Lenine

Biography

Osvaldo Lenine Macedo Pimentel, known professionally as Lenine, was born on February 2, 1959, in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. Growing up in the northeast of Brazil, he developed a passion for rock music during his teens before discovering Milton Nascimento's 'Clube da Esquina' album and Gilberto Gil's performances, which shifted his focus toward Brazilian sounds. At age 18, he moved to Rio de Janeiro to compete in a music festival, marking the start of his career. His early work fused Pernambuco's maracatu rhythms with pop and rock elements, as seen in his 1983 debut LP 'Baque Solto' with partner Lula Queiroga, followed by 'Olho de Peixe' in 1993 with percussionist Marcos Suzano, which blended traditional Brazilian percussion with modern pop and helped popularize these fusions in the 1990s.[1][2][4]

Fun Facts

• Lenine composed over 500 songs for major Brazilian artists including Gilberto Gil, Maria Bethânia, Milton Nascimento, Daniela Mercury, and Zélia Duncan.[2]
• His song 'Relampiano,' co-written with Paulinho Moska, was inspired by an encounter with a young favela street vendor selling candies at Rio de Janeiro stoplights.[2]
• In the early 1980s, Lenine and his band shocked audiences by invading stages with rustic bass drums and singing traditional Pernambuco maracatu refrains mixed with pop elements, helping elevate maracatu's national popularity.[4]
• His live album 'Em Trânsito' was ranked the 26th best Brazilian album of 2018 by Rolling Stone Brazil.[2][3]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Milton Nascimento - major musical inspiration via album discovery ('Clube da Esquina') [teens, 1970s]
• Gilberto Gil - inspiration from live performance (early performances) [teens, 1970s]

Key Collaborators

• Lula Queiroga - initial recording partner ('Baque Solto') [1983]
• Marcos Suzano - percussionist partner on key album ('Olho de Peixe') [1993]
• Living Colour - guest appearance on track ('Falange Canibal' ('O Homem dos Olhos de Raios-X')) [2001]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Lisboa (COR)
2. Não Olhe Pra Trás (feat. Lenine) - Ao Vivo (Capital Inicial Acústico NYC (Ao Vivo) [Versão Deluxe + Faixa Extra])
3. Na Rua, Na Chuva, Na Fazenda (Casinha De Sapê) - Ao Vivo (Acústico (Live))
4. Paciência (Na Pressão)
5. Paciência (Lenine In Cité (Deluxe))
6. Clube do Samba
7. Camarão Que Dorme a Onda Leva
8. Simples Assim (Carbono)
9. Tempo Perdido (feat. Lenine) - Ao Vivo (Capital Inicial Acústico NYC (Ao Vivo) [Versão Deluxe + Faixa Extra])
10. Hoje Eu Quero Sair Só (O Dia em que Faremos Contato)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #brazilian