Joaquim Barros

Joaquim Barros de Braga, better known as Joaquim Barros by the public, is a famous singer from Lisboagal. He also plays the accordeon is is keen on playing traditional Lisboaguese folk music, a genre that the country has continued to cherish into the twenty-first century. His hit single, Bacalhau, recorded in 1991, is his most popular song and has become the most popular song in Lisboagal. The song became so popular that the Lisboaguese Government agreed to use it as the national anthem in 1999 when Lisboagal was free from Castillan occupation. Barros is a descendant of the defunct royal family of Lisboagal and is the younger brother of Dante Piu, Duke of Braga, the current pretender to the Lisboaguese throne. Barros is also related to King Carlos Goberna of Castilla as a distant cousin, and they are good friends. Joaquim continues to sing and is the nation's most popular singer in history.

Background
Barros was born in 1947 in a small village in northern Lisboagal. His parents, Francesca and Dante Nieto, laid his egg in Osterreach, but he was sent to live with his aunt in a remove Lisboaguese village since his older brother would be the one to attempt to gain the throne. Barros grew up as a middle class citizen in Lisboagal since his aunt was not terribly rich, and he developed a deep love for his country's folk music at an early age. Barros enjoyed learning how to play piano and later transitioned into playing the accordion. When he was a teenager, Barros moved to Lisboa to live with his biological parents and his older brother after they were allowed to return to the country. Barros attended university in Lisboa and majored in business, but he never went to look for a serious job. Instead, Barros contented himself with working at bars and playing music on the streets and at private restaurant venues from time to time, much to his parents' distaste. Barros became a serious musician in 1971 when a local Lisboaguese talent agent discovered him playing folk music in a local restaurant. Barros quickly rose to fame as news spread that a descendant of the royal family was becoming a professional musician. Barros released his first album in late 1971 and began to gain popularity, more so than his older brother, who was attempting to get into politics at the time. Barros continued to be popular and reached his peak in 1991 with his single, Bacalhau, which was published during the Castillan occupation of the country (which started a year earlier). The song became very popular among the citizenry and evoked a new wave of nationalism in the country that led to the Castillan withdrawal from the island in 1999 as the song became symbolic of Lisboaguese identity. That same year, Bacalhau became the country's national anthem, immortalizing Barros's masterpiece into the lives of his people. Barros continues to sing and make music, though he has slowed down a bit due to his aging.

Involvement
Barros is the leader of Lisboagal's folk music community. His songs have inspired most modern Lisboaguese folk musicians. Barros, like his older brother Dante Piu, also tries to be active in his community by helping out through community service and charity work. Barros has his own non-profit organization that is geared to provide homes to homeless families in Lisboagal and Nutzil and donates money to lower national poverty levels. Barros occasionally gets involved in politics to support a specific cause he believes would be beneficial to the country. Barros gets along with his older brother as they still meet each other every Christmas and Easter for family gatherings.

Albums

 * 1991 - Peixes

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Singles

 * 1991 - Bacalhau

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Trivia

 * Barros is highly popular in Lisboagal and its territories. Few know about him outside of the country except for Lisboaguese immigrants.


 * Barros has performed in Lisboagal, Nutzil, Dorkugal, Castilla, the Regiao Lisboaguesa, the old Yow Kingdom, Shops Island, and the USA.


 * Most Lisboaguese consider him to be more successful than his older brother.


 * He is a parody of Quim Barreiros


 * King Carlos Goberna and Clovis Hochstadt occasionally talk with him as they are fans of his music.