Skowa

Origin

São Paulo, SP

Years active

1970–2024

Genres

salsa, samba, rock, funk, soul, mpb

Instruments

acoustic guitar, vocals

Biography

Marco Antônio Gonçalves dos Santos, known artistically as Skowa, was born in São Paulo on December 13, 1955. Since his youth he was immersed in the music scene, creating his first band in 1970 and starting his professional career in the mid-1970s. Throughout his journey, he transitioned through various prominent groups in Brazilian music, joining projects such as Clube do Choro, the salsa band Sossega Leão, and the group Premeditando o Breque.

In the 1980s, he collaborated with important names of the avant-garde and national rock, working with Itamar Assumpção and participating in Gang 90 e as Absurdettes. He consolidated his national projection by leading the band Skowa e a Máfia between 1987 and 1991, a period in which he recorded two albums. Later, he founded Grêmio Recreativo Amigos do Samba, Rock, Funk & Soul, carrying out notable partnerships with Jorge Ben Jor and composing soundtracks for television productions such as the show Castelo Rá-Tim-Bum.

In the 2000s, he joined the traditional Trio Mocotó, remaining active in music until his final years. In addition to his work as a singer, composer, and instrumentalist, he also worked as a radio broadcaster on Rádio USP and acted as an actor in film and theater. Skowa passed away in Botucatu on June 13, 2024, after spending weeks hospitalized as a result of a cardiorespiratory arrest.