputation at music festivals and television variety shows when bossa nova came to light and Nara Leão recorded three of his songs. His eponymous debut album exemplified his future work, with catchy sambas characterised by inventive wordplay and an undercurrent of nostalgic tragedy. Buarque had his first hit with "A Banda" in 1966, written about a marching band, and soon released several more singles. Although playing bossa nova, during his career, samba and Música popular brasileira would also be widely explored. Despite that, Buarque was criticized by two of the leading musicians at the time, Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil as they believed his musical style was overly conservative. However, an existentially themed play that Buarque wrote and composed in 1968, Roda Viva ("Live Circle"), was frowned upon by the military government and Buarque served a short prison sentence because of it. He left Brazil for Italy for 18 months in 1970, returning to write his first novel in 1972, which was not targeted by censors. • Illustration — Buarque performing in 2007 At this time, his thinly veiled protest single "Apesar de Você" ("In spite of You" – in reference to the military dictatorship) was also produced. "Apesar de Você" was overlooked by the military censors, becoming an important anthem in the democratic movement. After selling more than 100,000 copies, the single was eventually censored and removed from the market. At one point in 1974, the censors banned any song authored by Chico Buarque. Then, he created a pseudonym, naming himself "Julinho de Adelaide", complete with a life history and interviews with newspapers. "Julinho de Adelaide" authored songs such as "Jorge Maravilha" ("Wonder Jorge") and "Acorda Amor" ("Wake Up Love" as in a lover) before he was outed in a Jornal do Brasil news story. Buarque also wrote a play named Calabar, about the Dutch invasion of Brazil in the seventeenth century, drawing parallels with the military regime. Despite the censorship, songs such as "Samba de Orly" (1970), "Acorda amor" (1974, as "Julinho da Adelaide") manifested Buarque's continuing opposition to the military regime. During the 1970s and 1980s, he collaborated with filmmakers, playwrights, and musicians in further protest works against the dictatorship. Buarque approached the 1983 Concert for Peace in Nicaragua as a valid forum to vocalise his strong political views. Throughout the decade, he crafted many of his songs as vehicles to describe the re-democratisation of Brazil. The Concert for Peace in Nicaragua was one in a concert series known as the "Central American Peace Concerts." These concerts featured various Latin American artists. The political turmoil that plagued this era was expressed in many of Buarque's songs. He later wrote Budapeste, a novel that achieved critical national acclaim and won the Prêmio Jabuti, a Brazilian literary award comparable to the Booker Prize. His 2017 album Caravanas was named the third best Brazilian album of that year by the Brazilian edition of Rolling Stone.
Other works
Other works
Books • 1966: A Banda (Songbook) • 1974: Fazenda Modelo • 1979: Chapeuzinho Amarelo • 1981: A Bordo do Rui Barbosa • 1991: Estorvo • 1995: Benjamin • 2003: Budapeste • 2009: Leite Derramado • 2014: O Irmão Alemão (published in English as My German Brother) • 2019: Essa Gente • 2021: Anos de Chumbo Plays • 1967/8: Roda Viva • 1973: Calabar (co-authored with Ruy Guerra) • 1975: Gota d'água • 1978: Ópera do Malandro (based on John Gay's Beggar's Opera and Bertolt Brecht's Threepenny Opera) • 1983: O Grande Circo Místico Film • 1972: Quando o carnaval chegar (coauthor) • 1983: Para viver um grande amor (coauthor) • 1985: Ópera do Malandro • 2001: Water and Salt (actor) • 2009: Budapeste (based on his book)
In popular culture
In popular culture
The cover art of the Buarque's 1966 album Chico Buarque de Hollanda became a viral internet meme with "happy" Chico and "sad" Chico.
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
Chico Buarque was recorded at birth as Francisco Buarque de Hollanda. His recorded language was Portuguese. He was the child of Sérgio Buarque de Holanda and Memélia. He married Marieta Severo. 2 children are recorded: Sílvia Buarque and Helena Buarque.
Identity
Identity
Chico Buarque is recorded as singer, composer, poet and writer.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1944
Chico Buarque born at Rio de Janeiro.
1978
Chico Buarque - Ópera do Malandro (1978) is digitised and catalogued by Internet Archive.
Discography
• 1966: Chico Buarque de Hollanda (Vol. 1) • 1966: Morte e Vida Severina • 1967: Chico Buarque de Hollanda (Vol. 2) • 1968: Chico Buarque de Hollanda (Vol. 3) • 1969: Umas e outras – compacto • 1969: Chico Buarque na Itália • 1970: Apesar de você • 1970: Per un pugno di samba • 1970: Chico Buarque de Hollanda (Vol. 4) • 1971: Construção • 1972: Quando o carnaval chegar • 1972: Caetano e Chico - juntos e ao vivo • 1973: Chico canta, mildly edited by the censors of the Brazilian military government both in lyrics and title, it was originally called "Chico Canta Calabar". • 1974: Sinal fechado • 1975: Chico Buarque & Maria Bethânia ao vivo • 1976: Meus Caros Amigos • 1977: Cio da Terra compacto • 1977: Os saltimbancos • 1977: Gota d'água • 1978: Chico Buarque • 1979: Ópera do Malandro • 1980: Vida • 1980: Show 1º de Maio compacto • 1981: Almanaque • 1981: Saltimbancos trapalhões • 1982: Chico Buarque en espanhol • 1983: Para viver um grande amor • 1983: O grande circo místico • 1984: Chico Buarque (Vermelho) • 1985: O Corsário do rei • 1985: Ópera do Malandro • 1985: Malandro • 1986: Melhores momentos de Chico & Caetano • 1987: Francisco • 1988: Dança da meia-lua • 1989: Chico Buarque • 1990: Chico Buarque ao vivo Paris le Zenith • 1992: Convite Para Ouvir • 1993: Para Todos • 1995: Uma palavra • 1997: Terra • 1998: As cidades • 1998: Chico Buarque da Mangueira • 1999: Chico ao vivo • 2001: Chico e as cidades (DVD) • 2001: Cambaio • 2002: Chico Buarque – Duetos • 2003: Chico ou o país da delicadeza perdida (DVD) • 2005: Meu Caro Amigo (DVD) • 2005: A Flor da Pele (DVD) • 2005: Vai passar (DVD) • 2005: Anos Dourados (DVD) • 2005: Estação Derradeira (DVD) • 2005: Bastidores (DVD) • 2006: O Futebol (DVD) • 2006: Romance (DVD) • 2006: Uma Palavra (DVD) • 2006: Carioca (CD + DVD with the documentary Desconstrução) • 2007: Carioca Ao Vivo • 2011: Chico Buarque • 2012: Na Carreira (DVD) • 2017: Caravanas • 2018: "Caravanas - Ao vivo"
Holdings and surviving copies
Where the work is held
Holdings and surviving copies
Where material relating to Chico Buarque is held.
Documents and archives
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q333632: Chico Buarque
Reputable secondary · Wikimedia Foundation
- “Chico Buarque”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Institutional database
- MusicBrainz artist record for Chico Buarque
Scholarly · MetaBrainz Foundation
Awards and recognitions
• 2010: São Paulo Prize for Literature — Shortlisted in the Best Book of the Year category for Leite Derramado • 2013: Casa de las Américas prize for Spilt Milk (Leche derramada, Leite derramado), winner of narrative fiction. • 2019: Camões Prize
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Demony, Catarina. Brazilian legend Buarque receives prestigious literary award.four years late. Reuters. 2023-04-24.
- 2.Brazilian Music Awards – Awarded Artists. Prêmio da Música Brasileira.
- 3.Hunt, Jemima. The lionised king of Rio. The Observer. Guardian Media Group. July 18, 2004.
- 4.de Haan, Maarten. Chico Buarque. Artist Interviews. August 2006.
- 5.A Roma da infância de Chico Buarque. Deutsche Welle. August 14, 2024.
- 6.Dougan, John. Biography. Allmusic. All Media Guide.
- 7.de Sousa, Dolores Puga Alves. Os Sessenta Anos de um Artista: "Chico Buarque do Brazil", Organização de Rinaldo de Fernandes. Fênix: Revista de História e Estudos Culturais. 1. 2004. 1807-6971.
- 8.Chico Buarque. Julinho da Adelaide.
- 9.Motta, Nelson. Noites Tropicais – Solos, Improvisos e Memórias Musicais. Editora Objetiva. 2000. 85-7302-292-2.
- 10.Martins, Christian Alves. Tempos de Intolerância: Chico conta Calabar. Fênix: Revista de História e Estudos Culturais. 4. 3. 2007. 1807-6971.
- 11.Béhague, Gerard. Rap, Reggae, Rock, or Samba: The Local and the Global in Brazilian Popular Music (1985–95). Latin American Music Review. 27. 1. 79–90. Spring–Summer 2006. 10.1353/lat.2006.0021.
- 12.Gonzalez, Mike. April in Managua: The Central American Peace Concert. Popular Music. 6. 2. 247–249. May 1987. 10.1017/S0261143000006061.
- 13.Câmara Brasileira do Livro. Chico Buarque ganha Prêmio Jabuti com Budapeste. O Globo. September 2010.
- 14.Grupo Spring de Comunicação. Melhores Discos Nacionais de 2017. Rolling Stone Brasil. 2017.
- 15.Marco Rodrigo Almeida. Prêmio São Paulo de Literatura divulga finalistas. Folha de S.Paulo. May 29, 2010.
- 16.PÚBLICO. Chico Buarque é o Prémio Camões de 2019. 21 May 2019.
- 17.Leia na íntegra o discurso de Chico Buarque no Prêmio Camões. Estado de Minas. April 25, 2023.
- 18.Pedro Antunes - A história do meme: Chico Buarque acha "absurda" a capa que virou piada. www.uol.com.br. 21 July 2017.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
Institutional database
MusicBrainz artist record for Chico BuarqueMetaBrainz Foundation
Verifiedreference work
Wikidata, structured authority record Q333632: Chico BuarqueWikimedia Foundation
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolved
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
Open the remaining particulars
Work and production. One work is recorded as notable: Roda Viva. His recorded genres are música popular brasileira, bossa nova, samba and choro. Buarque received Prêmio São Paulo de Literatura, Latin Grammy Award for Best MPB Album, Latin Grammy Award for Best Portuguese Language Song, Order of Cultural Merit (Brazil), Camões Prize and José María Arguedas Prize.
Recognition and collections
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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