Biography
Who is Ben Cristovao?
Early life and family
Ben was born in Plzeň, Czechia. His mother is Czech and his father comes from Angola. He has a sister named Bianca who works as a stand-up comedian. Ben is also known by the professional names Benny Cristo and Ben da Silva Cristóvão.
Musical beginnings and career
Ben Cristovao first gained national attention in 2009 as a finalist on the talent competition Česko Slovenská SuperStar. This experience encouraged him to pursue music professionally. He released his debut studio album titled Definitely Different. Shortly after, he followed this with his second studio album, Benny Cristo, which featured collaborations with singer Monika Bagárová.
Throughout his career, Ben has explored various genres and projects. In 2013, he released his third studio album, Made in Czechoslovakia. That same year, he received a nomination for the Český slavík award for Music Video of the Year for his track Bomby. In 2016, he won the Český slavík award for Most Streamed Czech Song with ASIO. He later released an EP titled Poslední in 2017 and another titled Kontakt in 2019. Ben has also collaborated with other artists like Mária Čírová on the song Padam for the movie Backstage.
Eurovision and film work
Ben Cristovao was selected to represent the Czech Republic in the Eurovision Song Contest. Initially, he was chosen for the 2020 event in Rotterdam with the song Kemama, but the contest was cancelled due to the global pandemic. He was confirmed to return for the 2021 competition. He performed the song Omaga during the second semifinal but did not qualify for the final round, finishing in 15th place.
Beyond singing, Ben has appeared in various media. He served as a judge on the talent show Česko Slovenská Superstar in 2018. Also, he pursued acting roles, including appearing as a dance competition judge in the film Backstage. In 2022, he played the role of Adjar, a Cuman mercenary, in the historical film Medieval.
Sports and activism
Outside of entertainment, Ben is an active sportsman who trains in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He has competed internationally, placing third in the medium heavy white belt category at the Asian Championship in September 2016. In October of that same year, he won a gold medal in the same category at the Madrid Open.
Ben is also a dedicated vegan and animal rights activist. He frequently supports campaigns regarding animal welfare. In 2018, he collaborated with the organization Obránci zvířat (OBRAZ) to provide a voiceover for a campaign video titled Jak to snáší, which highlighted the conditions of caged hens.
Birthday and age
Ben Cristovao was born on June 8, 1987, which makes Ben 39 years old today. That birthday falls under the Gemini sign. Ben shares the date with 31 other famous people.
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