Thiago Pantaleão

Thiago Caitano Romeiro Pantaleão (born September 5, 1997) is a Brazilian singer, songwriter, and dancer. His music blends R&B, pop, and funk carioca with lyrics addressing themes of self-acceptance, identity, and social issues including LGBTQ+ rights and anti-racism.

Pantaleão gained attention through social media, particularly after his 2020 single "Tipo Iza" received support from established Brazilian artists including Iza and Liniker. In 2021, he collaborated with Danny Bond on the single "Te Deixo Crazy." In 2022, he signed with Som Livre and released his debut album Fim do Mundo, followed by the EP Nova Era Part. I in 2023 and the album Nova Era in 2024.

Early life

Thiago Caitano Romeiro Pantaleão was born on September 5, 1997, in Vassouras, Rio de Janeiro, and raised in the Jardim Nova Era neighborhood of Paracambi in the state's metropolitan region. He is the son of Bianca Pantaleão, a housekeeper and artisan, and a father who worked as a truck driver and church musician.

Pantaleão's musical upbringing began in his family's evangelical church, where his mother served as a vocalist and his father as a musician. He has described his mother as his first "gospel diva," recalling how he would accompany her singing on stage from an early age.

In 2021, Pantaleão collaborated with Danny Bond on the single "Te Deixo Crazy." The song accumulated over 3 million streams across YouTube and Spotify within six months of its release.

In early 2022, Pantaleão gained viral attention after sharing photos wearing a crocheted bikini made by his mother, inspired by a design worn by Jade Picon on Big Brother Brasil 22. The moment led to an invitation to the Vogue Ball at Copacabana Palace.

On June 16, 2022, Pantaleão signed with Som Livre record label, with artistic direction by Pablo Bispo, musical production by Ruxell and Gondim, and management by Liga Entretenimento. He subsequently released the single "Desculpa por Eu Não Te Amar."

In September 2022, Pantaleão released his debut studio album Fim do Mundo, a nine-track project blending pop and rock with influences from superheroes, anime, and K-pop. He also performed his first major television appearance on Música Boa Ao Vivo on Multishow, sharing the stage with Gloria Groove, Priscilla, and Grag Queen. He also performed at Rock in Rio for the first time that year. In September 2023, he collaborated with Lexa on the funk carioca single "Rabisca," produced by Ruxell and filmed in a park in the northern zone of Rio de Janeiro.

In November 2023, Pantaleão released the EP Nova Era Part. I, featuring five tracks, four of which were previously unreleased. The project served as the first installment of a larger artistic concept examining his past to understand his identity as an artist. The title Nova Era references both the Jardim Nova Era neighborhood where he grew up and his artistic evolution. The album draws sonically and aesthetically from Brazil's 1990s and 2000s, incorporating elements of R&B, funk carioca, and pop rooted in his suburban Rio de Janeiro upbringing. Pantaleão returned to Rock in Rio in 2024, performing at the Espaço Favela stage on September 14 with a 17-song setlist.

In September 2024, ahead of the blocking of Twitter in Brazil, Pantaleão posted a twerking video as his final post on X/Twitter. The video attracted attention from international artists including Lil Nas X and accumulated over one million views. In an interview with Out, Pantaleão described the platform as his most personal social network and expressed sadness over its blocking. By that point, he had accumulated approximately 1.3 million followers on TikTok, 859,000 on Instagram, and over 26.4 million views on his YouTube channel. In September, he released "Mesmo Lugar," a collaboration with Nigerian-born producer and bassist Simbiat Ebhohon, described as a return to the R&B and new soul influences central to his earlier work. He subsequently released the single "Ainda Não Te Amo" in October.

Artistry

Pantaleão's musical style incorporates R&B, pop, and funk carioca, blending modern production with Brazilian rhythms drawn from the suburban Rio de Janeiro culture of the 1990s and 2000s. The Nova Era project explores themes of religious conflict, sexual identity, and suburban life, using visual elements from sacred art and Brazilian family traditions. Since 2023, he has been in a relationship with Miran, one of his dancers and choreographers, which he has described as an open relationship.

Pantaleão has spoken openly about creating an OnlyFans account, describing the experience in an interview with Quem as having significantly boosted his self-confidence. He recounted that insecurity about his physical appearance during childhood led him to begin weightlifting in adolescence, and that the positive response he received on the platform helped him feel more confident in his appearance. He also noted that the financial returns allowed him to support his mother.

Discography

Studio albums Title Year Details Fim do Mundo 2022 Released: September 2022 Label: Som Livre Nova Era 2024 Released: August 16, 2024 Label: Som Livre

Extended plays Title Year Nova Era Part. I 2023 We4Sessions 2025

Selected singles Title Year Notes "Tipo Iza" 2020 "Te Deixo Crazy" 2021 featuring Danny Bond "Desculpa por Eu Não Te Amar" 2022 "Mente Pra Mim" 2023 "Rabisca" 2023 with Lexa "Malícia" 2023 "Sócia" 2023 Aretuza Lovi featuring Thiago Pantaleão and Lia Clark "Sai da Frente" 2024 featuring Karol Conká "Na Batucada" 2024 "Mesmo Lugar" 2025 with Simbiat Ebhohon "relações superficiais" 2025 with Bruno Gadiol "Ainda Não Te Amo" 2025

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2021 BreakTudo Awards National Collaboration "Te Deixo Crazy" (with Danny Bond) 2022 BreakTudo Awards National Breakthrough Artist Thiago Pantaleão Prêmio Potências Experimente / Breakthrough / New Artist of the Year Thiago Pantaleão 2023 Prêmio Multishow Breakthrough Artist Thiago Pantaleão Prêmio Biscoito Breakthrough of the Valley Thiago Pantaleão Choreography of the Valley "Fim do Mundo" Collaboration of the Year "Sócia" (Aretuza Lovi feat. Thiago Pantaleão & Lia Clark) Hit of the Valley "Desculpa por Eu Não Te Amar" Album of the Valley Fim do Mundo