Remo was born and grew up in Goa, India, an ex-Portuguese colony, which was and [according to some] still is a little tropical coastal paradise. The kind of place that tends to mark a man and his music for life. And makes him go on stage at the age of 5, and compose his first love songs at 14.
He subsequently lived in polluted, overcrowded Bombay for five years studying architecture; those years marked his first sojourn and travels outside Goa, into the ‘real India’, and resulted in Indo-Western compositions, including the tuning his guitar to sound like a sitar, before the word ‘fusion’ had been coined.
He then hitch-hiked around Europe and North Africa with tent and haversack for two-and-a-half years, singing and passing a hat around in underground stations and pedestrian streets, composing songs and writing poems, sketching and absorbing invaluable multicultural influences—experiences which also mark a man and his musical compositions for life.
While almost settling in the West for good he realised that home was Goa. He returned and wrote some of his most memorable socio-political songs, only to face rejections from Indian record companies.
Rejections tend to mark a man and his music even more deeply.
They tend to make him do things for himself. Like record an album at home, write and illustrate a book of poems, design postcards and t-shirts, and drive around on a yellow scooter distributing all three.
So that when the album becomes an instant hit and invites contracts from India’s top music companies and film directors, it seems like a natural extension of an already dreamlike existence.
And what follows seems more and more credible as incredible things unfold.
Like turning into India’s leading and highest-selling rock musician and being the only one in the country to be awarded Gold Discs in this category.
Like moving into Hindi pop and Hindi film music and reaching the top in that realm too, having song after song go Platinum and Double Platinum. Like endorsing international brands such as Pepsi and Shure Microphones [USA]. Like being invited by top Indian film directors to go beyond music and take on serious acting roles.
Like winning music awards at international song festivals. Working with Mother Teresa. Dining with Kings and Presidents. Performing with Jethro Tull, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Eurythmics, Zakir, Trilok. Being awarded the Padmashri by the President of India…
…life then seems like one long, magical hitch-hiking trip.
Which is rolling on.
Remo now lives in Porto, Portugal, and spends a few months every year in his native Goa, India. He has recently completed composing and recording his latest album, the most ambitious one till date, which is scheduled for release in 2019.