Roberto Carlos

Not to be confused with his compatriot and namesake, the former professional footballer Roberto Carlos, it still wouldn’t be totally unreasonable to draw parallels between the careers that the two men have had in decidedly different industries; granted, Roberto Carlos the singer hasn’t won the World Cup or the Champions League, or apparently defied the laws of gravity with his free kicks, for that matter, but he’s certainly had more than his fair share of success over the course of a musical career that’s lasted in excess of half a century. He’s won Grammy Awards, scooping the Latin pop prize back in 1989, and has also sold more than 120 million albums worldwide. He’s now considered one of the most important and influential figures in Brazilian history, particularly in terms of the work he did in the sixties; the secret of his success and legacy is his songwriting partnership with longtime collaborator Erasmo Carlos.

Having celebrated fifty years in the business in 2008, Carlos decided to mark the milestone the following year, with a concert at the most iconic venue in Brazil – the Maracana, in Rio de Janeiro. At the concert, on July 11th, he performed in front of an estimated 70,000 people.