Paulinho Da Costa

Paulinho da Costa (born 31 May, 1948; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) is a Brazilian percussionist, bandleader and recording artist. Paulo Roberto da Costa, popularly known as Paulinho da Costa, began in Rio’s samba community before moving to Los Angeles in the early 1970s, where he became a first‑call session player across pop, R&B, jazz and film. He has recorded as a solo artist for Pablo Records and is widely recognised for his work on major albums and soundtracks.

Early Life

Da Costa was born in Irajá, Rio de Janeiro, and started on the pandeiro as a child. He learned within Rio’s samba schools, joining the youth wing of Portela’s Bateria, and toured as a teenager with samba trios, Brazilian ensembles and Carnaval orchestras led by figures including Jorge Goulart and Nora Ney. Exposure to jazz and Cuban music broadened his palette and instrument collection. In 1970, he toured Europe and the Middle East with a Brazilian ensemble, and in 1972, he performed “Fio Maravilha” with Maria Alcina at the Festival Internacional da Canção in the Maracanãzinho, Rio.

Career

Relocating to Los Angeles in 1972, da Costa joined Sérgio Mendes (1973–76) and, via Dizzy Gillespie, signed to Norman Granz’s Pablo Records, releasing the albums Agora, Happy People, Sunrise and Breakdown. An exceptionally in‑demand studio musician, he contributed to Earth, Wind & Fire’s I Am and other albums, Madonna’s True Blue, Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous, HIStory and Invincible, Celine Dion’s Let’s Talk About Love, the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, Dionne Warwick & Friends’ “That’s What Friends Are For”, Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive”, Rufus and Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody”, and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Stadium Arcadium, among thousands of sessions. He worked extensively with Quincy Jones (The Wiz, The Color Purple, The Dude, Back on the Block, Q’s Jook Joint), Ella Fitzgerald (co‑producing Ella Abraça Jobim), The Brothers Johnson, George Benson, Donna Summer, Barbra Streisand and The Miracles (“Love Machine”). His film and television credits include Dirty Dancing, Purple Rain and series work such as Ally McBeal, with additional contributions to Flashdance, Footloose, Selena and Sex and the City. He has also appeared on recordings by Diana Krall and a wide range of Japanese artists, including Anri, Sadao Watanabe, Hitomi Tohyama, Takeshi Itoh and Hiroshi Fukumura. Da Costa has received multiple National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Most Valuable Player Awards and the Musicians Emeritus Award, and has performed at major festivals, including Montreux (1977). He plays more than 200 percussion instruments and works across Brazilian, jazz, soul, R&B, rock, pop and world music settings.

Personal Life

Publicly available information emphasises da Costa’s roots in Rio’s samba tradition and his sustained community of collaborators in Los Angeles studios since the 1970s. His catalogue spans work with more than 900 artists and bands, and his approach to colour, texture and time feel has been cited by peers and producers as influential across pop, R&B, jazz and film scoring. Details on family life are kept private in official profiles and interviews.

Current Activities

Da Costa continues to record and perform, appearing on studio sessions and live projects across genres while maintaining links with US and international artists. He received the 2,844th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on 13 May 2026, in the Recording category, reported as the first Brazilian‑born entertainer to receive a star on the Walk of Fame. At present, Paulinho da Costa remains active within his field, with updates announced via official channels as confirmed.