Lu Andrade facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lu Andrade
Andrade in 2019
Born	Luciana de Andrade (1978-09-18) 18 September 1978 (age 46) Varginha, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Occupation	Singer songwriter television personality
Spouse(s)	Leonardo Pereira ​ ​ (m. 2003; div. 2018)​
Musical career
Genres	Folk rock indie pop
Instruments	Vocals guitar piano
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Columbia Sony BMG
Associated acts	Rouge

Luciana de Andrade (born September 18, 1978) is a Brazilian singer, songwriter, and TV personality. She became famous in 2002 after winning the TV show Popstars. This led her to join the popular Brazilian girl group Rouge.

With Rouge, Luciana recorded two albums: Rouge (2002) and C'est La Vie (2003). Rouge sold over 6 million records. This made them the best-selling Brazilian female group of all time. Luciana left the band in 2004 due to being tired and wanting to try new things. She later rejoined them for their fifth album, Les 5inq (2019), and a concert tour called 15 Anos Tour (2018).

After leaving Rouge in 2004, Luciana went back home to Varginha. In 2005, she moved to São Paulo to study music more deeply. She worked as a backup singer for several artists. From 2007 to 2009, she was a reporter for the Show Total TV program. In 2010, she acted in the theater musical Into The Woods.

Luciana released her first song, "Mind and Heart," in 2012. Her second song, "Amanheceu," came out in 2014. In 2015, she started a music project called Duo Elétrico with guitarist Ciro Visconti. She also became a singing teacher at the Souza Lima Conservatory, where she had studied years before.

About Luciana Andrade

Luciana Andrade was born on September 18, 1978, in Varginha, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Her parents are Walter and Clair Andrade. She has three siblings: Guilherme, Gustavo, and Lidiane. From a very young age, Luciana loved music. She would put on small shows for her family in her basement.

When she was five, in 1984, she sang in public for the first time. It was for a Mother's Day tribute. After that, she performed at all her school festivals. She also joined her church choir. She was even asked to sing the National Anthem in different cities in Minas Gerais. As a teenager, she formed her first pop rock band called Trem de Minas. She also worked at an English school and a local TV station.

In 1999, at age 20, Luciana started writing her own songs. She also began studying advertising at college. However, she left college after three years. She moved to São Paulo to study music. She earned a scholarship to the Souza Lima Conservatory.

Music Career Highlights

Starting with Rouge (2002-2004)

In 2002, a friend told Luciana about the TV talent show Popstars. Her friend encouraged her to send in an audition video. Luciana was chosen from 30,000 people who signed up. She moved on to the next round, where over 6,000 people sang for the judges.

The judges kept selecting fewer and fewer girls. They wanted only those who could truly become pop stars. After many rounds, only eight girls made it to the final stage. Finally, the Brazilian girl group Rouge was formed. The members were Luciana, Li Martins, Aline Wirley, Karin Hils, and Fantine Thó.

In the same year, Rouge released their first album, Rouge. It quickly became number one and sold about 2 million copies. This earned them a diamond certificate. Their first hit song was "Não Dá para Resistir." Then came "Ragatanga," which featured the Spanish girl group Las Ketchup. Other popular songs were "Beijo Molhado" and "Nunca Deixe de Sonhar." The group also released a remix album and a concert video.

In 2003, Rouge released their second album, C'est La Vie. It sold about 100,000 copies in its first week. Overall, it sold around 1 million copies. Hit songs from this album included "Brilha La Luna," "Um Anjo Veio Me Falar," and "Vem Cair na Zueira." The group also released a second concert DVD.

On February 11, 2004, Luciana announced she was leaving Rouge. She said she was very tired and felt disappointed. Years later, she shared that she also left because of how managers treated her and because she was not paid enough. The other members said her leaving made them think more about their own careers. The group had planned to record an album in Spanish language for Latin America, but this project was canceled after Luciana left.

New Paths: TV and Theater (2004-2010)

Lu in the musical theater show Into The Woods, 2010.

After leaving Rouge in 2004, Luciana went back to her parents' home in Varginha. She stayed there for a few months, away from the public eye. In the same year, she sang on a song called "A Song Of Oengus" for the folk band Tuatha de Danann.

In 2005, Luciana returned to São Paulo to continue her music studies. She worked as a backup singer for various bands and artists. She sang on albums for Furto and Forgotten Boys. In 2006, she also provided backing vocals for Negra Li and Nasi. She joined Sérgio Britto's band and toured all over Brazil. She also toured as a backup singer for American artist Eric Silver.

In 2007, Luciana was asked to be a reporter for the Show Total TV program. She stayed on the show for two years, interviewing different people. On May 25, 2007, Luciana started her first solo tour, called Luciana Andrade Pocket Show. It was an acoustic show where she sang her own songs and covers of other artists. She had planned to release her first solo album that year, but it was never released.

In 2010, Luciana started acting in theater. She starred in the musical theatre Into The Woods, playing Cinderella. This was a Brazilian version of the famous Broadway show. At the same time, she also sang backup for Ciro Pessoa.

New Music and Online Presence (2010-Present)

Lu on her O Amor e o Tempo tour in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2013.

On November 21, 2010, Luciana released an extended play (EP) called Luciana Andrade online. It had four songs, including "Tão Diferente" and "Outra História." These songs were from her earlier, unreleased album. In the same year, she recorded the theme song for the TV series Julie e os Fantasmas.

In 2012, people asked Luciana if Rouge would get back together. She said she would like to work with the other members again. She wanted to create something more mature, without dance routines. On September 20, she started her new tour, O Amor e o Tempo Tour. This tour featured her new songs and folk versions of other songs.

On December 24, 2012, Luciana released her first official song, "Mind and Heart." She promoted it on many TV shows. On May 5, 2014, she released her second song, "Amanheceu." This song was a tribute to her father.

In 2015, Luciana joined drummer André Pinguim to restart the band Aries. She became their lead singer for a new tour. She also started her third solo tour, the Acoustic Tour. Soon after, she formed the Duo Elétrico with guitarist Ciro Visconti. They played rock covers and their own songs. On July 25, 2016, Luciana became a presenter for the online show "Estúdio Acesso Cultural." She interviewed artists and sang duets. She also became a singing teacher at the Souza Lima Conservatory.

Personal Life

Luciana started dating photographer Leonardo Pereira in 1998 when she was 19. They both lived in Varginha at the time. In 1999, she began studying advertising. In 2001, she and Leonardo moved to São Paulo so she could study music. She received a full scholarship and lived with other musicians.

In 2003, Luciana and Leonardo got married in a private ceremony. Only a few guests were there, and the media was not present. In 2004, she became a godmother for the Cultural Artistic Festival in Varginha. This festival helps young students discover their talents in the arts. Luciana is one of the judges each year. In 2013, she took part in a campaign called Leukemia Tem Healing. This campaign encourages people to donate blood and bone marrow.

Musical Style and Influences

Canadian singer Sarah McLachlan and Brazilian band Skank were cited as two of their biggest influences.

As a teenager, Luciana was inspired by many artists. These included Brazilian musicians like Lô Borges, Flávio Venturini, 14 Bis, Lulu Santos, Kid Abelha, and Pato Fu. Luciana has said that her biggest influence throughout her career is the Canadian singer Sarah McLachlan. She always wanted her music to sound like a mix of pop rock and soft rock.

She also mentioned that she learned a lot from artists like Arnaldo Antunes, Erasmo Carlos, Rita Lee, Marisa Monte, and Ciro Pessoa. During her time on Popstars, she looked up to Elis Regina, Djavan, and Ed Motta. International artists she admired include Lara Fabian, Celine Dion, Chrissie Hynde, Marie Fredriksson, The Beatles, and the solo careers of John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

Brazilian bands like Skank and Jota Quest were also big influences for her. In 2011, Luciana said in an interview that for her solo career, she was most inspired by folk and indie pop music. She listened a lot to artists like Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Patti Smith, and Nick Drake.

Music Releases

Extended Plays

Singles

Other Songs

Music Videos

TV Shows and Movies

Films

Theater Performances

Concert Tours

See also

In Spanish: Lu Andrade para niños