Angela Maria

Ângela Maria was a Brazilian singer and actress who was one of the most popular and influential artists of the 1950s and 1960s. She began her career singing in the choir of the church and participating in radio shows, such as Ary Barroso's. She was elected "Queen of the Radio" in 1954 and received the nickname "Sapoti" from President Getúlio Vargas. She was known for her powerful and expressive voice, and for singing the Brazilian genre of samba-canção, along with other singers like Maysa, Nora Ney and Dolores Duran. Some of her greatest hits were "Babalu", "Garota Solitária" and "Ave Maria do Morro". She also performed as an actress, starring in several films, such as "Rua Sem Sol", "O Rei do Movimento" and "Carnaval Barra Limpa". She recorded more than 100 albums and sold more than 60 million copies. She collaborated with many musicians, such as Caetano Veloso, Chico Buarque, Roberto Carlos and Maria Bethânia. She received many awards and honors, such as the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017. She died in 2018, at the age of 89, due to sepsis. She left behind a legacy of beautiful and influential music, and is considered one of the greatest Brazilian singers of all time.