Sobral was born in Lisbon, into a former noble family the son of Salvador Luís Cabral Braamcamp Sobral, and is related to politician Hermano José Braamcamp de Almeida Castelo Branco. He has lived in Lisbon most of his life. At the age of ten, he participated in the TV programme Bravo Bravíssimo, and at 20 he was one of the ten finalists of Ídolos, the Portuguese version of the Idols franchise. As a finalist he sang music by Stevie Wonder, Leonard Cohen and Rui Veloso. As an Erasmus student (he studied Psychology in the Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada, in Lisbon), Salvador moved to Mallorca, where he started singing in bars. After he left the Psychology program, he applied to the Taller de Músics, a music school in Barcelona, where he finished his studies in 2014. In 2015 he participated in the Vodafone Mexefest and EDP Cool Jazz festivals. In 2016 he released his first album, Excuse Me.
Salvador Sobral is a fan of Chet Baker and bossa nova singers (Caetano Veloso, Chico Buarque). He speaks four languages: Portuguese, Spanish, English and a little Italian.
Salvador Sobral drew attention to the European migrant crisis by turning up to the first semi-final winners' press conference in an 'S.O.S. Refugees' shirt. 'If I'm here and I have European exposure, the least thing I can do is a humanitarian message,' Sobral said. 'People come to Europe in plastic boats and are being asked to show their birth certificates in order to enter a country. These people are not immigrants, they're refugees running from death. Make no mistake. There is so much bureaucratic stuff happening in the refugee camps in Greece, Turkey and Italy and we should help create legal and safe pathways from these countries to their destiny countries,' he added, earning a round of applause.
Mano a mano
Salvador Sobral Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No teu ombro e afinal
Na mesma dor te condena
Choras tu do mesmo mal
Irmãos gémeos num tormento
Filhos da mesma aflição
Nenhum dos dois tem alento
O amor não nos quer bem
Ninguém nos há de valer
Se um perde aquilo que tem
E o outro não chega a ter
Só no resta o mano a mano
Se não queremos ficar sós
Deixa lá o teu piano
Namorar a minha voz
O amor não nos quer bem
Ninguém nos há de valer
Se um perde aquilo que tem
E o outro não chega a ter
Só no resta o mano a mano
Se não queremos ficar sós
Deixa lá o teu piano
Namorar a minha voz
The lyrics in Salvador Sobral's song Mano a Mano speak of two people who share the same pain and are looking to find solace in each other's company. The first stanza sets up the scene of one person crying on the other's shoulder, only to find out that they too are suffering from the same affliction. The second stanza paints a picture of two brothers who are going through a trying period, with neither of them having the strength to support the other. They both are in a situation where they don't have what they need, and nobody seems to care.
The chorus of the song reveals the only thing that they have left to hold onto, which is each other. They need to rely on each other and support each other so that they don't feel alone. The final stanza makes this message even more apparent as the singer pleads with the other person to let go of their piano and pay attention to the voice that is calling out to them. The singer implores the other person to open up to them and embrace the support that they can provide for each other.
Overall, Mano a Mano is a beautiful ode to friendship and the significance of having someone to rely on. The lyrics hold a universal message of the importance of human connection and the need for empathy and understanding in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Vim chorar a minha pena
I came to cry my sorrow
No teu ombro e afinal
On your shoulder and finally
Na mesma dor te condena
Sentenced to the same pain
Choras tu do mesmo mal
You cry of the same ailment
Irmãos gémeos num tormento
Twin brothers in torment
Filhos da mesma aflição
Children of the same affliction
Nenhum dos dois tem alento
Neither has strength
Pra dar ao outro uma mão
To give the other a hand
O amor não nos quer bem
Love doesn't want us well
Ninguém nos há de valer
No one will help us
Se um perde aquilo que tem
If one loses what he has
E o outro não chega a ter
And the other doesn't get there
Só no resta o mano a mano
Only the hand-to-hand remains
Se não queremos ficar sós
If we don't want to be alone
Deixa lá o teu piano
Leave your piano there
Namorar a minha voz
Flirt with my voice
Só no resta o mano a mano
Only the hand-to-hand remains
Se não queremos ficar sós
If we don't want to be alone
Deixa lá o teu piano
Leave your piano there
Namorar a minha voz
Flirt with my voice
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Salvador Vilar Braamcamp Sobral
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@WelshSwan1986
Salvador, on the off chance you will read this I cannot tell you how happy I am that you are well and performing again. Your performance at Eurovision, weeks after my mother got a terminal cancer diagnoses (she is with us but has only weeks left) made us cry for the first time. We are both British and don't speak a word of Portugese but the emotion and the beauty of the song was translated anyway. I cannot wait to buy your album and blast it out in my car whilst driving through the streets of the UK.
@marsol8922
Norfolk Enchants obrigada for your wonderful words, even if Salvador doesn’t read... I have... I truly hope that your mum is doing much better and my prayers are with her... (a Portuguese living in London) ❣️
@AngelaSantos-ei6bq
Praying for your mother and all family. Greetings from Portugal 😘😘😘😘
@tombombadil7687
Norfolk Enchants For a pure music no one has to understand another language. Salvador's music speaks directly into our hearts... and I really wish to help passing these hard days of you.
@WelshSwan1986
Thanks for your lovely words and prayers everyone, it means a lot believe me. <3
@DulceMiel11
Norfolk Enchants Sending much love and strength to you and your loved ones ❤ I have been in your position before and know how heartbreaking it is. Know that the connection you share can never be broken and believe me she will still be with you always. Much love to your mom. My prayers are with you. Hugs from Portugal ❤❤
@MrJorgerocha
Como brasileiro falante da língua portuguesa não há como não se emocionar ao ouvir esse artista fantástico. Da um orgulho danado da língua
@tombombadil7687
And.. That's what I call M.U.S.I.C. Ladies and gentlemen, this is class, elegance, style and art. It's really hard to listen any other kind of music after being a part of this pure emotion. Thank you Salvador for a complete privilege sharing with us your precious soul.
@fcp2004
@Wicked Moon Ghost Entertainment What do you mean dumbass? Isn't vocal's an instrument? Look at his voice.
@fcp2004
@Wicked Moon Ghost Entertainment Are you saying that he sings bad? xD
Another ignorant that doesn't understand shit about music. I know that the people around him are artists too