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Elizeth Cardoso

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Elizeth Cardoso was a Brazilian singer and actress, born in 1920 in Rio de Janeiro. Her father was a serenade singer who played guitar, her mother sang as an amateur. Between 1930 and 1935 she worked, among other things, as a shop assistant and hairdresser. On her sixteenth birthday she was discovered by Jacob do Bandolim. Because she earned little, in 1939 she began performing in clubs and cinemas, and her success grew quickly. In 1950, with the support of Ataulfo Alves, she recorded songs such as Braços vazios and Mensageiro da saudade.

Music and breakthrough

In 1958 Vinicius de Moraes asked her to sing on an album of songs by himself and Tom Jobim. That album, Canção do Amor Demais, is regarded as the first bossa nova album and was the beginning of the new genre. Cardoso herself was not considered primarily a bossa nova singer. She afterwards made many more albums, including Canções à meia luz from 1955, Noturno from 1957, Magnífica and Naturalmente from 1959, and in total recorded more than forty albums in Brazil, Portugal and other countries. Her career lasted almost seven decades. She died of cancer in 1990.

Influence

The foundation of her work remained samba, which she sang with great feeling. She sang in many styles, but her voice stayed warm and precise. With Canção do Amor Demais she kicked off a musical movement that would be played all over the world. In 2021 Google marked her hundred-and-first birthday with a Doodle.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to a song from Canção do Amor Demais and notice how her voice stays soft and clear above the guitar accompaniment. Can you hear how little accompaniment is needed?

Discography

Studio albums

Categories: Artists