By the age of fifteen she had decided to become a musician, and by her late teens she had studied music theory, as well as the violão (nylon-stringed Brazilian guitar). Her songs reveal her many influences, which include samba, valsa, choro, soul, rhythm and blues, hip hop, reggae, afrobeat, and electrojazz. In particular, she cites as influences the music of Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Lauryn Hill, and Erykah Badu.
By her late teens Céu was performing onstage with major artists and exploring the repertoire of the marchinhas (turn-of-the-century carnival music). Soon after that she relocated temporarily to New York City, where she had a chance meeting with fellow Brazilian musician Antonio Pinto, who became her flatmate while he was going through some financial difficulties. She later learned that he was actually a distant cousin, and their relationship was renewed when he teamed up with lead producer Beto Villares, composer of the musical score for the film O Ano em que Meus Pais Saíram de Férias, to help her record her album.
Rosa Menina Rosa
Céu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Vem que eu quero ver você sambar
Rosa, menina Rosa
Vem que eu quero ver você sambar
Me disseram que você, menina Rosa
Samba demais
E o meu samba vai ficar pra trás
Rosa, menina Rosa
Vem que eu quero ver você sambar
Rosa, menina Rosa
Vem que eu quero ver você sambar
Pois o teu samba tem mistério
E é gostoso de sambar
Se você gosta de sambar
Você vai ter que balançar
Rosa, menina Rosa
Vem que eu quero ver você sambar
Rosa, menina Rosa
Vem que eu quero ver você brincar
Me disseram que você menina Rosa
Samba demais
E o meu samba vai ficar pra trás
In the song "Rosa Menina Rosa," Céu sings about a girl named Rosa who loves to samba. The lyrics express the singer's desire to see Rosa dance and to learn from her samba skills. The song begins with the repeated line "Rosa, menina Rosa/Vem que eu quero ver você sambar," which translates to "Rosa, girl Rosa/Come and let me see you dance." The singer has heard that Rosa is an excellent dancer and worries that her own samba will not be good enough in comparison.
The chorus repeats the same rhyming pattern, and the lyrics express admiration for Rosa's dance prowess. "Pois o teu samba tem mistério/E é gostoso de sambar" translates to "Because your samba has mystery/And it's enjoyable to dance." The singer encourages Rosa to dance and "balançar," which means to sway or move to the rhythm of the music. The song ends with another reminder that Rosa is a fantastic dancer, which could make the singer's own samba pale in comparison.
Line by Line Meaning
Rosa, menina Rosa
Addressing a girl named Rosa and emphasizing her name
Vem que eu quero ver você sambar
Inviting Rosa to dance samba
Me disseram que você, menina Rosa
Acknowledging that someone told her about Rosa
Samba demais
Rosa is very good at samba
E o meu samba vai ficar pra trás
Implying that she will be left behind in comparison
Pois o teu samba tem mistério
Recognizing that Rosa's samba has a unique quality
E é gostoso de sambar
Her samba is enjoyable to dance
Se você gosta de sambar
Suggesting that Rosa loves to dance samba
Você vai ter que balançar
Encouraging Rosa to let loose and dance
Vem que eu quero ver você brincar
Inviting Rosa to have fun and play around
Contributed by Nathan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.