Biography

Andre Matos (1971-2019) was a Brazilian singer, composer, conductor and pianist, known for being a founding member and vocalist of the bands Viper, Angra, and Shaman. He also participated in projects such as Virgo, Symfonia, and Avantasia, in addition to his solo career. Andre began his musical studies with piano lessons, at age 7, and joined his first band, Viper, at age 13, achieving international recognition. Years later, he acquired a bachelor’s degree in conducting and composition, as well as a degree in classical piano. At the same time, for years, he studied opera singing with Francisco Campos, professor at the University of São Paulo. In college, he met guitarist Rafael Bittencourt, with whom he would create Angra, one of the biggest rock bands in Brazil. During the 9 years as vocalist and composer, Angra recorded iconic albums such as Angels Cry, Holy Land and Fireworks, with more than one million copies sold. In early 2000, he left Angra and formed the band Shaman. The first album Ritual, released in 2002, had the song Fairy Tale included in the soundtrack of the soap opera O Beijo do Vampiro (TV Globo). In 2006, he left Shaman to dedicate himself to his solo career, recording 3 albums. In 2012, he returned to the stage with Viper, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the release of the band’s first album, and in 2018, he returned with the classic formation of Shaman, performing a series of successful concerts. Andre died at the age of 47 of a heart attack, in 2019.