Chapa
London based Chapa are no strangers to the music scene having first formed in 1993 in their native country of Brazil where, as child artists, they regularly wowed adult audience members as Solo de Garagem.
In 1995 at the Araujo Vianna Auditorium the young band played to 5000 people. Signed to Paradox in 1996 the three brothers released their first album, Vitamina, in the south of Brazil (1998) through Antidoto/Polygram Records, which went on to sell 10,000+ copies.
They followed this up with similar success with the next album Vitamina 2, before changing name to Chapa in 2001. This is when the brothers found themselves in Rio de Janeiro and exposed to social poverty in a way they had never known before. Injustice, discrimination, violence and financial poverty surrounded them in stark contrast to what they knew in Southern Brazil and it profoundly impacted Chapa’s songwriting as they write new songs. ‘Seja Você Quem For’ (Whoever You Are) is released as a single and becomes the Southern Brazil Social Forum soundtrack.
In 2004 Chapa played the ‘Anniversary of São Paulo’ festival to 15,000 people and recorded their third album ‘Outro Dia’ (released 2005). And now Chapa are in the UK with their 1st English speaking album ‘Creation Room’.
‘Creation Room’ is an atmospheric indie-pop affair that has mass appeal. Named after the very room where the brothers first learnt to play together back in Brazil in their parent’s home, the album is a fantastic blend of guitar and piano, with harmonised vocals, delivering some golden nuggets of pop music. Think Keane, think The Feeling, but then add that South American vibrancy and light and you know you’re onto a winning album!
‘Before You Go’ is the first single to be released from the album and has a quirky and upbeat feel. Feeling dramatic and theatrical in equal measures ‘Before You Go’ shows the overall vibrancy you can expect from Chapa.