Renato Motha

Origin

Belo Horizonte, MG

Years active

1966

Genres

mpb, instrumental music, jazz, brazilian music, bossa nova, samba, kirtan, mantra

Instruments

acoustic guitar, electric guitar, voice, percussion, piano

Biography

Renato Motha is a renowned Brazilian singer, songwriter, arranger, and music producer, born in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, on July 29, 1963. His musical journey began in childhood at the age of four, when he gave his first performance on a TV Itacolomi audience show. By age nine, he was already strumming his first chords on the acoustic guitar, and at 16, he began his professional career in nightclubs in his hometown. At 18, he debuted his first show, "Passos Marcados", at the Pró-Arte Cultural Space in BH.

Alongside his classical guitar studies at the Conservatório Mineiro de Música and lyric singing, Renato Motha fell in love with the electric guitar and jazz, dedicating himself intensely to instrumental music. At 21, he taught at the Escola Música de Minas, owned by Milton Nascimento and Wagner Tiso, and worked as an instrumentalist, arranger, and producer for various artists. In the late 1980s, he resumed his original career as a singer and songwriter, releasing four CDs in the 1990s: "Brasileiro" (1992), "Amarelo" (1998), "Trilha das Mãos" (1999), and "Antigas Cantigas" (1999), the latter in partnership with Patricia Lobato.

Throughout his career, Renato Motha has released several solo and collaborative albums, exploring the rich diversity of Brazilian music with influences from jazz, classical, and contemporary music. His work spans various genres, featuring projects that value and universalize the sounds of Minas Gerais and Brazil. Among his best-known songs is "Menina da Lua", recorded by Maria Rita on her debut album. Renato Motha is also recognized for his work alongside Patricia Lobato, with whom he formed a successful duo, releasing nationally and internationally awarded albums, including recognition in Japan. His music is frequently praised for its melodic and harmonic sophistication, as well as the poetic depth of its lyrics.