Pedro Abrunhosa’s career is nothing short of incredible, but his words always speak louder than fame or talent. A man of causes, he is quick to denounce the bombings in Gaza and Iran… in less than 10 minutes since the beginning of this conversation. He started as a double bass player, went to New York where he learned discipline and played with all the “cats”, then came back to Porto and, inspired by the sounds of dance music, crafted “Viagens”, a record about “sex, drugs and corruption” that featured Maceo Parker, James Brown’s saxophone player, and mixed sweaty funk with raw ballads that were sung by millions and led to completely sold out shows. He crafted a sound and a vibe that was unheard of, and totally unexpected, in the “grey Portugal” of the early 90s.

That record was a hit, so he did more. His second album “Tempo” was recorded with The New Power Generation, Prince’s band. And it spawned even more hits. He proved that he could do it. And has been doing it for 30 years. But he doesn’t believe in inspiration, that’s for the “rich guys in Beverly Hills houses overlooking the sea”. He is inspired by the world, the good, the bad and the pain. Pedro Abrunhosa navigates his words like he navigates a double bass or the piano his grandfathers had when he was growing up: with seriousness, measured tempo and wisdom.

Pedro Abrunhosa&rsquo;s career is nothing short of incredible, but his words always speak louder than fame or talent. A man of causes, he is quick to denounce the bombings in Gaza and Iran&hellip; in less than 10 minutes since the beginning of this conversation. He started as a double bass player, went to New York where he learned discipline and played with all the &ldquo;cats&rdquo;, then came back to Porto and, inspired by the sounds of dance music, crafted &ldquo;Viagens&rdquo;, a record about &ldquo;sex, drugs and corruption&rdquo; that featured Maceo Parker, James Brown&rsquo;s saxophone player, and mixed sweaty funk with raw ballads that were sung by millions and led to completely sold out shows. He crafted a sound and a vibe that was unheard of, and totally unexpected, in the &ldquo;grey Portugal&rdquo; of the early 90s.
That record was a hit, so he did more. His second album &ldquo;Tempo&rdquo; was recorded with The New Power Generation, Prince&rsquo;s band. And it spawned even more hits. He proved that he could do it. And has been doing it for 30 years. But he doesn&rsquo;t believe in inspiration, that&rsquo;s for the &ldquo;rich guys in Beverly Hills houses overlooking the sea&rdquo;. He is inspired by the world, the good, the bad and the pain. Pedro Abrunhosa navigates his words like he navigates a double bass or the piano his grandfathers had when he was growing up: with seriousness, measured tempo and wisdom.

Each week, join Tony Gonçalves—a U.S.-based Portuguese immigrant and successful media executive—as he explores the stories of those driving Portugal’s influence on the global stage. From visionary entrepreneurs to cultural pioneers, The Heart and Hustle of Portugal uncovers the unique ways the Portuguese identity thrives worldwide. As Expresso’s first English-language product, this series bridges cultures and connects the global audience to Portugal’s spirit of innovation, passion, and resilience.

Each week, join Tony Gonçalves—a U.S.-based Portuguese immigrant and successful media executive—as he explores the stories of those driving Portugal’s influence on the global stage. From visionary entrepreneurs to cultural pioneers, The Heart and Hustle of Portugal uncovers the unique ways the Portuguese identity thrives worldwide. As Expresso’s first English-language product, this series bridges cultures and connects the global audience to Portugal’s spirit of innovation, passion, and resilience.

Tony Gonçalves—a U.S.-based Portuguese immigrant and successful media executive— explores the stories of those driving Portugal’s influence on the global stage

The Heart & Hustle of Portugal

The Heart and Hustle of Portugal

Renowned Portuguese musician Pedro Abrunhosa sits down with Tony Gonçalves to reflect on a career that spans 30 years, records with Maceo Parker and Prince’s band, multiple number one hits in Portugal and sold out venues. From the funky beginnings with “Viagens” to the ballads and anthems of today, Abrunhosa is not just a household name, he is one of the most important Portuguese musicians of all time