[4] The 29th edition of the prize saw a posthumous tribute to his life's work, with the likes of Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethânia, among several others, performing famous Melodia songs.

The only son of Oswaldo, a civil servant and amateur samba musician, and Eurídice, a seamstress, he first discovered music through his father, who played at home: "I would fetch his viola, try out a few chords and keep an eye on him.

"[6][7] In light of his early affinity with music, Melodia decided to defy his father's plans, which were to have him finish school and pursue higher education.

[8] After dropping out of middle school, likely in 1964, Melodia spent his teenage years writing songs (never recorded) and playing Jovem Guarda and Bossa Nova hits with his newly-formed band Os Instantâneos (The Swift Boys; could be intended as a pun for The Snapshots) alongside friends Manoel, Nazzareno and Mizinho.

[7] He was also in another band, Os Filhos do Sol (The Sons of the Sun); they would play whatever it took to fire up a party, often times by singing in impromptu made-up English.

Soon, well-connected morro scene habitués, Tropicália-related poet Waly Salomão and journalist Torquato Neto brought Melodia closer to mainstream music industry.

[9] A short lyrics excerpt is extant from his early period: 'Amo o céu e terra / e também o mar / amo a vontade que tenho de amar.'

[9][10] Instead, Melodia offered Costa another song, Pérola negra (Black Pearl), which she live-recorded for album -Fa-Tal- Gal a Todo Vapor (Fatal—Gal at Full Steam).

The title track, with its sleek arrangement for brass, double bass, voice and piano, was depicted as a 'tormented love song which stands as a hallmark to Melodia's oeuvre'.

[13] While his attitude at the time was reported to preserve the irreverence and restlessness of his samba scene background, the record may have earned Melodia a reputation as a maudit (accursed) artist among critics, alongside others like Raimundo Fagner and João Bosco.

[9] During the 1970s, Melodia was reported as leading a licentious life, having no papers or a bank account for some time, and as disorderly spending all his money earned from performances.

In Pintando o sete, Melodia included a version of hit song pt:Codinome Beija-Flor (I Go by Hummingbird), made legendary by singer Cazuza.

In the same year, Melodia made a guest appearance on album Guitarra brasileira (Brazilian Guitar) by musical partner Renato Piau, being credited on two of the tracks.

In 1999, he released a live acoustic album (Luiz Melodia: acústico, ao vivo) featuring guitarists pt:Renato Piau and Perinho Santana, which would result in a namesake concert tour the following year.

The title track, whose name makes an obvious reference to James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is set to verses by Brazilian poet Manoel de Barros.

In 2006, he performed at Teatro Rival, in Rio de Janeiro and was featured on the cover of Carioquice magazine, a publication of the Cravo Albin Institute.

[17] In 2011, Melodia was a guest on fourth solo album by Titãs band member Sérgio Britto Purabossanova (a portmanteau for Pure Bossa Nova), which was released in September that year.

In 2014, during a concert at Teatro Rival, Melodia released his 13th solo album pt:Zerima (an anagram for Marize, his sister's name, who had passed away two years earlier), recorded at Som Livre studios.