Paulo Diniz

Origin

Pesqueira, PE

Also known as

Paulo Lira de Oliveira

Years Active

1964–2016

Genres

MPB, jovem guarda, pop

Instruments

voz

Biography

Paulo Diniz, artistic name of Paulo Lira de Oliveira, was born in Pesqueira, Pernambuco, on January 24, 1940. Before consolidating his artistic career, he experienced a humble childhood working in candy factories and shining shoes. In his adolescence, he found his path in communication by working as a loudspeaker announcer and at local stations, a trajectory that led him to live in Recife, Caruaru, and Fortaleza, where he worked as an announcer, crooner, drummer, and radio and television actor.

In 1964, he moved to Rio de Janeiro, working at important broadcasting stations such as Rádio Tupi, Mayrink Veiga, and Rádio Globo. His recording debut took place in 1966 with the hit "O Chorão", inserting himself into the Jovem Guarda movement. Throughout his career, he stood out not only for the pop-rock of the era, but also for his talent as a composer and for setting poems by major authors of Portuguese-language literature to music, such as Carlos Drummond de Andrade, Manuel Bandeira, and Gregório de Matos.

One of the most striking moments of his trajectory was the composition, in partnership with Odibar, of the classic "Quero Voltar Pra Bahia", released in 1970 as a tribute to the singer Caetano Veloso, who was in exile. His songs were voiced by renowned interpreters such as Clara Nunes, Emílio Santiago, and Simone. Paulo Diniz passed away in Recife on June 22, 2022, leaving an invaluable legacy for Brazilian popular music.

Discography

• Brasil, Brasa, Braseiro (1970)
• Quero Voltar pra' Bahia (1970)
• Paulo Diniz (1971)
• ...E Agora José (1972)
• Lugar Comum (1973)
• Paulo Diniz (1974)
• Estradas (1976)
• É Marca Ferrada (1978)
• Vou Me Embora Prá Pasargada (1983)
• Canção do Exílio (1984)
• Pegou de Jeito (1985)
• Reviravolta (2002)
• Soneto Do Animal Sapiens (2019)
• Top 10+ (2025)