Marquinhos Maraial

Origin

Belém de Maria, PE

Also known as

Marcos Antônio Ferreira Soares

Years Active

1990

Genres

electronic forró, calypso, gospel music, axé

Instruments

saxophone, clarinet, vocals

Biography

Marquinhos Maraial, stage name of Marcos Antônio Ferreira Soares, was born in Belém de Maria, in Pernambuco, on February 16, 1966. Son of a musician father and a singer mother, he had early contact with music and began his studies at nine years of age learning wind instruments, such as saxophone and clarinet, before adopting his stage name in reference to the Pernambucan municipality of Maraial, where he spent part of his childhood.

Throughout his career, he established himself as one of the most prolific songwriters of northeastern music, penning more than a thousand songs recorded by various nationally prominent artists. During the 1990s and 2000s, he stood out especially in the universe of electronic forró and calypso, writing fundamental hits for the repertoires of bands such as Calcinha Preta, Magníficos, Limão com Mel, Noda de Caju, and Companhia do Calypso. In addition to his work as a songwriter and instrumentalist, he was part of original projects like the band Os Corceis and the duo Edu & Maraial, alongside Edu Luppa, besides briefly venturing into gospel music and institutional politics, having served as mayor of Maraial between 2009 and 2012.

Discography

• Esperou por Mim (Ao Vivo) (2012)
• Porção Dobrada (2015)
• Porção Dobrada (Playback) (2015)