Elza Soares "Mas Que Nada" (1970)
Elza Soares (Born June 23, 1937) is a Brazilian samba singer. She was married to Brazilian football player Garrincha. She is one of Brazils greatest samba singers, Elza is not only a Brazilian cultural icon, but a symbol of endurance and courage.
Born and raised in a favela in Rio de Janeiro, Soares took part in a singing contest presented by the renowned Brazilian musician Ary Barroso, and received the highest marks. In the late 1950s, Soares spent one year touring Argentina with Mercedes Batista. Soares became popular with her first single "Se Acaso Você Chegasse", on which she introduced the scat à la Louis Armstrong, adding a bit of jazz to samba. She moved to São Paulo, where she performed at theaters and night clubs. Her husky voice became her trademark. After finishing her second LP, A Bossa Negra, Elza went to Chile to represent Brazil in the 1962 Football World Cup. Her outgoing and over-the-edge style fascinated audiences in Brazil and abroad.
She began dating bossa nova performer Milton Banana, but in 1962 she met the great love of her life: Garrincha, one of the best soccer players in Brazilian history. They began an affair that would last nearly twenty years. However, the affair and their subsequent marriage would destroy both of their lives, since Garrincha was married with eight children. Their union turned into a huge scandal, and Elza endured abuse, death threats, harrassment, and even attempts on her life. Eventually, the situation got so bad that the couple moved to São Paulo. They went on to have a son together, Garrinchinha, but the couple split for good in 1977. At age 8, their son was killed in a car accident, and Elza moved to Los Angeles for a time, and also spent two and half years in Italy.
In the 1970s, she toured the U.S. and Europe. She has been singing for more than 40 years. In 2000, she was awarded "Best Singer of the Millennium" by the BBC in London, where she performed in a concert with Gal Costa, Chico Buarque, Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso and Virgínia Rodrigues. That same year, she played a series of avant-garde concerts directed by José Miguel Wisnik in Rio de Janeiro.
"Mas Que Nada" is a song originally written and performed by Jorge Ben in 1963, which in a later cover version became the signature song of Sérgio Mendes. In the United States, it is one of a few Brazilian songs that is widely known. It is worth noting that in the United States, the song is popularly credited to Mendes with Jorge relatively unknown, whereas in Brazil, the reverse is true.
Samba is a Brazilian musical genre derived from African and European roots. It is worldwide recognized as a symbol of Brazil and Carnival
