Daniela Mercury facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Daniela Mercury
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Mercury in Portugal (2010)
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Daniela Mercuri de Almeida |
| Born | July 28, 1965 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil |
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| Occupation(s) |
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| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1989–present |
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| Associated acts | Companhia Clic |
Daniela Mercury (born Daniela Mercuri de Almeida on July 28, 1965) is a famous Brazilian singer, songwriter, dancer, and music producer. She has sold over 11 million records around the world. Many of her songs have been huge hits in Brazil, with 14 of them reaching the number one spot.
Daniela Mercury has won many awards for her music. These include a Latin Grammy Award for her album Balé Mulato – Ao Vivo. She has also received six Brazilian Music Awards and several other important music prizes.
In 1991, Daniela released her first album. The next year, her album O Canto da Cidade became a massive success. It helped make her a national star and brought axé music to a wider audience. Over the years, she has released many popular songs like "Swing da Cor", "O Canto da Cidade", "Rapunzel", and "Nobre Vagabundo". She even recorded a special DVD for Cirque du Soleil's 25th anniversary. She has also performed with famous artists like Paul McCartney in Norway.
In 2009, she released her album Canibália and started an international tour. This album featured popular songs like "Preta" and "Oyá Por Nós". The American TV channel CBS even called her the "Carmen Miranda of the new times" in 2011. The New York Times praised her Canibália album, saying she blends modern pop with Brazil's rich cultural diversity.
About Daniela Mercury
Her Early Life
Daniela Mercuri de Almeida was born on July 28, 1965, in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Her mother, Liliana Mercuri, was a social worker with Italian family roots. Her father, António Fernando de Abreu Ferreira de Almeida, was an industrial mechanic from Portugal. Daniela grew up in a middle-class family in Salvador with her four siblings. One of her sisters, Vânia, also became a singer.
When she was eight years old, Daniela started taking dance lessons. She learned classical ballet, jazz, and African dances. At 13, she was inspired by the singer Elis Regina and decided she wanted to be a singer too. She began singing in local bars in 1980. Her first performance on a trio elétrico (a large truck with a sound system for outdoor concerts) was during the 1981 carnival. In 1984, she studied dance at the Federal University of Bahia.
Starting Her Music Career (1984–1990)
From 1986 to 1988, Daniela Mercury was the lead singer for a band called Cheiro de Amor. By 1988, she was a backup singer for the famous Brazilian musician Gilberto Gil. In 1989, she recorded two albums as the lead singer of the pop band Companhia Clic. Their songs "Pega que Oh!" and "Ilha das Bananas" became small hits in Bahia. In the early 1990s, Daniela decided to start her solo career.
Becoming a Star (1991–1993)
Daniela Mercury's first solo album was released in 1991. The first song from the album, "Swing da Cor", which featured the group Olodum, became a number-one hit in Brazil. The album soon became known as Swing da Cor. Another song, "Menino do Pelô", also featuring Olodum, reached number four on the charts. After this, Daniela decided to produce her own albums.
In 1992, she performed a show called "Som do Meio-Dia" (Midday Sound) at the Art Museum of São Paulo. Over thirty thousand people came to watch, causing a huge traffic jam! Soon after, Daniela signed with Sony Music. She then released her second solo album, O Canto da Cidade. This album was a huge success and is considered one of the best MPB albums ever. It had four number-one songs: "O Canto da Cidade", "O Mais Belo dos Belos", "Batuque", and "Você Não Entende Nada/Cotidiano".
O Canto da Cidade is famous for bringing Axé Music to a national audience in Brazil. The album also led to a TV special on Rede Globo channel, featuring live performances and music videos with other artists. In July 1993, Daniela Mercury performed at the well-known Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. Many people believe that after this album, the Carnival of Bahia gained much more attention from the media. Daniela became incredibly popular, earning nicknames like "the hurricane of Bahia" and "Queen of the Axé".
Developing Her Sound (1994–2000)
In 1994, Daniela released Música de Rua. While some critics thought it was similar to her previous album, the public loved it. It produced hits like "Música de Rua" and "O Reggae e o Mar".
Her 1996 album, Feijão com Arroz, was very well-received by critics. It is one of her best-selling albums and featured popular songs like "À Primeira Vista", "Nobre Vagabundo", and "Rapunzel". In 1998, her first live album, Elétrica, was released.
Exploring Electronic Music (2000–2004)
In 2000, Daniela Mercury released Sol da Liberdade. This album was new for her because it mixed her music with electronic music sounds. It had two number-one singles: "Ilê Pérola Negra" and "Como Vai Você".
The next year, she released Sou de Qualquer Lugar, continuing to experiment with electronic sounds. In 2003, her second live album, MTV ao Vivo – Eletrodoméstico, was released. It was also her first DVD. Many artists performed with her, including Dulce Pontes and Carlinhos Brown.
In 2004, she released Carnaval Eletrônico. For this album, Daniela invited DJs and electronic music producers from Brazil. It celebrated five years of her TrioTechno, which was the first electronic music trio elétrico in the Bahian Carnaval. The album was even nominated for a Latin Grammy Award.
Back to Her Roots (2005–2007)
In 2005, Daniela released Clássica, which featured bossa nova, jazz, and some of her biggest hits. This album showed a new direction for Mercury, as she became more independent from record companies to have full control over her music.
Later that year, her eighth studio album, Balé Mulato, was released. Critics liked it, but it didn't sell as well. However, the Latin Grammy Award-winning live version of Balé Mulato was released the following year.
New Projects and Cultural Impact (2007–2013)
In November 2007, Daniela released "Preta", a song with Seu Jorge that was very popular during carnival. For the 2009 Carnival, she recorded "Oyá Por Nós". In 2009, Rolling Stone Brasil magazine named Daniela as one of the 100 greatest artists in Brazilian music history.
In November 2009, Daniela released the album Canibália. This album marked her return to the studio after five years. Canibália was a big project that combined music, dance, video, and visual arts. Daniela explained that "Canibália" was about embracing and mixing different Brazilian art forms and cultures.
The album's name was inspired by the "Cannibalist Manifesto" by José Oswald de Andrade Souza, a Brazilian poet. This manifesto suggested that Brazil's strength comes from its ability to take in and transform other cultures. It used the idea of "cannibalism" to show how Brazil could be strong and unique, not just copy Europe. A famous line from the manifesto is "Tupi or not Tupi," playing on Shakespeare's "To be or not to be."
Her "Canibália Tour" started in 2009 and traveled to many cities in Brazil and other countries. The show also honored Carmen Miranda, a famous Brazilian singer, by including songs like "Tico-Tico no Fubá".
For the 2010 Carnival, Daniela Mercury recorded "Andarilho Encantado". This song was released at her special "Pôr do Som" (Sunset Sound) show in Salvador, Bahia. In 2010, the Electric Trio celebrated 60 years, and Axé Music celebrated 25 years. Daniela also marked 20 years of her solo career.
In February 2013, Daniela was interviewed on CNN International's "Leading Women" program, where she was called the "Brazilian Madonna." The show highlights influential women around the world.
At the end of 2013, she released the album Daniela Mercury & Cabeça de Nós Todos. This was a collaboration with the Brazilian group Cabeça de Nós Todos. It was an urban and pop-rock album. The album was launched with a book called "Daniela and Malu, A Love Story," which tells the story of her relationship with Malu Verçosa.
Recent Work (2014–present)
In 2014, Daniela Mercury was a mentor on The Voice Kids in Portugal. This was due to her popularity there. In the same year, she released the song "A Rainha do Axé (Rainha Má)". This electronic ijexá song talks about the strength of women, love, and faith. It was very popular during the 2015 Carnival in Salvador. This song was the first single from her fifteenth studio album, Vinil Virtual, released in November 2015.
Daniela's Family Life
In 1984, Daniela Mercury married Zalther Portela Laborda Póvoas. They had two children: Gabriel, born in 1985, who is also a singer and songwriter, and Giovana, born in 1986, who is now a dancer in Daniela's shows. Daniela and Zalther divorced in 1996. In 2013, Daniela Mercury shared that she was in a relationship with journalist Malu Verçosa. They later married and shared their story in a book.
Helping Others
Daniela Mercury has performed at many charity events. She is the second Brazilian to be honored as an ambassador for UNICEF, an organization that helps children worldwide. She is also an ambassador for UNAIDS (which works on HIV/AIDS) and UNESCO (which promotes education and culture). She has performed at Rede Globo's annual charity event Criança Esperança for fifteen years in a row. She also supports other non-profit groups, including her own Instituto Sol da Liberdade.
Discography
Studio albums
- Daniela Mercury (a.k.a. "Swing da Cor") (1991)
- O Canto da Cidade (1992)
- Música de Rua (1994)
- Feijão com Arroz (1996)
- Sol da Liberdade (2000)
- Sou de Qualquer Lugar (2001)
- Carnaval Eletrônico (2004)
- Balé Mulato (2005)
- Canibália (2009)
- Daniela Mercury & Cabeça de Nós Todos (2013)
- Vinil Virtual (2015)
- Perfume (2020)
- Baiana (2022)
Tours
- Swing da Cor Tour (1991–1992)
- O Canto da Cidade Tour (1992–1994)
- Música de Rua Tour (1995–1996)
- Feijão com Arroz Tour (1996–1997)
- Elétrica Tour (1998–1999)
- Sol da Liberdade Tour (2000–2001)
- Sou de Qualquer Lugar Tour (2002)
- Eletrodoméstico Tour (2003)
- Carnaval Eletrônico Tour (2004)
- Balé Mulato Tour (2006–2009)
- Canibália Tour (2009–2012)
- Couché Tour (2013)
- Pelada Tour (2014)
- Baile da Rainha Má Tour (2015–2017)
- O Axé, a Voz e o Violão Tour (2016–2017)
See also
- List of best-selling Latin music artists
- Women in Latin music
