Two teenage aspiring singer brothers were killed in a road crash before they could perform their first gig.
Samuel and Mateus Santos de Almeida, 17 and 14, died when the motorbike they were riding with their father was struck by a pick-up truck on Monday night (1 Sept).
Their father, 40-year-old Josenilson Santana de Almeida, was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
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The driver reportedly fled on foot, and angry locals later set fire to his vehicle.
The crash occurred on a stretch of the BR-101 highway near Presidente Tancredo Neves, in Bahia, Brazil.
The brothers had gone viral online, amassing over 200,000 followers in just a week after posting videos of themselves singing arrocha – a romantic, slow-tempo Brazilian music style from Bahia.
Just a week before the crash, on Monday (25 Aug), they had shared a video of their first studio session.
Online talent promoter Big Lobo, who helped them record their first original track, said: “Their first show never happened.
“They came from a very simple, humble family. They started singing at school and in church.
“They made a video on Instagram, and it went viral in the region. We took them to a studio, and they recorded three songs as a gift.”
The brothers had signed with a manager last week, as reported by Need To Know.
Big Lobo added, “They were two young people with their whole lives ahead of them. Two kids who had the happiest, most intense week of their lives.
“They were so full of joy. There’s nothing to say, nothing to explain. It’s just inexplicable.”
The tragedy came before Samuel and Mateus could fulfil their dream of performing with the band Toque Dez, who had invited them to a local show.
Their cousin, Ronaldo Santos, told local media: “They used to say they dreamed of singing with Pablo and Toque Dez.”
Their headmistress, Neide, said: “They would sing in the classroom while doing their schoolwork, making the atmosphere fun. They were the joy of the school.”
The brothers were laid to rest in Corte de Pedra. Their father remains hospitalised in Santo Antônio de Jesus.
Police are investigating the crash, and the driver has yet to be identified.
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