Hey, guys! I’m Leo Couto, singer and musician in Mashup Band. Just wanted to drop by and share a bit about myself, who I am, and my journey with music.

I was born on February 7, 1986, in Osvaldo Cruz, a tiny town in São Paulo state, Brazil, with only about 30,000 people.

My dad was a radiology tech, and my mom worked as a receptionist. They both worked at the local public hospital and were super into music. My childhood had a killer soundtrack, thanks to my parents' vinyl collection.

Our old record player blasted legends like Elvis, The Jackson 5, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and so many others. We also jammed to Brazilian icons like Roberto Carlos, Pholhas, Caetano Veloso, Elis Regina, and loads of soundtracks from the soap operas I was obsessed with.

Meet Leo

My dad had this guitar my mom gave him as a gift. He used to strum it and whistle these beautiful tunes, it was awesome to watch. That guitar was my first introduction to an instrument. Fun fact, you can still see my teeth marks on it because, for some reason, I used to bite it as a kid.

When I was 11, my parents split up, and music started to mean something completely different to me. That’s when I discovered rock ‘n’ roll. The first band I got into was Nirvana, and they’re still my all-time favorite. Nevermind is probably the album I’ve listened to the most in my life, it’s a masterpiece.

By then, music had completely taken over my life, it was way more exciting than video games or cartoons or any other teenage stuff.

When I was 14, I got asked to teach drums and percussion at the same music conservatory where I had been a student. From then until I was 22, I played in all kinds of bands, rock bands, party bands, you name it. Sometimes I sang, sometimes I just played drums, and other times I tried my hand at bass. Those years were all about exploring every musical experience I could.

At 22, I met this artsy girl, moved to Bauru, a bigger city, and started chasing bigger dreams. That’s where I met Julian Tatsuo, Ian’s brother. Julian wanted me in his pop band, but at the time, I had other projects in mind.

A few years later, I joined his band, 12Cordas. I played bass and sang some songs. We had a decent following in the area, playing at bars, weddings, graduations, and festivals.

After seven years, Julian left to try new things, and that’s when he, Lucas Vianna, and Keka started what would become Mashup Band. I stuck with 12Cordas, taking over as the lead singer, keyboardist, and guitarist.

Fast forward a few years, Julian invited me to join Mashup as their bassist. I said no at first because 12Cordas was killing it, and I was making good money with a packed schedule of gigs, which helped me support my place with my girlfriend.

But in 2023, Julian stepped away from Mashup, and the band reached out to me again. This time, the timing was perfect, I was itching for a change.

I was super excited but also a little scared. I lived with my dog, Manu, and she meant the world to me. After a lot of thinking and conversations, my mom stepped up and offered to take care of her. That gave me the green light to dive headfirst into this new adventure with Mashup Band.

Now, I’ve already traveled to dozens of countries all over the world, thanks to this crazy, amazing opportunity.

What I love most about Mashup is the vibe when we play together, it’s electric. There’s this synergy between us that’s super rare in the music scene.

In my downtime, I’m all about writing and recording music, basically turning the ideas in my head into something real. I can lose hours just creating.

A few fun facts about me:

1. I grew up playing in coffee fields.
2. My family is massive, I’ve got more than 20 aunts and uncles.
3. I used to be an altar boy and even thought about becoming a priest.
4. My grandma worked in a circus.
5. I’m into astrology and Tarot cards.
6. I once opened for CJ Ramone in Brazil.

Thanks for letting me share a bit of my story and my love for music.

Take care. Much love!

Leo