Luís Remo de Maria Bernardo Fernandes (born 8 May 1953) is a singer and musician from India with naturalized Portuguese citizenship. Known as a pioneer of Indian pop music, he performs pop/rock/Indian fusion and is also a film playback singer. His musical work is a fusion of many different cultures and styles that he has been exposed to as a child in Goa and in his later travels around the world. Such influences include Goan and Portuguese music, Sega music (from Mauritius and Seychelles), African music, Latin music (from Spain and South America), the music of erstwhile European communist states, those of the dance halls from Jamaica and Soca (from Trinidad and Tobago). Writing and singing songs in English made his success more rare and distinctive in the context of the Bollywood-dominated, Hindi language-based, occasionally even disco music scene that was popular in the 1980s and 1990s. His compositions in English, reflecting life and socio-political happenings in India with which every Indian could identify. His Hindi pop/rock and film songs became instant hits with the Indian masses, earning him Gold, Platinum and Double Platinum Discs. A popular stage performer in India, he has also taken part in many music festivals around the world. He has performed with members of international groups such as Jethro Tull, Led Zeppelin and Queen. He now writes and sings his songs in five different languages: English, Hindi, French, Portuguese and Konkani. Life and career 1953–1977: Early life and musical influences Remo Fernandes was born to the well-known Panjim family of Bernado and Luiza Fernandes on 8 May 1953. He has a sister named Belinda, who sings Brazilian songs. Although brought up in a Catholic family, Remo says he "realized that god is beyond religion". Remo's first introduction to rock music was at the age of seven, when a cousin returned from London with "Rock Around The Clock", a record by Bill Haley & His Comets. He spent the next decade listening to music of that era's most popular icons: In school, Remo developed his guitar playing skills along with a group of friends (Alexandre Rosario, Tony Godinho, and Caetano Abreu) and formed a school band with them, named 'The Beat 4'. He wrote his first songs around age 14. He won prizes best composer, best vocalist, and best lead guitarist in all-Goa competitions. After graduating from school, Remo went on to earn a bachelor's degree