Irio Nepomuceno de Paula, also known as Irio De Paula, born on May 10, 1939, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was a singer-songwriter and guitarist. He began his musical journey as part of the Grupo Brasil 40 Graus. In the 1970s, De Paula moved to Italy, collaborating with notable artists such as Chico Buarque and Elza Soares. His significant contributions include the album Per un Pugno di Samba, featuring arrangements by Ennio Morricone, and the song "Criança", which became the soundtrack for the film L'ultima neve di primavera. Throughout his career, De Paula released numerous albums, including Balanço (1973), Saudade Do Brasil (1981), and Retrato do Rio (1998). He also accompanied artists like Sergio Mendes, Baden Powell, and Astrud Gilberto. De Paula passed away on May 23, 2017, in Rome, Italy.
