QUIET NOTES, IN TUNE
Sometime discreet, yet always unwavering: Afonso’s presence in Lisbon’s music scene has taken several forms over the last 15 years.
The studio went quiet when the first notes came out of his melodica. Merging indie sounds with pop and experimental music, he’s recognized both as solo artist and as a member of several bands. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to hear him play in venues in Portugal and around the world.
Afonso is a founding member of You Can’t Win Charlie Brown (YCWCB), a band that has been around since 2009. He sings, write songs and plays keyboards and guitar. It is formed by Afonso, David Santos, João Gil, Pedro Branco, Salvador Menezes and Tomás Sousa.
They’ve released four albums merging pop, rock and folk with the vocal harmonies of the six musicians. Their latest release, Âmbar, marks their debut singing in their native language.
In 2023 he co-founded louva-a-deus: a studio born out of the need to preserve a music space where freedom is the major key.
Set in an old baptist church, it’s a place for communing with music in the heart of Lisbon.
It’s home to several artists like Afonso himself, Minta & The Brook Trout, You Can’t Win, Charlie Brown, Samuel Úria, Márcia, Joana Espadinha…
Afonso took his first solo steps in 2019, with the release of Morada.
Demorar, his latest record, came out in late 2024. It contains new songs where Afonso takes the main stage, along with two features: Japanese singer-songwriter Shugo Tokumaru, and Manuel Azevedo, from Clã.
It’s a beloved album amongst critics, making it to many best-of lists at the end of the year.
Sharing the stage with other successful artists is an integral part of his career. Afonso has been a part of Bruno Pernadas’ band since 2025, Mais Alto! since 2025, and recently Minta & The Brook Trout.
When it comes to songwriting, “Anda Estragar-me os Planos” written with Francisca Cortesão for Festival da Canção in 2018 and sung by Joana Barra Vaz, stands out as having been reinterpreted by several artists including Salvador Sobral and Tim Bernardes.
Coming from a family of die-hard Belenenses fans, Afonso was destined to follow suit. You can often find references of his love for the beautiful game in his music. At the end of the day, legacy is a big deal. Afonso is making sure he leaves his footprint in Portuguese music.
