Carmélia Alves facts for kids
Carmélia Alves (born February 14, 1923 – died November 3, 2012) was a famous Brazilian singer. People knew her as the "Queen of Baião" because she was one of the best performers of baião. Baião is a lively folk music style from Northeast Brazil.
Carmélia was born in a neighborhood called Bangu in Rio de Janeiro. When she was very young, her family moved to Areal, where she grew up. Her father loved parties and music. He would organize dance groups and celebrations for events like Carnaval and festas juninas. He also sang songs from Northeast Brazil to Carmélia as lullabies.
When Carmélia was 17, she went back to Rio de Janeiro to study. There, she became very interested in music. She especially loved Carmen Miranda, another famous singer, and listened to her songs on the radio.
Becoming a Star
Carmélia Alves became very successful in the 1950s. Her song "Sabiá na gaiola" was a big hit! She started her singing career at the Hotel Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro. At first, she sang popular songs by Carmen Miranda. Later, her friend, accordionist Luiz Gonzaga, introduced her to the music of Northeast Brazil. Luiz Gonzaga was also a famous baião musician. This new music inspired Carmélia to focus her entire career on baião.
Carmélia was married to another singer named Jimmy Lester for 50 years. They traveled and performed together all over the world, including countries like Argentina, Germany, and Mexico. They were so popular in Argentina that Carmélia even opened a part of her music company in Buenos Aires. In the year 2000, she created a group with other professional singers from the 1950s.
Later Years and Passing
Carmélia Alves passed away on November 3, 2012, at the age of 89. She died in a hospital in Rio de Janeiro due to cancer and Alzheimer's disease.
Popular Songs
Here are some of Carmélia Alves's most popular songs, listed in the order they were released:
- 1943 - Deixei de Sofrer
- 1944 - Quem Dorme no Ponto é Chofer
- 1949 - Me Leva (with Ivon Curi)
- 1950 - Coração Magoado
- 1950 - Trepa no Coqueiro
- 1951 - Sabiá na Gaiola
- 1951 - Pé de Manacá (with o Trio Madrigal)
- 1951 - Esta Noite Serenou
- 1951 - Cabeça Inchada
- 1956 - Cevando o Amargo
