Elza Gomes da Conceição, known professionally as Elza Soares (June 23, 1930… Read Full Bio ↴Elza Gomes da Conceição, known professionally as Elza Soares (June 23, 1930, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – January 20, 2022, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), was a Brazilian singer and songwriter, regarded as one of the biggest names of samba music and MPB.
In 1999, she was elected by BBC Radio London as the Brazilian singer of the millennium. The choice originated from the British radio project The Millennium Concerts, created to celebrate the arrival of the year 2000. In addition, Soares appears on the list of the 100 greatest voices of Brazilian music prepared by Rolling Stone Brazil magazine.
Soares lived in extreme poverty throughout her childhood and teen, getting married at 12 and having her first child at 13. Soares had her first audition in radio at Ary Barroso's novice show when she was 16, winning first place. She was then hired as a crooner by the Orquestra Garam de Bailes (led by conductor Joaquim Naegli). She worked in the orchestra until 1954, when she became pregnant. In 1955, she was invited to star together with Grande Otelo in the play Jour-Jou-Fru-Fru, which was a smash.
Three years later, Soares toured Argentina, returning in the next year when she was hired by Rádio Vera Cruz. Also in 1959, she recorded a 78 rpm with "Se Acaso Você Chegasse" (Lupício Rodrigues/Felisberto Martins), one of her biggest hits. In 1960, she went to São Paulo where she performed regularly in the show I Festival Nacional de Bossa Nova and recorded her first LP, Se Acaso Você Chegasse.
In 1962, she represented Brazil in Chile during the World Soccer Cup, where she met Garrincha, one of the most genial soccer players ever, and also a chronic alcoholic. With Garrincha, Soares had a very troubled marriage (and the untimely demise of their son Garrinchinha in 1986 in a car accident didn't help her in any way).
The peak of her career was in the '60s, with albums like O Máximo em Samba (1967), Elza Soares & Wilson das Neves (1968), Elza, Miltinho e Samba (a three-album series shared with Miltinho). In that decade she had several hits like "Boato," "Edmundo" (a version of "In the Mood"), "Beija-me," "Devagar Com a Louça," "Mulata Assanhada," "O Mundo Encantado de Monteiro Lobato," "Bahia de Todos os Deuses," "Palmas no Portão," and "Palhaçada."
Having recorded several albums with the hits "Só Danço Samba" (Tom Jobim/Vinícius de Moraes), "A Banca do Distinto" (Billy Blanco), "Pressentimento" (Elton Medeiros/Hermínio Bello de Carvalho), and "Princesa Isabel" (Sérgio Ricardo), she moved to Italy in 1969, where she performed at the Sistina theater (Rome), returning to Brazil in 1972. In the same year, she opened the show Elza Em Dia de Graça at the Opinião theater (Rio) and participated in the Brasil Export Show (Canecão).
In the '70s, she still had success with "Salve a Mocidade" (1974), and "Malandro" (1977, this song launched Jorge Aragão as a composer). But it wasn't enough to prevent her from facing huge economical adversities and at the same time, she was being systematically turned away by recording companies.
Trying unsuccessfully to develop a career abroad, she returned to Brazil in 1994, poor and depressed. Finally, she was rediscovered in the '80s by the younger generations of Brazilian rockers (Os Titãs, Lobão) and MPB artists like Caetano Veloso
Soares was awarded a Sharp Prize award as the Best Samba Singer of 1997. In November 1999, Soares participated in the show Desde Que o Samba é Samba (at Royal Albert Hall, London, England), together with Chico Buarque, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, and Virgínia Rodrigues.
In 2000, her life was depicted in the musical Crioula, which had several songs written specially for her by Chico Buarque, Chico César, Nei Lopes, and others. In 2000, she was appointed Singer of the Millennium by London's BBC. Soares continues to challenge her destiny, performing shows in every venue available.
Alvaro Neder, All Music Guide
In 1999, she was elected by BBC Radio London as the Brazilian singer of the millennium. The choice originated from the British radio project The Millennium Concerts, created to celebrate the arrival of the year 2000. In addition, Soares appears on the list of the 100 greatest voices of Brazilian music prepared by Rolling Stone Brazil magazine.
Soares lived in extreme poverty throughout her childhood and teen, getting married at 12 and having her first child at 13. Soares had her first audition in radio at Ary Barroso's novice show when she was 16, winning first place. She was then hired as a crooner by the Orquestra Garam de Bailes (led by conductor Joaquim Naegli). She worked in the orchestra until 1954, when she became pregnant. In 1955, she was invited to star together with Grande Otelo in the play Jour-Jou-Fru-Fru, which was a smash.
Three years later, Soares toured Argentina, returning in the next year when she was hired by Rádio Vera Cruz. Also in 1959, she recorded a 78 rpm with "Se Acaso Você Chegasse" (Lupício Rodrigues/Felisberto Martins), one of her biggest hits. In 1960, she went to São Paulo where she performed regularly in the show I Festival Nacional de Bossa Nova and recorded her first LP, Se Acaso Você Chegasse.
In 1962, she represented Brazil in Chile during the World Soccer Cup, where she met Garrincha, one of the most genial soccer players ever, and also a chronic alcoholic. With Garrincha, Soares had a very troubled marriage (and the untimely demise of their son Garrinchinha in 1986 in a car accident didn't help her in any way).
The peak of her career was in the '60s, with albums like O Máximo em Samba (1967), Elza Soares & Wilson das Neves (1968), Elza, Miltinho e Samba (a three-album series shared with Miltinho). In that decade she had several hits like "Boato," "Edmundo" (a version of "In the Mood"), "Beija-me," "Devagar Com a Louça," "Mulata Assanhada," "O Mundo Encantado de Monteiro Lobato," "Bahia de Todos os Deuses," "Palmas no Portão," and "Palhaçada."
Having recorded several albums with the hits "Só Danço Samba" (Tom Jobim/Vinícius de Moraes), "A Banca do Distinto" (Billy Blanco), "Pressentimento" (Elton Medeiros/Hermínio Bello de Carvalho), and "Princesa Isabel" (Sérgio Ricardo), she moved to Italy in 1969, where she performed at the Sistina theater (Rome), returning to Brazil in 1972. In the same year, she opened the show Elza Em Dia de Graça at the Opinião theater (Rio) and participated in the Brasil Export Show (Canecão).
In the '70s, she still had success with "Salve a Mocidade" (1974), and "Malandro" (1977, this song launched Jorge Aragão as a composer). But it wasn't enough to prevent her from facing huge economical adversities and at the same time, she was being systematically turned away by recording companies.
Trying unsuccessfully to develop a career abroad, she returned to Brazil in 1994, poor and depressed. Finally, she was rediscovered in the '80s by the younger generations of Brazilian rockers (Os Titãs, Lobão) and MPB artists like Caetano Veloso
Soares was awarded a Sharp Prize award as the Best Samba Singer of 1997. In November 1999, Soares participated in the show Desde Que o Samba é Samba (at Royal Albert Hall, London, England), together with Chico Buarque, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, and Virgínia Rodrigues.
In 2000, her life was depicted in the musical Crioula, which had several songs written specially for her by Chico Buarque, Chico César, Nei Lopes, and others. In 2000, she was appointed Singer of the Millennium by London's BBC. Soares continues to challenge her destiny, performing shows in every venue available.
Alvaro Neder, All Music Guide
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Elza Soares Lyrics
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