Brazilian sertanejo singer Lucas dies of heart attack in Portugal at 48

Death in Portugal

Lucas, born Edivaldo da Silva Rodrigues, died on Saturday, 15 August 2026, in Portugal, where he had been residing. He was 48 years old. According to family information cited by G1 and O Globo, Lucas suffered a heart attack during the early hours of Saturday and was found lifeless in his apartment. O Globo described the event as a massive heart attack that occurred as the singer was preparing for a performance in Esposende, in the Minho region. The family confirmed the death after the news was disclosed by the Espacial label, which published a note of sorrow on social media. He had a concert scheduled for that evening at the Festa de Nossa Senhora da Saude e da Soledade in Esposende, in the Braga district, where he was to perform alongside his nephew Matheus Junior. A further concert was booked for 21 August in the Azores. His body will be transferred to Brazil, where he will be buried.

A duo's trajectory

Lucas was born in Presidente Prudente, in the interior of Sao Paulo state. He rose to prominence as half of the sertanejo duo Lucas & Matheus, alongside his brother Matheus, whose real name was Edilson da Silva Rodrigues. The duo achieved success in Europe and became well known to the Portuguese public, where they developed much of their career and built a legion of admirers. Their hits included "Paciencia", "Porque Homem Nao Chora", and "Preciso do Teu Prazer", an adaptation into Portuguese of the Backstreet Boys' "As Long as You Love Me".

Matheus died in December 2020 from COVID-19. Lucas subsequently continued performing with Matheus's son, Matheus Junior, under the name Lucas & Matheus Junior. The project maintained a presence in Portuguese popular and romantic music. Their repertoire included songs such as "Casa da Mama", "So agora te encontrei", "Porque amo voce", and "Sem voce aqui", with several tracks identified in official Portuguese music records as 2023 releases associated with the Espacial label.

Tributes and reactions

The death was first announced by the Espacial label, which represented the duo and published a statement on Instagram and Facebook expressing "enormous sadness and deep sorrow." The label addressed condolences to Lucas's family, friends, professional colleagues, and all those who had the privilege of knowing and following his career, closing with the words: "Thank you for everything, Lucas. May you rest in peace."

“It is with enormous sadness and deep sorrow that Espacial announces the passing of Lucas, of the duo Lucas & Matheus Junior. Lucas was a striking voice and an artist much loved by the public, leaving in music a history and a legacy that will never be forgotten.”

Multiple artists responded to the news on social media. Iran Costa wrote "Rest in peace, friend" in the comments of Espacial's post. Ze Amaro left a white heart emoji, and Telmo Miranda responded with two crying emojis. Singer Rebeca wrote "My condolences." The Portuguese band Santamaria paid tribute on their own social media pages, describing the loss of a talent and a friend.

“The world of music has become poorer. We lost another talent, and a friend. Rest in peace, Lucas. Here, we will continue to remember your legacy. Our condolences to the whole family and friends.”