The backstage professionals

One of his first managers, in the very beginning, was Rio de Janeiro-born Guilherme Araújo, in 1966. Interested in theatre and TV direction and at the time working as an assistant at Elenco record label, Araújo managed the first years of Gil’s career.

Araújo also managed the career of his Bahia-born colleagues Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa, and Maria Bethânia, musicians that were also starting around the same time.

Guilherme got involved in the creative choices of costume design and repertoire and became not only a manager but a reference to the young singer and songwriter from Bahia who was still beginning to write his name in the history of Brazilian music.

Even after that period, she continued to work in this capacity and became a proxy for Gil and other artists for a long time. Her prestige in the show business was such that, in 1991, she was immortalized in the verses of “W/Brazil,” by singer and songwriter Jorge Ben Jor.

Alô, Alô tia Léa / Hello, hello, Aunt Léa
Se estiver ventando muito / If it’s too windy
Não venha de helicóptero / Don’t ride the helicopter

After Guilherme Araújo left, in the mid-1970s, Gilberto Gil met yet another fundamental character for his career. Daniel Rodrigues started out as an assistant, in the production of Refavela album from 1977, and became his manager.

With Daniel, in 1978, Gilberto Gil founded his own company, Gege Produções Artísticas, up to this day in charge of managing his career as well as many other artists’. A newcomer into his life, his wife Flora Gil started working in collaboration with Daniel.

Married to Gilberto Gil since 1981, producer and manager Flora Gil had taken over the direction of Gege Produções Artísticas in 1982, first working with Daniel Rodrigues and later on her own, turning into a fundamental name in Gil’s career to this day.

One of her greatest legacies as a manager is the legal battle over the rights of Gil’s songs. Currently, the artist owns everything he ever produced, since the beginning of his career.

Apart from being Gil’s manager, Flora also runs the rehearsal and recording studio Palco, the Geleia Geral record label, which released part of Gil’s latest discography, and helped boost the careers of other artists, such as Preta Gil, AfroReggae, among others.

She is also ahead of Camarote Expresso 2222, since 1999 a hot spot in Salvador’s Carnaval, and of Jangada, a marketing digital agency.

Last wife of the poet and songwriter Vinicius de Moraes (1913–1980), and with a background in record labels, Gilda Mattoso became a legend in the music business for her work with big names in Brazilian popular music, such as Maria Bethânia, Caetano Veloso, and Tom Jobim.

Fafá Giordano, Flora’s sister, is the company’s executive producer—the one who sets the stage and puts concerts and further projects of the artist into motion. By her side, Gil’s daughter Maria Gil runs the logistics for national concerts and tours.

During the time Gil was in the Ministry of Culture (2003–2008), Maria acted as an aid in the exchange between the politician and the artist. She currently accompanies her father on national and international tours.

At Gege, producer Meny Lopes (1956 - 2022) is in charge of national and international tour deals.

When Gil is touring abroad (which he does at least once a year), American Jerry Marques works as producer and tour manager, running the crew all over the world.

Other employees of Gege Produções are Christyane Gusmão (accounts payable), Eveline Alves (Gege’s record label and management of royalties). and Marina Mattoso (social media).

Gilda Mattoso’s daughter, Marina, is Flora Gil’s business partner at Jangada, a marketing digital agency in charge of Gil’s and others social media management.

Such is the case of producers and journalists Andrea Franco and Cristina Doria (in the picture with Flora), and visual artist André Vallias (who has created several visual pieces for Gil, such as the book cover for Gil60 and the album covers for Camarote and Trio Expresso 2222).

Same goes for architect Nelci Frangipani, coordinator of Refazenda, a web design company. She is responsible for content creation for travelling exhibitions and projects.