Benito di Paula: key obituary facts
Is Benito di Paula dead? Yes. Benito di Paula died on October 18, 2026, at age 84.
Cause of death: Benito di Paula's cause of death was reported as Prostate cancer.
What was Benito di Paula known for?
He was a Brazilian singer, composer and pianist.
More about Benito di Paula
Born: 28 November 1941.
Place of birth: Nova Friburgo.
Gender: male.
Occupation: singer, pianist, composer, recording artist.
Nationality: Brazil.
Career began: 1968.
Also known as: Uday Vellozo.
Instruments: Vocal, piano.
Years active: 1956–present.
Benito di Paula, the Brazilian singer-songwriter, composer and pianist, died of prostate cancer on October 18, 2026, aged 84.
Born Uday Vellozo in Nova Friburgo, he became known professionally as Benito di Paula. His music was marked by samba, a style he developed after beginning to sing as a young man in hotels and nightclubs in Rio de Janeiro, where he performed in a range of genres.
An invitation from a friend to perform in Santos brought him to the state of São Paulo and helped set the course of his career there. He settled in São Paulo, raised a family and became a prominent figure in the city’s samba scene, often associated with Samba Paulista. Di Paula rose to broad popularity in the 1970s and 1980s, with his record sales reported at 50 million, making him one of Brazil’s top-selling recording artists. His releases also reached audiences beyond Brazil; he recorded in Spanish, French, Italian, Finnish and German, among other languages. Alongside singing and composing, he worked as a pianist and writer.