Claudia Leitte facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Claudia Leitte
Leitte at The Voice Brasil (2012)
Born	Cláudia Cristina Leite Inácio (1980-07-10) 10 July 1980 (age 44) São Gonçalo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Occupation	Singer television personality
Years active	2000–present
Spouse(s)	Márcio Pedreira ​ (m. 2007)​
Children	3
Musical career
Genres	Axé Latin pop pop
Labels	Universal Sony Som Livre Roc Nation

Cláudia Cristina Leite Inácio (born on July 10, 1980) is a Brazilian singer and TV star. She became famous in 2002 as the main singer of the Axé music group called Babado Novo. Axé music is a lively style from Brazil.

The group had many hit songs that sold millions of copies. They also earned five gold and platinum albums between 2003 and 2007. These awards came from the Brazilian Association of Record Producers (ABPD).

Claudia Leitte started her solo career and released her first album, Ao Vivo em Copacabana, in 2008. This album was recorded live in front of over a million people! It quickly became a huge success, earning gold and triple platinum awards. This made her one of Brazil's biggest stars. The first song from the album, "Exttravasa", became number one in Brazil. It was one of the best-selling songs that year and was played a lot on the radio.

In 2010, she released her first studio album, As Máscaras. This album topped the Billboard Brazilian Albums chart. It also got her a nomination for a Latin Grammy Award. In 2014, she recorded "We Are One (Ole Ola)" with Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez. This song was the official song for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Claudia Leitte is very popular in Brazil and Latin America. She has over 40 million followers on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. She has sold more than 10 million records. She has also won many awards, including a Latin Grammy. She was nominated for three World Music Awards in 2014 alone. Besides singing, she has been a coach and mentor on the Brazilian TV show The Voice, The Voice Kids, and The Voice +. She was the winning coach for two seasons of The Voice shows.

Early Life

Cláudia Cristina Leite Inácio was born in São Gonçalo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Her parents are Ilna Leite and Cláudio Inácio. Her family lived in São Paulo but was visiting São Gonçalo when she was born. Just five days after she was born, her family moved to Salvador, Bahia. This was her mother's hometown. Claudia has one younger brother named Cláudio Junior.

Claudia Leitte started working as an entertainer for kids' parties. At that time, she was also taking religion classes at her local church. But she would often secretly skip church to go to dance and acting classes. Before becoming a full-time singer, she tried studying law, communications, and music in college. However, she later dropped out of all of them. She would go to college in the morning and sing at bars and festivals at night.

At first, her family did not fully support her dream of being an artist. But they changed their minds during a tough financial time. Claudia's singing job became very important for the family's income. Later, she began her career as a backup singer for a local artist named Nando Borges.

In the 1990s, she worked with several music groups. These included Forró Violeta, Companhia do Pagode, and Nata do Samba. In Nata do Samba, she met Sérgio Rocha, a guitarist and songwriter. He later became the music director for Babado Novo and for much of Claudia's solo career.

Music Career

2001–2007: Babado Novo Group

After trying out different bands and music styles, Claudia Leitte decided to start her own Axé band in November 2001. She formed the band in Salvador, Bahia, with Sérgio Rocha from her previous band. They named the group Babado Novo. They also brought in other musicians: Buguelo, Alan Moraes, Luciano Pinto, Nino Balla, and Durval Luz. Cal Adan, who managed the famous group É o Tchan!, also managed them.

Their first independent song, "Cai Fora", helped the group get noticed. It led to a contract with Universal and Poly Music. They released their first album, Babado Novo, in 2003. This album quickly earned a gold record award. It sold over 500,000 copies that year. The album also had hit songs like "Eu Fico", "Canudinho", and "Amor à Prova". It included a new version of Roberto Carlos' "Amor Perfeito" and a remake of Led Zeppelin's "Dyer Maker". The title song "Babado Novo" was also a hit. These songs are still considered classics from the 2003 Carnival celebrations.

On December 3, 2003, the band released their second album, Sem-vergonha. This album produced five hit songs: "Safado, Cachorro, Sem-vergonha", "Lirirrixa", "Fulano in Sala", "Falando Sério", and "Uau". "Uau" also became the first song from their third album and video, Uau! Ao Vivo em Salvador, released on December 21, 2004. This record sold over 400,000 copies. Later that year, Babado Novo performed in the US for the first time. They played shows in New Jersey and Massachusetts. After that, they toured in Tokyo, Japan. In 2005, "Doce Desejo" was released as the second song from Uau! Ao Vivo em Salvador. Then came "Caranguejo" and "Me Chama de Amor".

On December 10, 2005, Babado Novo released "Bola de Sabão". This was the first song from their next album. The song quickly became very popular in Brazil. It was the group's most successful song at that time. You can hear it in the 2006 movie Only God Knows. O Diário de Claudinha was the band's first studio album. It was released on December 30, 2005. It sold over 120,000 copies in its first few weeks. The song "Despenteia" was used in an advertisement for hair products. "Piriripiti" was chosen for the soundtrack of the TV show Cobras & Lagartos. The album's last song, "A Camisa e o Botão", was another big hit for the band. In 2006, Babado Novo was the main act at Brazilian Day in New York City. They performed live for 2.5 million people in Times Square.

In January 2007, "Insolação do Coração" was released. This song was the first from the band's fifth and final album, Ver-te Mar. It was recorded live in Salvador, Bahia, and released on February 16, 2007. "Doce Paixão" and "Pensando em Você" were also released as songs from this album. Claudia Leitte won an award at the 2007 MTV Video Music Brasil for Hottie of the Year.

After selling over 5 million records and having many hit songs with Babado Novo, Claudia Leitte announced in late 2007 that she would leave the band. She decided to start a solo career and brought her bandmates with her.

2008–2009: Solo Debut and Tours

On December 18, 2007, Claudia Leitte released her first solo song, "Exttravasa". This song was played the most on the radio in 2008. It earned a double diamond record award, with over a million digital downloads sold. On February 5, 2008, she performed for the last time as a member of Babado Novo.

She started her solo career with a live concert recording on February 17, 2008. This huge event took place at Copacabana Beach. Famous artists like Gabriel o Pensador, Carlinhos Brown, and Daniela Mercury joined her as special guests. Almost a million people watched and cheered for her. On April 22, 2008, the second song from her album, a ballad called "Pássaros", was released.

Claudia Leitte released her first solo album, Ao Vivo em Copacabana, on July 4, 2008. On the same day, she began her first official solo tour, the Exttravasa Tour. This tour had sold-out shows across Brazil and Europe. She visited cities like London and Lisbon for 82 concerts.

The home video version of Ao Vivo em Copacabana came out on August 11, 2008. It sold over 500,000 copies. The third song from the album, "Beijar na Boca," was released on November 25, 2008. The fourth and final song, "Horizonte," was released on May 24, 2009. A fan wrote this song especially for Claudia Leitte.

During that year, Claudia Leitte became the face of Cor&Ton hair products. She also signed a deal with AmBev to be the spokesperson for the soft drink Guaraná Antarctica, and later for SKY Brasil. On November 22, 2009, she launched her first perfume with Jequiti, called Elo.

In 2009, Claudia also went on two smaller tours. The Beija Eu Tour had 15 shows and started on March 15. The Sette Tour ran from July 2, 2009, to January 22, 2010, with 47 shows.

2010–2013: As Máscaras, Negalora and The Voice Brasil

After signing a deal with Sony Music, Claudia Leitte released "As Máscaras (Se Deixa Levar)". This was the first song from her second album, As Máscaras. In February 2010, Claudia performed with Akon at the Salvador Summer Festival. On April 10, 2010, Claudia Leitte entered the Guinness Book of World Records. She set a record for the biggest gathering of kissing people in history. Over 8,372 couples kissed at the same time during her 2009 Axé Brasil performance, while her song "Beijar na Boca" played.

In the same month, Claudia Leitte was the main performer at Miami's Brazilian Day at Bayfront Park. Over 320,000 people attended. After the May 8 release of "Famosa" featuring Travie McCoy, As Máscaras was released on May 23, 2010. The album received mixed reviews. Some music critics felt she was trying to find her own musical style. Its reggae, dance, and pop influences led to comparisons with Ivete Sangalo. To support the album, Claudia Leitte started a 53-show tour called Rhytmos, beginning on July 3, 2010. The album was nominated for a 2010 Latin Grammy Award for Best Brazilian Contemporary Pop Album. However, it lost to Sérgio Mendes' Bom Tempo. On October 22, 2010, Claudia Leitte released her second perfume, also self-titled. It was later reissued as Claudia Leitte Intense. On December 18 of that year, Claudia Leitte was ranked sixth on Billboard's annual Next Big Sound Music Chart.

In May 2011, Walt Disney Pictures invited Claudia Leitte to voice Carla Veloso. Carla is a racing car that Lightning McQueen meets in the Brazilian Portuguese version of the movie Cars 2. In September 2011, Claudia Leitte sang for the first time at the Rock in Rio music festival. She performed alongside Rihanna, Katy Perry, and Elton John. In the same month, she performed "Locomotion Batucada" live at the Miss Universe 2011 pageant. This event was held in São Paulo and was watched by two billion people in 190 countries. She also appeared in Ricky Martin's song "Samba" for his album Música + Alma + Sexo (2011). She was also in its music video.

In January 2012, Claudia Leitte signed a new recording contract with Som Livre. This ended her partnership with Sony Music. In May of the same year, she was a guest host for six episodes of GNT's beauty talk show Superbonita. She filled in for the regular host, Luana Piovani. Soon after, she was invited to be a coach on the TV show The Voice Brasil. She joined famous singers Lulu Santos, Daniel, and Carlinhos Brown. The show started on September 23, 2012.

Claudia Leitte released her second live album, Negalora: Íntimo, on August 29, 2012. Negalora showed a different, more romantic side of the singer. She was praised for being able to try new styles while staying true to her roots. On September 13, 2012, Claudia Leitte released "Largadinho". This song was a big commercial success. It also had an English version called "Lazy Groove" and a new mix with Angolan singer Anselmo Ralph. The song reached number five on Billboard's World Digital Songs chart. On October 13, 2012, she launched the Sambah Tour. This tour took her across Brazil and Europe for 92 shows.

In late 2013, Jay Brown, a co-founder of Roc Nation, noticed Claudia Leitte. He wanted to meet her during a trip to Africa. Soon after, Claudia flew to meet him. This meeting led to a deal with Roc Nation's management team. The plan was to help her career grow internationally.

2014–Present: International Success

On January 14, 2014, Claudia Leitte released her fourth album, Axemusic – Ao Vivo. It was recorded live during the O Maior Show do Mundo festival in Recife. The album sold out within hours of its release. It quickly reached platinum status, selling over 123,000 copies that year. Special guests at the concert included Wesley Safadão, Naldo Benny, and Wanessa.

In February 2014, it was reported that Claudia Leitte had been meeting with famous music producers. She then began recording English songs for her new international album. She continued to tour across South America. During this time, she wrote and produced over 30 songs. She was featured in a version of "La Luz", the main song for Juanes' album Loco de Amor (2014).

Pitbull and FIFA asked Claudia Leitte to represent Brazil in the 2014 FIFA World Cup official song. She joined Jennifer Lopez for the song "We Are One (Ole Ola)". This song sold over 5.6 million copies worldwide. It was also on Pitbull's album Globalization (2014). The three artists performed the song at the 2014 Billboard Music Awards. They also performed it during the World Cup's opening ceremony on June 12, 2014, in São Paulo, Brazil. Before that, Claudia Leitte sang a solo version of Ary Barroso's "Aquarela do Brasil". This performance helped Claudia Leitte become known around the world. She spent over eight weeks on Billboard's Social 50 global ranking.

Leitte (left) performing alongside Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull at the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup 2014

In October 2014, Claudia Leitte announced she would not renew her contract with Som Livre. She revealed she was moving to Los Angeles to keep working on her new music. Later that month, she released her first extended play, Sette. She released it under her own label, 2Ts Entretenimento. This gave her more creative and business freedom. The main song, "Matimba", was a collaboration with rappers Big Sean and MC Guimê. The second song, "Cartório", featured singer Luan Santana. It was one of the most played songs during Brazil's Carnival in 2015.

On December 26, 2014, Claudia Leitte performed her new song "Signs" during The Voice Brasil finale. This was her first time releasing an English song as a solo pop artist. The song was written by Danny O'Donoghue and others. It was featured on the soundtrack for the TV show I Love Paraisópolis. A music video for "Signs" came out on July 31, 2015. In April 2015, Claudia Leitte released her fourth perfume, Secret. Another song called "Shiver Down My Spine" was released only on Tidal on October 22, 2015. This was her first project with Roc Nation. It was also her first English song that she helped write. The song was in the 2015 movie S.O.S. Mulheres ao Mar and the 2016 TV show Haja Coração.

Claudia Leitte later released "Corazón" featuring Puerto Rican singer Daddy Yankee on December 17, 2015. This song is expected to be on her upcoming album. This album will have songs in Portuguese, English, and Spanish. In January 2016, Claudia Leitte announced her fifth perfume, Chic. Ten months later, her sixth perfume, Glam, was released. A new song, "Taquitá", came out on November 11, 2016. It was promoted during Carnival in February 2017, along with "Eu Gosto". "Baldin de Gelo" was released on August 4, 2017. It has Spanish and Portuguese lyrics and reggaeton influences. Both "Taquitá" and "Baldin de Gelo" earned gold awards in Brazil.

After the fifth season of The Voice Brasil ended in December 2016, Claudia Leitte was replaced by Ivete Sangalo. This was because Claudia was focusing on her new music. However, Claudia Leitte and Ivete Sangalo switched roles. Claudia became a coach for the third season of The Voice Kids, which started in January 2018. In the same month, Claudia announced a new song, "Carnaval", with American rapper Pitbull. It was released on January 26, 2018.

Personal Life

Claudia Leitte was in a relationship with Manno Góes from the band Jammil e uma Noites. Their relationship ended in 2005 after two years. Soon after, she met businessman Márcio Pedreira, who was her crush when she was a teenager. They got married on March 7, 2007.

Her first child, a boy named Davi Leite Inácio Pedreira, was born on January 20, 2009, in Salvador, Bahia. The couple welcomed a second child, a son named Rafael, born on August 15, 2012. On February 3, 2019, Claudia Leitte announced she was expecting her third child, a girl named Bela.

Discography

• As Máscaras
• Ao Vivo em Copacabana
• Negalora: Íntimo
• Axemusic – Ao Vivo
• Sette

Tours

Leitte performing during Corazón Tour, 2016

• Exttravasa Tour (2008–2009)
• Beija Eu Tour (2009)
• Sette Tour (2009–10)
• O Samba Tour (2010)
• Rhytmos Tour (2010)
• Claudia Leitte Tour (2011–12)
• Sambah Tour (2012–13)
• AXEMUSIC Tour (2014)
• Sette2 Tour (2014–16)
• Corazón Tour (2016–17)
• Claudia 10 Tour (2017–)

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

See also

In Spanish: Claudia Leitte para niños