Gal Costa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gal Costa
Costa in 1969
Background information
Birth name	Maria da Graça Costa Penna Burgos
Born	(1945-09-26)26 September 1945 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Died	9 November 2022(2022-11-09) (aged 77) São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
Genres	MPB, Tropicália, psychedelic rock, bossa nova, pop
Occupation(s)	Singer
Years active	1965–2022 (her death)
Labels	RCA Philips PolyGram Universal
Associated acts	Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Maria Bethânia

Gal Maria da Graça Costa Penna Burgos (born Maria da Graça Costa Penna Burgos; 26 September 1945 – 9 November 2022), known as Gal Costa, was a famous Brazilian singer. She was a very important part of the Tropicália music movement in Brazil during the late 1960s. She also sang on the well-known album Tropicália: ou Panis et Circenses in 1968.

Gal Costa's Early Life

Gal Costa was born on September 26, 1945, in Salvador, a city in Brazil. Her mother, Mariah Costa Penna, loved classical music. She listened to it for many hours while she was pregnant. She hoped Gal would also love music. Gal's father, Arnaldo Burgos, died when Gal was 15. They never met each other.

When Gal was 10, she became friends with two sisters, Sandra and Andréia Gadelha. These sisters later married famous singer-songwriters Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso. They gave her the nickname Gau, which later became Gal.

At 14, she heard João Gilberto's song "Chega de Saudade" on the radio. This made her very interested in Bossa Nova music. She then worked as a clerk in a record store in Salvador. This helped her be closer to the music she loved. When she was 18, Andréia Gadelha introduced her to Caetano Veloso. They became very good friends.

Gal Costa's Music Career

Gal Costa in 1971

Gal started her professional singing career on August 22, 1964. She performed in a concert called Nós, por exemplo (We, For Example). She sang with friends like Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Maria Bethânia, and Tom Zé. This concert opened the Vila Velha Theatre in her hometown. Later that year, she performed in another concert at the same place.

After these concerts, Gal moved to Rio de Janeiro. She lived with her cousin Nívea. She followed her friend Maria Bethânia, whose concert Opinião (Opinion) was a big success in Rio.

Gal's first professional recording was on Maria Bethânia's first album in 1965. It was a duet called "Sol Negro" (Black Sun). This song was written by Bethânia's brother, Caetano Veloso. Gal then released her first two songs as a solo artist. These were "Eu vim da Bahia" and "Sim, foi você."

In 1966, Gal met Gilberto Gil. She sang in the 1st International Music Festival on TV Rio. She performed "Minha Senhora," a song written by Gil and Torquato Neto. However, this song did not become popular at the festival.

First Albums and Tropicália

Gal's first album, Domingo, came out in 1967. This was also Caetano Veloso's first album. Gal stayed with the Philips Records label until 1983. A song from this album, "Coração Vagabundo," became very popular.

In 1968, Gal became a part of the Tropicália movement. Tropicália was a new style of music. It mixed traditional Brazilian sounds like Samba and Bossa Nova with modern music like rock. Gal recorded four songs for the important Tropicália: ou Panis et Circenses album. One of these songs, "Baby," became one of her most famous songs.

She also sang in music festivals. In November 1968, she performed "Divino Maravilhoso." This song became a huge hit across Brazil and is still a classic. Even when Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso had to leave Brazil and live in London, Gal stayed. She visited them and kept singing their music.

In 1969, Gal released her first solo album, Gal Costa. This album included "Baby" and "Divino Maravilhoso." People consider this album a classic of the Tropicalismo style. It mixed Brazilian sounds with psychedelic music from North America. Her next solo album, Gal, came out the same year. It featured popular songs like "Meu nome é Gal."

Gal Costa in 2008

Her album Legal (1970) was more mainstream. In 1973, the cover of her album Índia was censored. This was because the image focused on her bikini bottom.

Gal sang songs by many famous Brazilian songwriters. These included Tom Jobim, Jorge Ben Jor, and Erasmo Carlos. In the 1970s, she was part of a special group called Doces Bárbaros. The other members were Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, and Maria Bethânia. They were a very important group in Brazilian popular music.

In 1982, her song "Festa Do Interior" became her biggest hit ever. It sold millions of copies. In 1995, Gal acted in the film O Mandarim. She played the famous singer Carmen Miranda. Gal recorded songs in Portuguese, Spanish, and English.

A movie about Gal Costa's life, called Meu nome é Gal, was released in 2023. Actress Sophie Charlotte played Gal in the film.

Awards

• 2011 Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award

Gal Costa's Passing

Gal Costa died in São Paulo on November 9, 2022. She was 77 years old. She had been recovering from a small surgery in her nose. She had also canceled a show she was supposed to do.

Selected Discography

Studio Albums

• 1967: Domingo (with Caetano Veloso)
• 1969: Gal Costa
• 1969: Gal
• 1970: Legal
• 1973: Índia
• 1978: Água Viva
• 1979: Gal Tropical
• 1981: Fantasia
• 1984: Profana
• 1994: O Sorriso do Gato de Alice
• 2005: Hoje
• 2011: Recanto
• 2018: "A Pele do Futuro"

Live Albums

• 1971: -Fa-Tal- Gal a Todo Vapor
• 1976: Doces Bárbaros (with Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, and Maria Bethânia)
• 1997: Acústico MTV

Selected Filmography

Images for kids

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  Gal Costa in 1969

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  Gal Costa in 1971

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  Gal Costa in 2008

See also

In Spanish: Gal Costa para niños