João Gordo

Origin

São Paulo, SP

Also known as

João Francisco Benedan

Years Active

1983

Genres

punk rock, hardcore punk, heavy metal

Instruments

vocal

Biography

Joao Francisco Benedan, artistically known as Joao Gordo, was born in Sao Paulo on March 13, 1964. He is widely recognized as one of the great pioneers of Brazilian punk rock and solidified his career in music as the vocalist of the iconic band Ratos de Porao, a group he has been a part of since the 1980s and that profoundly marked the country's underground scene. In addition to his undeniable relevance in heavy music, Joao expanded his work to television and the internet, standing out as a presenter on networks like MTV Brazil — where he hosted highly rated shows such as Piores Clipes do Mundo — and at the helm of virtual and culinary shows.

Throughout his career, Joao Gordo has been involved in several side music projects and notable collaborations with important names of the national scene. He shared the microphone with Chorao on the track "Vida de Magnata", from the album Ritmo, Ritual e Responsa by the band Charlie Brown Jr., and participated in works with groups like Krisiun, Korzus, and Matanza Ritual, besides establishing partnerships with musicians such as Igor Cavalera and Moyses Kolesne. His artistic versatility also led him to explore sounds outside the traditional spectrum of punk and metal, such as the project of reinterpretations of popular classics entitled Brutal Brega, which included versions of hits by artists like Belchior, Caetano Veloso, and Tim Maia.

Even facing some health issues over the years, including hospitalizations for respiratory and cardiac complications, Joao maintained an intense and engaged artistic production. Alongside music and television, he dedicated himself to social projects, such as distributing vegan meal boxes to homeless people in Sao Paulo alongside his wife, Viviana Torrico. In recent years, he remained active on stages and in studios, celebrating the four decades of history of Ratos de Porao and collaborating with new projects like the band Asteroides Trio, reaffirming his central position in Brazilian counterculture.

Discography

• João Gordo & Asteroides Trio (2022)
• Brutal Brega (2022)
• João Gordo & Asteroides Trio no Estúdio Showlivre (Ao Vivo) (2022)
• Tributo Punkabilly aos 40 anos do Ratos de Porão (2022)
• MPB Mode (2024)
• Shadows Loom (2025)
• Hatred (2025)
• Hell (2025)
• João Gordo, Asteroides Trio – Hallucinogenum Infernale (2026)