Hélio Flanders

Origin

Cuiabá, MT

Years Active

2002

Genres

indie folk rock, indie rock, folk rock, MPB, tango, melodramatic song

Instruments

vocals, acoustic guitar, piano, harmonica, trumpet, mandolin, electric guitar, accordion, keyboard

Biography

Hélio Flanders is a Brazilian singer, songwriter, writer, and translator, born in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, on December 6, 1984. He is known for being the lead singer and main songwriter of the indie folk rock band Vanguart, formed in 2002. Flanders began his musical career early, forming his first band at age 13. His artistic trajectory is marked by experimentation and a strong literary influence, with references ranging from Walt Whitman – whom he translated and dedicated the show "Leaves of Grass" to – to poets like Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Jorge Luis Borges, and Hilda Hilst.

In 2015, Hélio Flanders released his first solo album, "Uma Temporada Fora de Mim", a more intimate and experimental work with influences of tango and melodramatic song, which explored his relationship with the piano and solitude. The album was the result of a solitary creative process, where he sought to direct production without the help of peers, exploring new vocal intonations inspired by singers like Frank Sinatra and Cauby Peixoto.

In addition to his musical career, Flanders also ventured into literature, publishing the novel "Manual para Sonhar de Olhos Abertos" in 2021, a work that narrates a protagonist's journey of self-knowledge stemming from an experience of self-exile in Bolivia. His literary work, much like his musical one, reflects his influences and his search for new forms of expression. Hélio Flanders has collaborated with several Brazilian artists, such as Cida Moreira, with whom Vanguart has also recorded, and has participated in projects with other names in national music.

Currently, Hélio Flanders resides in Paris, but his connection to Brazil, especially his homeland of Cuiabá, remains strong in his work.

Discography

• Uma Temporada Fora de Mim (2015)