Son of the record producer João Araújo and the amateur singer Maria Lúcia Araújo, Cazuza always had close contact with music. Influenced since early childhood by the strong values of Brazilian music, he had a special preference for the sad, dramatic overtones of Cartola, Lupicinio Rodrigues, Dolores Duran, and Maysa. He began to write lyrics and poems around 1965. In late 1974, a vacation in London, England, acquainted him with the music of Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin and The Rolling Stones, and he soon became a great fan. Cazuza enrolled in college in 1978, but abandoned the course of journalism three weeks later to work with his father at Som Livre. He moved later to San Francisco, where he came in contact with Beat literature, becoming highly influenced by it.
Barão Vermelho
In 1980 he returned to Rio, where he worked with the theatrical group Asdrúbal Trouxe o Trombone. There he was noticed by the novice singer/composer Léo Jaime, who introduced him to a beginning rock band that needed a vocalist, the Barão Vermelho. With this very successful eighties Brazilian rock band, who had their greatest success with "Bete Balanço", a song that was part of the soundtrack of a film, Cazuza began his career as a singer. In 1985, Cazuza took part in Rock in Rio with Barão Vermelho, and around this time, Caetano Veloso claimed he was the greatest Brazilian poet of his generation. It was also in this same year that Cazuza was infected with the AIDS virus, precipitating his desire to leave the band to obtain a greater freedom in composition and expression, both musically and lyrically.
Solo career
After he left the band, Cazuza's music began to diversify, incorporating elements of the blues in songs such as "Blues da Piedade", "Só as mães são felizes" and "Balada da Esplanada", which was based on a poem of the same name by Oswald de Andrade; showcasing increasingly intimate lyrics, like those in "Só se for a Dois", as well as opening itself up to influences from Brazilian pop music with interpretations of Cartola's "O Mundo é um Moinho", Raul Seixas's "Cavalos Calados" and Caetano Veloso's "Esse Cara". Contrary to what usually happens once an artist leaves a band that has made them famous, Cazuza's solo career proved to be more successful than that of his former group. "Exagerado", "O Tempo não Pára", and "Ideologia" were his greatest hits and proved to be a great influence on subsequent Brazilian musicians. In 1986, Cazuza was featured in the AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Rio produced by the Red Hot Organization, performing the song "Preciso Dizer que Te Amo" in a duet with Bebel Gilberto.
Final years
In 1989, he admitted publicly for the first time that he had AIDS and released his last album in life: Burguesia. Cazuza was openlybisexual but was not active in the LGBT movement. However, his openness about being a person with AIDS helped to change public perceptions and attitudes about HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.
Death
Cazuza died in Rio de Janeiro on July 7, 1990 at the age of 32, due to a septic shock caused by AIDS. He was buried at the Cemitério São João Batista Botafogo, in Rio de Janeiro. Cazuza's mother set up the Viva Cazuza Society, a charity which sponsors AIDS prevention and provides a home for HIV-positive children
Other media
A biopic starring Daniel de Oliveira and directed by Sandra Werneck called Cazuza: O Tempo não Para was released in 2004. In 2014, the biographic musical Cazuza – Pro Dia Nascer Feliz opened in São Paulo. It featured songs from Cazuza's solo career as well as from his time as frontman of Barão Vermelho. The musical was directed by João Fonseca and toured Brazil for two years.
