Péricles Cavalcanti

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Years active

1970

Genres

mpb, pop

Instruments

vocals, acoustic guitar

Biography

Péricles da Rocha Cavalcanti is a Brazilian singer-songwriter and filmmaker, born in Rio de Janeiro in 1947 before moving to São Paulo during his early childhood. He began his professional career as a musician in the 1970s while living in London, where he recorded vocals and acoustic guitar for the soundtrack of the film Copacabana mon amour alongside Gilberto Gil. His versatility also extended to theater, composing for the Asdrúbal Trouxe o Trombone theater group and collaborating with the Oficina group under José Celso Martinez Correa and Marcelo Drummond on productions such as Os Sertões.

Throughout his career, Cavalcanti has built a respected body of work as a composer, writing pieces that crossed over into various cultural spheres including stage adaptations and contemporary popular music. Among his notable creations is the composition "Eu queria ser a Cássia Eller," reflecting his resonance within the broader Brazilian music scene. His artistic reach also intersected with the tropicalist and concrete poetry movements, such as when his musical arrangement of John Donne's poem "Elegia"—translated by Augusto de Campos—was recorded by Caetano Veloso for the album Cinema Transcendental.