Paulo Lira de Oliveira, best known as Paulo Diniz (24 January 1940 – 22 June 2022), was a Brazilian singer and composer.
Biography
Born in Pesqueira, Diniz started his career at 12 years old as a radio announcer.[1] In 1964 he moved to Rio de Janeiro to work at Rádio Tupi as an announcer and sports commentator.[2][3]
Diniz began his professional career as a singer in 1966, when he was put under contract by the record label Copacabana [pt] and released his first single, "O chorão".[2][3] In the 1970s he got his major hits, such as "Um chope pra distrair", "Bahia comigo" and "Quero voltar pra Bahia".[2][3] His most successful composition was "Pingos de amor", a song written together with Odibar Moreira da Silva and originally released in 1971, which was later covered by prominent artists such as Kid Abelha, Sula Miranda and Neguinho da Beija-Flor.[2] He was also well-known for his musical adaptations of Brazilian poems, notably "E agora José", based on a poem by Carlos Drummond de Andrade, "Vou me embora pra Pasárgada", from a poem by Manuel Bandeira, and "Definição do amor" by Gregório de Matos.[1][2][3]
Starting from the 1980s Diniz slowed his career as he suffered several health issues, notably schistosomiasis, which caused a paralysis of the lower limbs and forced him to use a wheelchair.[1] He died of natural causes in his Recife home on 22 June 2022, at the age of 82.[1]
