Tozé Brito

Tozé Brito, a renowned Portuguese artist, was born in Porto on August 25, 1951. He is a talented singer, composer, producer, and administrator who has held executive positions at Universal Music Portugal and BMG. Currently, he serves as director and vice-president of the Portuguese Authors’ Society, while also mentoring music projects.

At 14, Tozé Brito formed his first band as the guitarist for Grupo 4 and later took the stage for the first time with Duques. At 15, he became a founding member of Pop Five Music Incorporated, where he played bass and sang, and had one of his compositions, “You’ll See,” included in the group’s first EP.

At 18, he moved to Lisbon to join Quarteto 1111 as a professional musician. In 1971, he performed alongside José Cid at the Yamaha Festival in Tokyo. The following year, he released his solo EP “Liberdade” and participated in the RTP Song Festival with “Se Quiseres Ouvir Cantar.”

Tozé was also part of Green Windows, a group parallel to Quarteto 1111, which emerged in 1972. Although they attempted an international career by singing in English, they did not achieve the expected success. Later that year, he was drafted into military service but due to censorship affecting Quarteto 1111, he decided to move to England. There, he worked as a translator and studied Psychology at the University of London, where he married and had his first daughter.

During this period, he collaborated with singer Daphne on the Som Dois project, releasing a single with the tracks “A um Amigo” and “Irmão na Cor da Alma.” After returning to Portugal in 1974, he completed his mandatory military service in 1975 and intensified his work as a composer.

In 1976, Green Windows came to an end, and Tozé founded Gemini with Mike Sergeant, Fá, and Teresa Miguel. The group achieved great success with “Pensando Em Ti,” which earned a gold record and made Tozé the Portuguese composer of the year according to Billboard.

In 1977, Tozé released the solo singles “2010 DC” and “Eu, Tu e o Tempo” on Phonogram, with Cândido Mota contributing to one of the tracks.

Tozé Brito has played a pivotal role in Portuguese music, with a career spanning several decades. Here are some of the key moments in his career:

• Winner of the RTP Song Festival: The group Gemini, formed by Tozé, won the festival in 1978 with a standout song. However, the group disbanded the following year.
• Collaborations and Parallel Projects: In 1979, Tozé participated in the RTP Song Festival with the group Novo Canto Português and released the album “Cantar de Amigos” in partnership with Paulo de Carvalho. The song “Olá, então como vais?” was one of the biggest hits from that album.
• International Success: In 1980, Tozé took part in the Viña del Mar Festival in Chile with the song “(Mi amor por) Ana,” co-written with Paulo de Carvalho and Pedro Correia Brito.
• Work as an Author: Throughout the years, Tozé collaborated with various artists, including Herman José, and had winning songs in the RTP Song Festival with artists like Adelaide Ferreira and Doce.
• Career in the Record Industry: Tozé worked at Polygram and later at BMG Ariola, where he held the position of director. In 1999, he founded Mar, an A&R and production structure in partnership with EMI.
• Presidency at Universal Music: Tozé was invited to chair the board of directors at Universal Music Portugal.
• Compilations and Tributes: In 2007, Tozé celebrated 40 years of his career with the release of the CD “Vida, canções e amigos.” He was also honored in 2011 with the Medal of Cultural Merit by the Municipal Chambers of Coimbra and Cascais.
• Recent Releases: In 2023, Tozé released the album “Tozé Cid” in partnership with José Cid, revisiting songs by Quarteto 1111 and other collaborations.

Tozé Brito has received various tributes throughout his career. On May 17, 2023, he was awarded the rank of Commander of the Order of Merit, recognizing his significant impact on Portuguese music.

In 2021, Tozé was specially honored with the tribute album “Tozé Brito (de) Novo,” released by Sony Music. The album brought together an impressive lineup of renowned artists, including Benjamim, B Fachada, Ana Bacalhau, Mitó, Tiago Bettencourt, Miguel Guedes, Rita Redshoes, Selma Uamusse, Catarina Salinas, Camané, Samuel Úria, Joana Espadinha, António Zambujo, and Tomás Wallenstein. This tribute celebrated Tozé Brito’s 55 years of career and his 70 years of life, highlighting his lasting contribution to Portuguese music.

Tozé Brito began his career as a composer at the age of 17, highlighting his partnership with poet Ary dos Santos, which he considers one of the most rewarding experiences. Although he recorded three solo albums and several singles as a performer, Tozé Brito emphasizes that the greatest success came from the songs he wrote for other artists. Of the approximately 400 songs he registered with the Portuguese Authors’ Society (SPA), only about 100 were performed by himself, while the rest were sung by other artists.

His songs have been performed by a wide range of renowned Portuguese artists, such as Carlos do Carmo, Ana Moura, Luís Represas, Doce, Simone de Oliveira, Paulo de Carvalho, José Cid, Adelaide Ferreira, B Fachada, Dulce Pontes, and Lúcia Moniz, among many others. Tozé Brito has collaborated with various authors and composers, including Ary dos Santos, José Cid, Mike Sergeant, and António Tavares Teles.

In addition to music, Tozé Brito has also written for revue theater, musical comedies, cinema, and television. He is the author of texts for Herman José’s humor programs and has translated themes from anime series for RTP, such as “A Abelha Maia” and “Vickie o Viking.” Tozé Brito also composed original music for the anime series “Fábulas da Floresta Verde.”