Yamandu Costa
Brazilian guitarist and composer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Yamandu Costa (born January 24, 1980, in Passo Fundo), sometimes spelled Yamandú, is a Brazilian guitarist and composer. His main instrument is the violão de sete cordas, the Brazilian seven-string classical guitar.
24 January 1980
Yamandu Costa | |
|---|---|
| Born | Yamandu Costa 24 January 1980 Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil |
| Genres | Música popular brasileira, choro, bossa nova, milonga, jazz, tango, samba, chamamé, Brazilian folk, instrumental, Baião |
| Occupations | Guitarist, composer |
| Instrument | Violão de sete cordas (Brazilian seven-string classical guitar) |
| Years active | 1990s–present |
| Spouse |
Elodie Bouny (m. 2007–2023) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent(s) | Algacir Costa and Clary Marcon |
| Website | www.yamandu.com.br |
Costa began to study guitar at age seven with his father, Algacir Costa, leader of the group Os Fronteiriços (The Frontiersmen), and mastered the instrument under the guidance of Lúcio Yanel, an Argentine virtuoso, who lived in Brazil. At age fifteen, Costa began to study southern Brazilian folk music, as well as the music of Argentina and Uruguay.
Influenced by the music of Radamés Gnattali, he began to study the music of other Brazilians, such as Baden Powell de Aquino, Tom Jobim and Raphael Rabello.
At age seventeen he played in São Paulo for the first time at the Cultural Circuit Bank of Brazil; the concert was produced by Study Tone Brazil.
Yamandu Costa gained increased international recognition after he appeared in Mika Kaurismäki's 2005 documentary film Brasileirinho. The film showcased the vibrant world of Brazilian choro music and featured Costa’s impressive guitar skills, which helped him reach a broader audience. While he was already an established musician in Brazil, the documentary played a significant role in elevating his profile internationally.
Costa's diverse styles include choro, bossa nova, milonga, tango, samba and chamamé.
His 2019 album Vento Sul was considered one of the 25 best Brazilian albums of the second half of 2019 by the São Paulo Association of Art Critics.[1]
In 2021, his album Toquinho e Yamandu Costa - Bachianinha (Live at Rio Montreux Jazz Festival) (with Toquinho) won the Latin Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Album.[2]
Allegations of abuse
In May 2025, Brazilian guitarist Yamandu Costa was publicly accused by a former partner of physical, psychological, and sexual abuse during a relationship that reportedly lasted approximately three months. According to reports by Folha de S.Paulo and CNN Brasil, the woman alleged that Costa assaulted her on multiple occasions while they were in Portugal and sexually assaulted her while she was unconscious after taking sleep-inducing medication. She also alleged that she suffered physical injuries, and media reports stated that forensic medical documentation had been presented in support of her complaint. The alleged incidents were reported to have occurred in Lisbon, Portugal, while the complaint was filed with authorities in Barcelona, Spain. Costa denied all allegations through his lawyers.[3][4]
Concurrently, his former producer, Brazilian singer Adriana Giordano, publicly accused Costa of sexual harassment during a 2022 concert tour in the United States and stated that, after making the allegation public in May 2025, she filed a police report with the Seattle Police Department concerning both the alleged harassment and subsequent contact from Costa. Costa, through his lawyers, denied the allegation.[5]
Costa's legal representatives stated that the allegations were false and that he would cooperate with the competent authorities. They disputed the interpretation of the forensic evidence, denied that any physical assaults had occurred, argued that publicly circulated messages had been selectively edited, and maintained that witness testimony did not support the allegations.[6][7]
Awards
List of awards won by Yamandu Costa:[8]
- Prêmio Tim - Best Soloist - 2004
- Winner of the Prêmio Visa, Instrumental edition - 2001
- Trophy of Instrumental Music Revelation of the Rio Grande do Sul state
- 25º Award of Best Instrumentalist of the Rio Grande do Sul state
- Winner of the Prêmio Califórnia of Uruguaiana - 1995
Discography
- 2025 - Saga (with Martín Sued)
- 2024 - Uno a Uno (with Francesco Buzzurro)
- 2024 - Prenda Minha (with António Zambujo)
- 2024 - Helping Hands (with Elodie Bouny)
- 2023 - Encontro das Águas (with Armadinho Macedo)
- 2023 - YouTube Sessions
- 2023 - De Vida y Vuelta (with Domingo el Colorao)
- 2022 - Jazz Cigano Quinteto e Yamandu Costa
- 2022 - Simpatia (with Bebê Kramer)
- 2021 - Caballeros (with Guto Wirtti)
- 2021 - Encontro de Gerações na Música Instrumental Brasileira (live)
- 2021 - Caminantes (with Martin Sued and Luis Guerreiro)
- 2021 - Bachianinha - Live at Rio Montreux Jazz Festival (with Toquinho)
- 2020 - Festejo (with Marcelo Jiran)
- 2020 – Nashville 1996
- 2019 - Vento Sul
- 2018 – Yamandu Costa e Ricardo Herz
- 2017 – Borghetti Yamandu
- 2017 – Recanto
- 2017 – Quebranto (with Alessandro Penezzi)
- 2015 – Lado B (with Dominguinhos)
- 2015 – Tocata à Amizade
- 2015 – Concerto de Fronteira (with Orquestra do Estado de Mato Grosso)
- 2013 – Continente
- 2011 – Yamandu Costa e Rogério Caetano
- 2008 – Mafuá
- 2007 – Lida
- 2007 – Yamandu + Dominguinhos
- 2007 – Ida e Volta
- 2006 – Tokyo Session
- 2005 – Música do Brasil Vol.I (DVD)
- 2005 – Yamandu Costa ao Vivo (DVD)
- 2005 – Brasileirinho
- 2004 – El Negro Del Blanco (with Paulo Moura)
- 2003 – Yamandu ao Vivo
- 2001 – Yamandu / Prêmio Visa
- 2000 – Dois Tempos (with Lúcio Yanel)