Só Pra Contrariar (translates to Just (only) to be contrary) is a Brazilian musical group formed in 1989. Their 1997 album ''Só Pra Contrariar'' is one of the best selling albums in Brazil, selling more than three million copies. The band is known for its

frontman The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of the ...

Alexandre Pires Alexandre Pires do Nascimento (born January 8, 1976) is a Brazilian singer-songwriter. Pires was previously the singer of group Só Pra Contrariar which he joined in the late 1980s. Career Pires began his career playing a new and more appellat ...

, who has launched a successful solo career after the band's break-up.

Band history

Só Pra Contrariar was formed in

Uberlândia Uberlândia () is a city and municipality in the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. It is the second largest city in the state of Minas Gerais after the state capital Belo Horizonte. Its population in 2020 was 699,097, making it the si ...

, Minas Gerais, in 1989 by singer

, who was 13 at the time. Pires convinced his brother, cousin, and some friends to form the band for fun. They took the name from a

samba Samba () is a broad term for many of the rhythms that compose the better known Brazilian music genres that originated in the Afro-Brazilians, Afro Brazilian communities of Bahia in the late 19th century and early 20th century, It is a name or ...

by the

Carioca Carioca ( or ) is a demonym used to refer to residents of the City of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil and their culture. Like other Brazilians, ''Cariocas'' speak Portuguese. The ''carioca'' accent and sociolect (also simply called "''carioca''", ...

group

Fundo de Quintal Grupo Fundo de Quintal or simply Fundo de Quintal (''Backyard Group'', roughly) is a Brazilian Samba band formed in Rio de Janeiro at the end of the 1970s. History The founding members of Fundo de Quintal, Almir Guineto (banjo/ cavaco), Bira Pre ...

. They started playing in bars around their hometown. In 1993 they recorded a

demo tape A demo (shortened from "demonstration") is a song or group of songs typically recorded for limited circulation or for reference use, rather than for general public release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas in a fixed for ...

and sent it to BMG. The label signed them and that same year, they released their self-titled debut album. This album sold more than 500,000 copies and they started touring heavily. They kept releasing several albums through the 90s, but their fifth album (released in 1997) helped the group win the triple diamond record for selling 3 million copies. In 1998, the group recorded their first album in Spanish which sold 700,000 copies. This album garnered them more awards around the world. In 1999, they released their second Spanish album titled '' Juegos de Amor''. The album included a hit song titled " Santo Santo" that featured Cuban singer

Gloria Estefan Gloria María Milagrosa Estefan (; ; born September 1, 1957) is an American singer, actress, and businesswoman. Estefan is an eight-time Grammy Awards, Grammy Award winner, a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, and has been named one of t ...

Band members

* Alexandre Pires –

lead vocals The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of the ...

* Fernando Pires – drums * Juliano – percussion * Rogério – Cello * Serginho – keyboards * Hamilton – saxophone * Luiz Fernando –

pandeiro The pandeiro () is a type of hand frame drum popular in Brazil. The pandeiro is used in a number of Brazilian music forms, such as samba, choro, coco, and capoeira music. The drumhead is tunable, and the rim holds metal jingles (''platinelas' ...

* Alexandre Popó –

surdo The surdo is a bass drum or a large floor tom-like drum used in many kinds of Brazilian music, such as Axé/ Samba-reggae and samba, where it plays the lower parts from a percussion section. The instrument was created by Alcebíades Barcelos duri ...

* Luis Antônio –

Viola The viola ( , () ) is a string instrument of the violin family, and is usually bowed when played. Violas are slightly larger than violins, and have a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of the ...

, Guitar

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:So Pra Contrariar Brazilian musical groups Musical groups established in 1989 Musical groups disestablished in 1999 Pagode musical groups 1989 establishments in Brazil 1999 disestablishments in Brazil Spanish-language musical groups of Brazil Musical groups from Minas Gerais

Band history

Band members

See also

References