My absolute favorite Brazilian performer is Maria Rita.
Maria Rita (full name: Maria Rita Mariano) is a Brazilian singer who comes by her deep musicality and immense talent honestly; she is the daughter of the late Elis Regina perhaps the most internationally famous Brazilian singer ever, and César Camargo Mariano a famous Brazilian composer.
I first saw Maria Rita perform at Canecão, the very temple of MPB, or Música Popular Brasileira, in Rio de Janeiro. That was 2003, and was her first show in Rio. It sold out and had the audience in tears. By New Year’s Day (Reveillon) some four months later when she played to a crowd of hundreds of thousands on Copacabana beach, the entire crowd knew every word of every song. This image has stuck with me, and is indeed a strong testament to the national passion for music as well as to the power of her performance and songs.
Maria Rita enjoys the opportunity to collaborate with the best of the best Brazilian songwriters, folks like Milton Nascimento and Marcelo Camelo. She certainly does these amazing songs justice, and the close relationships she maintains with her writers and band members is equally apparent.
Though Maria Rita has wanted to be a singer for over a decade, it was arguably very wise for her to bide her time until the moment was right. She gained instant attention as the result of the national love for her mother, and when she appeared on stage in São Paulo and Rio for the first time as a major-label solo artist, Maria and her voice were well-prepared. Her performance style harkens to that of her mother; many swear that she inherited many on-stage mannerisms from her Elis.
The college years saw Maria Rita in New York City, at NYU, where she earned degrees in Latin American Studies and Communications. She speaks absolutely perfect English, which she trotted out at a concert I attended in Boston at Berklee Performance Center.
Final note: though this statement would be viewed by many as heresy, I do belive that Maria Rita has a stronger and more clarion voice than her mother.
Links: | Official Site | Terrific Fan Site | NPR Interview | YouTube Videos of Maria Rita | Amazon Products |
Comments:
Rod beauchamp:
i am listening to Maria Rita now and she is fanatastic! Very mellow of course reminds me of Brazil 66. She is singing in portuguese so far.
Interestingly the way i discovered her was looking for a girl named Mariarita with whom i played chess on Chesscube on the internet.