Leandro e Leonardo Biography

Having recorded 12 LPs, the duo of interpreters Leandro e Leonardo had a winning career, selling albums by the millions and receiving several gold and platinum records. The first to try their artistic possibilities was Leandro, joining the band Os Dominantes as a vocalist during his freetime in the late ’70s. Humble workers at their family’s tomato plantation, Luís José Costa (Leandro) and Emival Eterno Costa (Leonardo) debuted as a duo in a novice show at the TV Tocantins (Anápolis GO). Winning the first prize, the recording of an LP (which never was realized), the duo departed for a tenacious fight for shows in every possible venue, with their greatest aspiration being the sertanejo (Brazilian country) circuit of upcountry fairs. In 1983, they recorded the independent LP Leandro e Leonardo (Embrassom), which drew the attention of 3M execs. Leandro e Leonardo, Vol. 1 (1986) had the hit “Contradições” (Martinha/César Augusto), the first of a row which continued with “Entre Tapas e Beijos” (by Nilton Lamas/Antônio Bueno, from Leandro e Leonardo, Vol. 3, 1989, which sold 1,000,000 copies), “Pense Em Mim” (Douglas Maio/Zé Ribeiro/Mário Soares, from Leandro e Leonardo, Vol. 4, 1990, 2,500,000 copies), “Paz na Cama” (Edson Melo/Rhael), “Não Aprendi a Dizer Adeus” (Joel Marques), “Mexe Mexe” (Nazildo/Altair Menezes), “Dor de Amor Não Tem Jeito” (César Augusto/Piska), “Eu Juro” (version by Demian of “Swear”), “Doce Mistério” (Nil Bernardes/Luís Schiavon/Marcelo Barbosa), and “Anarriê.” The duo was dissolved with Leandro’s demise of cancer in 1988 and Leonardo followed a successful solo career.