By Arthur Lacau de Sá, vocalist of Khaos Purposes
In the heart of RIO GRANDE DO SUL, where the fields breathe history under the pampas wind, unfolds the saga of the ALVES DE SÁ FAMILY — a story made of land, voice, faith, and destiny.
The lineage begins with PEDRO ALVES DE SÁ I, a free man from the 19TH CENTURY, patriarch of a generation marked by land ownership and rural authority. His son, PEDRO ALVES DE SÁ II, was an imposing figure: deep blue eyes, completely white hair and beard, and a white horse almost as bright as him. During his life, he managed over 100 HECTARES of land in SANTA BÁRBARA DO SUL, lands that formed the heart of the family’s agricultural life.
Pedro II had several legitimate sons, among them AMAZÍLIO ALVES DE SÁ, who inherited the family estate along with his legitimate siblings. However, Amazílio was a GAMBLER, addicted to gambling, and ended up losing everything little by little in the bets that consumed him. After PEDRO II’S DEATH IN THE 1970s, much of the land was donated to the SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH, giving rise to the ACAMPAMENTO ADVENTISTA DO SÉTIMO DIA DE SANTA BÁRBARA DO SUL (SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CAMP OF SANTA BARBARA DO SUL), still visited by generations of the very family that once owned it.
On another branch, the story connects to another free man: ANTONIO JOSÉ DE ALMEIDA, also a farmer and landowner, whose father was a free man, indicating a legitimate lineage and inheritance. He married MARIA POLIDORO, of ITALIAN ORIGIN. Together, they had VERGILINA, a strong and maternal woman who would become Amazílio’s wife. It was from this union between the rural lineage of the ALVES DE SÁ and the ITALIAN AND PORTUGUESE BLOOD of the ALMEIDA and POLIDORO that DILSON ALMEIDA DE SÁ was born — heir not only to the history of his land but also to his voice.
DILSON ALMEIDA DE SÁ, son of Amazílio and Vergilina, was a CHRISTIAN OPERA SINGER. He inherited and passed on the firm tone of the Portuguese and Italian voice that Maria Polidoro bequeathed to the family’s blood. But his contribution went beyond the vocal gift: HE WAS A VOCAL COACH TO HIS OWN SON FOR 19 YEARS, starting at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, in a family environment where he, his wife Vera, and his two sons — ARTHUR AND GABRIEL — formed a family choir. Arthur’s first musical contact happened through hymns sung by family and churchgoers, and his first guitar teacher was REINALDO GOMES, at 8 years old.
Dilson was also a 1ST LIEUTENANT OF THE BRIGADA MILITAR, the Military Police of RIO GRANDE DO SUL. In 2022, after his natural death, he was posthumously promoted to HONORARY CAPTAIN — and thus will always be remembered.
On the maternal side, the LACAU French family enters the scene. The maternal grandfather, ASTROGILDO ALVES LACAU, son of FRANCISCO DA SILVA LACAU. The LACAU FAMILY, descendants of 12 BROTHERS AND 3 SISTERS (WITH 1 BROTHER AND ONE SISTER DECEASED), is unique in BRAZIL AND SOUTH AMERICA (except in the USA and Canada). All South American Lacaus are, in some way, distant relatives — a common root of a rare and distinctive surname.
It was from this lineage that VERA LACAU was born, who joined Dilson and together continued the legacy. From their union was born ARTHUR LACAU DE SÁ, THE SINGER WHO CARRIES THE VOICE OF DILSON DE SÁ TODAY, and his own, marked by high notes influenced mainly by CHRIS CORNELL and AXL ROSE. He often says:
“When I sing low, it is my own father that resonates; when I sing at the height of the heavens, I am myself.”
His youngest brother, GABRIEL LACAU DE SÁ, also carries this vocal heritage, sharing with Arthur the chorus of the last track of the EP SLUMBER NIGHT, GABRIEL AS THE DEEP VOICE and ARTHUR THE SMOOTH ONE, showing that Gabriel too has this voice.
IT WAS ALSO HIS FATHER WHO INTRODUCED HIM TO CHRIS CORNELL. When Chris died in 2017, Dilson saw the news on Globo News, called his son to the living room and said, laughing:
“This is the fate of those who have long hair, you see?”
Arthur would truly get to know his music the following year, watching the music video for Like a Stone. In other words (“Hold my hand 🎵”), if it weren’t for his father, he might not have wanted to sing high notes either.
R.I.P. HONORARY CAPTAIN DILSON ALMEIDA DE SÁ
1945 – 2022
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