Djavan | |
|---|---|
 Djavan in 2017 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Djavan Caetano Viana |
| Born | 27 January 1949 Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil |
| Genres | Música popular brasileira Samba Latin dance Soul New wave |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals (mezzo-tenor) Guitar |
| Years active | 1975 - present |
Djavan Caetano Viana (Brazilian Portuguese: [dʒaˈvɐ̃]; born 27 January 1949) is a Brazilian singer-songwriter and guitarist.
Djavan was born in Maceió, Brazil to a white father of Dutch descent and a black mother. He later formed the group Luz, Som, Dimensão (LSD – "Light, Sound, Dimension"), playing Beatles' material.[1] In 1973, Djavan moved to Rio de Janeiro and started singing soap opera soundtracks.[1] His first album, A Voz, o Violão e a Arte de Djavan, was recorded in 1976 and included the hit song "Flor de Lis".[1] Stevie Wonder was a guest on the album Luz.[1]
In 1999, his album Ao Vivo sold 1.2 million copies.[1] In 2016, he was nominated for the 2016 Latin Grammy Awards in the Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Portuguese Language Song and Best Singer-Songwriter Album categories.[2] Djavan's compositions have been recorded by numerous musicians, including Al Jarreau, Carmen McRae and The Manhattan Transfer.[1] His album Vesúvio was ranked as the 35th best Brazilian album of 2018 by the Brazilian edition of Rolling Stone magazine.[3]
