Paulo Lopes was born in Lisbon, Portugal, where he started playing the piano at the age of 6. At the age of 9 he was awarded a scholarship to the Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon and joined the Conservatorio Nacional de Lisboa at the age of 11 where he had piano tuition from the pianist Leonor Leitão-Cadete. He then came to London to continue his studies at the Guildhall School of Music with Norman Beedie. In 1997 Paulo was admitted as Licentiate, Trinity College London. He is a prolific recitalist in the UK and in Europe having given several recitals in France and Holland, including some in aid of Amnesty International.

Paulo trained as a ballet dancer and combined his music career with the dance world spending several years as a ballet dancer with Scottish Ballet, London City Ballet and working in productions at the Royal Opera House in London.

He also teaches the piano and was the founder of Stoke Music in 2010.