Vavá

Origin

Santos, SP

Also known as

Wagner Duarte

Years Active

1995

Genres

pagode, samba, pop

Instruments

vocals

Biography

Wagner Duarte, better known by his artistic name Vavá, is a Brazilian singer and songwriter born in Santos on October 16, 1973. He began his career in 1995 as the lead vocalist of the pagode group Karametade, achieving massive success with hits like "Morango do Nordeste", "Decisão", and "Louca Sedução". During his time with the band, they sold over 1.5 million copies of their records, establishing themselves as a prominent act in the Brazilian pagode and samba-pop scene alongside contemporaries like Belo and Salgadinho.

In late 2000, following internal conflicts regarding the group's musical direction, Vavá left Karametade to pursue a solo career. By the first half of 2001, he released his self-titled debut solo album, which featured hits like "Tua Cara" and "Desencontros" and sold over 100,000 copies. He followed this with a second self-titled album in 2002, highlighted by his major solo hit "Convite de Casamento", a cover of the sertanejo duo Gian & Giovani. His solo trajectory also expanded into acting, including a role in the television series Malhação and an appearance in the film Didi, o cupido trapalhão.

During the 2010s, Vavá formed a musical duo with his twin brother, Marcio Duarte, who was previously the vocalist of the pagode group Desejos. In 2012, Vavá participated in the reality television show A Fazenda. Later, in 2020, the twin brothers reunited to lead a special anniversary tour celebrating 25 years of Karametade.