Só Pra Contrariar

Origin

Uberlândia, MG

Genres

samba, pagode

Instruments

drums, percussion, pandeiro, surdo, keyboards, saxophone, bass, tantã

Biography

The group Só Pra Contrariar (SPC) emerged in 1989 in the Minas Gerais city of Uberlândia, taking its name from a song by Fundo de Quintal. Under the initial leadership of the charismatic lead singer Alexandre Pires, the ensemble quickly established itself as one of the greatest exponents of pagode and romantic samba in Brazil during the 1990s. Among their biggest hits are standout tracks like "Que Se Chama Amor", "Depois do Prazer" and "Mineirinho", which helped drive millions of record sales and earned the group highly publicized international tours.

Following the departure of Alexandre Pires to pursue a solo career in 2002, drummer Fernando Pires took over lead vocals, guiding the group through new musical experimentations focused on traditional samba on albums like Produto Nacional. Over the years, SPC went through several line-up changes, including notable commemorative returns with Alexandre Pires for anniversary tours and special acoustic projects. This alternation in vocal leadership allowed the group to maintain its relevance and continue recording new projects and touring the country.

The trajectory of Só Pra Contrariar is marked by impressive records in the Brazilian phonographic industry, with millions of copies sold across their various studio and live albums. Sharing the microphone throughout their career with MPB and samba icons like Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, the group secured a permanent place in the history of Brazilian popular music, celebrating decades on the road with projects such as O Lado B and highly sought-after farewell tours.