Don Kikas

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Don Kikas
Image:Don Kikas.jpg Don Kikas
Background information
Born	1974
Origin	Sumbe, Cuanza Sul, Angola
Genre(s)	Angola folk music Semba Kizomba
Instrument(s)	Vocals, Guitar
Years active	1994 – Present
Website	[1]

Don Kikas, born Emílio Camilo de Carvalho, is an Angolan singer from the city of Sumbe in the southern Angolan province of Cuanza Sul.

1 Early life
2 Musical career
3 Discography
- 3.1 Albums
4 External links

[edit] Early life

In his early days as a child his parents moved to Brazil where he started to take a liking on music and dreaming of becoming a singer. At the age of 8, he was assisted by his mom in writing his first song. He would attend a few singing contests and as he walked out victorious, his passion for singing grew.

[edit] Musical career

As he turned 18, now in Portugal, he began singing at local nightclubs and discothéques until he was invited in 1994, to record his debut album, “Sexy Baby” which was released in 1995. In 1997, Don Kikas released his second album, Pura Sedução which was silver in Portugal. That same year, the album’s Esperança Moribunda song received the “Music of the Year” award granted by the Rádio Nacional de Angola (national radio station). By this time, invitations were extended for Kikas to perform at international level. His third album, Xeque Mate, released in December 1999, produced a totally-renewed Don Kikas as it included songs recorded in three different countries and featured foreign musicians as well. Xeque Mate achieved gold sales and received Angola’s Album of the Year, Voice of the Year and Kizomba of the Year awards. In October 2003, Kikas released his Raio X album, a record that failed to enjoy as much commercial success as the previous ones but still managed to steer him into virgin markets.

2005 saw Kikas in a new career phase as he managed to round up high profile musicians to record his latest Viagem album, a double album in which the listener can enjoy such a genre diversity ranging from kizomba and zouk (CD1) to the more traditional kazukuta and kilapanga (CD2). Kikas does it again, as he rounded up several musicians and friends to record an album whose chore lies in motherland Angola. Viagem features singers such as Cape Verde’s Tito Paris and Johnny Ramos as well as countryfellows Bonga and Deusa.

Throughout his career, Don Kikas has been performing worldwide, working with several locally and internationally renowned musicians while song-writing for himself and others, always carrying Angola’s name deep in his heart and soul.