ABOUT ME

Professional Biography

I’m a creative professional, producer, and musician with more than four decades of experience in music, television, video, and multimedia production. My work combines creative vision with technical expertise developed through years of experience as a producer, director, editor, audio engineer, photographer, graphic designer, and professional drummer.

My passion for music began at age twelve when I started playing the drums. That childhood fascination quickly grew into a lifelong pursuit of creativity, performance, and production.

After studying at Berklee College of Music in Boston, I pursued a career as a professional drummer while developing my skills in recording and music production. In 1984, I built my first recording studio, and in 1987, I founded Midi Plus Recording. The commercial facility later expanded into a 24-track studio serving artists throughout Southern New England.

As technology evolved, so did my business. I founded Digital Wave Recording in Fall River, Massachusetts, expanding my services to include video production, photography, editing, and graphic design for musicians, businesses, and organizations.

My connection with Cabo Verde began during my first visit as a performer in the late 1990s. I developed a deep appreciation for the country’s culture, music, and people and soon began performing with many of its most celebrated artists. After years of returning to perform and collaborate, I relocated to Praia in 2010 and established XL Produções, a recording and multimedia studio in the city’s historic Plateau district.

Over the following decade, I became deeply involved in Cabo Verde’s music, television, and live entertainment industries. I performed throughout the archipelago at festivals, concerts, galas, and national television productions, including the Cabo Verde Music Awards, Gala Somos Cabo Verde, Atlantic Music Expo, Kriol Jazz Festival, and all three seasons of Talentu Strela.

My broadcast work included 24 episodes of Kintal di Belinha and all three Convida Live Concert Series productions for RTP África. As a musician, producer, and engineer, I also collaborated with many of Cabo Verde’s most respected artists, providing recording, mixing, music production, television production, and post-production services.

My work in television has included serving as a producer, director, editor, audio engineer, music director, and live production specialist on programs, documentaries, concerts, and special events. This broad experience has made me a trusted creative partner for broadcasters, production companies, artists, businesses, and nonprofit organizations.

In early 2020, I returned to the United States as the COVID-19 pandemic brought the global entertainment industry to a standstill. Although I initially planned to return to Cabo Verde once the industry recovered, new opportunities emerged as I rebuilt my business in New England. I ultimately decided to remain in the United States while maintaining strong professional ties to Cabo Verde and Portugal.

Since then, I’ve continued traveling to Cabo Verde to provide audio recording, live sound, and broadcast mixing for televised music productions with Agência Caboverdiana de Imagens. In 2023, I also assumed production of the television series Conta-Me. These projects allow me to remain actively involved in Cabo Verde’s music and broadcast industries while expanding Robert Leonardo Creative in the United States.

I also continue to tour internationally as Music Director and drummer for recording artist Dynamo, bringing Cabo Verdean music to audiences around the world.

Today, through Robert Leonardo Creative, I draw upon my experience in music, broadcast television, live events, and multimedia production to transform ideas into polished, professional work. Whether I’m producing a television program, engineering live audio, directing a video shoot, or performing on stage, my focus remains on combining creativity with technical precision to produce work that connects with audiences and stands the test of time.

More than forty years after building my first studio, I’m still driven by the passion that began behind a drum kit at age twelve: listening carefully, understanding the story, and creating work that people remember.