Mozambique: Ivan Velhanos, 1976-2021 – the soul of the ‘Rockfellers’

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambique: Ivan Velhanos, 1976-2021 – the soul of the ‘Rockfellers’

9:08 CAT | 28 Jul 2021

Photo: O País

Evangelos Velhanos, affectionately known as “Ivan”, founding member, bassist and leader of the Mozambican rock band ‘Rockfellers’, died in Maputo on Tuesday from Covid-19 complications. He was 45 years old.

He was born in Maputo on June 11, 1976, the third of nine children, and baptised Evangelos Alberto Velhanos. But among family, friends and in the world of music, he was known simply as “Ivan”.

The third son of Alberto André Velhanos and Marta Zandamela, Ivan lived his music intensely and dreamed the dream. With friends Marco Ribeiro and Victor Ribeiro, he founded the rock band Inéditos, which later changed its name to Rockfellers.

The rock group became popular thanks to their instrumental rigour and the enduring relevance of the themes their songs dealt with: simple, current and disconcerting. In large part, the band’s success was due to Ivan’s musical vision.

Band member Xavier Machiana recalled on Tuesday that he joined the Rockfellers at Ivan’s invitation. “I would not have followed a musical career, otherwise. Ivan is responsible for me being a musician today.”

As in Machiana’s case, the decision to invite new members to join the Rockefeller’s always passed through Ivan, the soul who connected all the band members, and one who never left.

In his dedication to music, Ivan strived for perfection and demanded It in others. He was a dreamer, energetic and hardworking. In addition to playing the bass guitar, he also composed, penning “Namorado”, one of the band’s greatest hits.

Music aside, ‘Ivan’ had a degree in law and was a dedicated entrepreneur and innovator even into the last months of his life, spent working on establishing a brand of locally produced organic products.

At the age of 45, he became infected with the coronavirus. On discovering this, he self-isolated at home and began to treat himself, but his condition worsened and he was hospitalised in a Maputo health clinic.

The rock man held out for four days, but his time on earth was at an end. At dawn on Tuesday, the Velhanos family, band members, friends and fans heard the tragic news: “Ivan is no longer with us.”

The deceased artist was the driving force of a youth movement established in the country for approximately 20 years. Evan, Ellis and Nayika, his three children, were left without a father; Alberto André Velhanos and Marta Zandamela were left without their third child; António, Graça, Amélia and Easter lost a brother; and Mozambican music and culture was robbed of a premium instrumentalist and composer.

That is why today was not just another day for those who continue to love Ivan, and were not even able to say goodbye.

Ivan was buried this Wednesday morning at Michafulene cemetery in Maputo. Rock music will never forget him.

Source: O País / Moz24