Henricão

Origin

Itapira, SP

Genres

samba, mpb

Instruments

vocals

Biography

Henricão, born Henrique Felippe da Costa in Itapira, was a multifaceted Brazilian artist whose career spanned music, acting, and sports. Initially starting as a professional football goalkeeper, he eventually moved to São Paulo where he helped found the traditional Vai-Vai carnival block, contributing its very first samba composition in 1930. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, he built a successful career in radio and recording, notably forming a famous musical partnership with singer Carmen Costa. Together, they recorded enduring hits such as 'Está Chegando a Hora' and 'Só Vendo que Beleza', which became massive carnival anthems and established his legacy in Brazilian popular music.

His musical style was deeply rooted in samba, specifically incorporating elements of rural samba from the interior of São Paulo and brass arrangements reminiscent of paulistano carnival groups. Collaborating with prominent figures like Rubens Campos, Nelson Cavaquinho, and Caco Velho, Henricão bridged traditional rural sounds with urban popular culture. Aside from his musical output, he had an extensive acting career, appearing in over twenty films ranging from Orson Welles's unfinished 'It's All True' to classic productions by Amácio Mazzaropi, winning critical acclaim and awards for his dramatic role as a quilombo leader in 'Sinhá Moça'.

Though facing long periods of obscurity and financial hardship later in life, Henricão experienced a late-career resurgence, releasing his debut solo LP 'Recomeço' in 1980 and being elected King Momo of São Paulo in the early 1980s. He passed away in 1984, leaving behind a rich cultural footprint as a composer, interpreter, radio actor, and pioneer of São Paulo's carnival history. His timeless compositions continue to be celebrated, having been recorded and reinterpreted by generations of esteemed Brazilian artists like Elis Regina, Elza Soares, and Maria Bethânia.