Manoel Gomes

Manoel Jardim Gomes (born 2 December 1969), better known as Manoel Gomes, is a Brazilian singer and composer. He's known for creating the song "Caneta Azul" ("Blue Pen"), which became a meme.

Biography
Manoel Gomes was born in Balsas, Maranhão, on December 2, 1969. He has had an interest in music since his youth and started songwriting at 15 years old. He studied until high school and worked as a security guard until 2019.

Career
He gained notoriety in the second half of 2019 due to the release of his song "Caneta Azul", based on his personal experience of frequently losing his pens at school. The song achieved viral popularity and was reinterpreted by various musical artists, such as Wesley Safadão and Simone Mendes. He only formally released the song after its viral success.

After his song went viral, Gomes began traveling across Brazil and visiting different states. It was at this time that Gomes announced that he was intending to release his first album of completely original songs. Despite being delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, the singer released his debut album Caneta Azul on August 21, 2020. In addition to the title track, which was produced in two version: bachata and axé, the album included songs such as "Maura", "Ela É Muito É Vagabunda" and "Parabéns".

Politics
Gomes was able to leverage the prior virality and success of his song "Caneta Azul" to revive his popularity in 2022 through the usage of social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Gomes then ran in the 2022 Maranhão gubernatorial election under the Liberal Party for the State Deputy title in his home state of Maranhão but lost after only receiving 7,543 votes.