Maria Bethânia

Maria Bethânia is one of the most beloved and enduring of all Brazilian singers. After releasing her self-titled debut in 1965, she became one of the most prominent voices to emerge from the MPB/Tropicalia eras. She has released more than 60 albums including A Tua Presenca, Drama, Pássaro Da Manhã, Alibi, and Mel. The latter made her the first female Brazilian singer to sell a million copies of a recording. 1976's Doces Bárbaros documented an MPB supergroup of the same name that included Bethânia, Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, and Gal Costa and is one of the best-selling albums in Brazil's history. In 2003 she released the smash Brasileirinho, a collection of pointedly Brazilian songs and styles. In 2008 she collaborated with Cuban singer Omara Portuondo on an eponymous album. In 2019 she issued Mangueira A Menina dos Meus Olhos, a celebration of the Rio carnival samba school.