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| Maria Rita | |
|---|---|
| Name | Maria Rita |
| Birth date | 9 December 1977 |
| Birth place | Santo Amaro, São Paulo |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Label | Universal Music |
Maria Rita
Maria Rita (born 9 December 1977) is a Brazilian singer known for her interpretations of MPB and Brazilian popular song. She emerged in the early 2000s as a prominent voice in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo music scenes, earning acclaim across Latin America, Europe, and the United States. Trained in classical and popular forms, she combines repertoire from composers such as Chico Buarque, Tom Jobim, and Milton Nascimento with contemporary arrangements.
Born in Santo Amaro in the state of São Paulo, she is the daughter of two notable Brazilian musicians: the singer Elis Regina and the producer Ronaldo Bôscoli. She spent childhood years in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, exposed to the scenes of Bossa Nova, Tropicália, and MPB. Her early schooling included classical piano lessons and choral training; she later studied at conservatories and participated in workshops linked to institutions such as the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and local conservatories. Influenced by recordings from Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, and Gal Costa, she pursued formal vocal studies while also engaging with theater projects connected to Teatro Municipal initiatives and community music programs.
Rita began performing professionally in the late 1990s, initially appearing in clubs in Rio de Janeiro and festivals such as the Festival de Música Popular Brasileira circuit. Her breakthrough came with a self-titled debut album released on Universal Music that included arrangements drawing on the songbooks of Antonio Carlos Jobim, João Bosco, and Gonzaguinha. She toured extensively, playing venues including Canecão, Blue Note New York, and European stages in cities like Lisbon and Paris. Throughout the 2000s and 2010s she released albums incorporating studio production techniques from producers associated with labels such as EMI and collaborations with arrangers linked to OSESP. She has performed at major international festivals, sharing bills with artists from Paul Simon to Sting and participating in cultural exchanges sponsored by embassies and cultural institutes from France, Portugal, and the United States.
Her vocal style blends elements of Bossa Nova phrasing, the melodic lyricism of MPB, and jazz-inflected improvisation reminiscent of singers who collaborated with Antônio Carlos Jobim and Elizeth Cardoso. She cites influences including Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and Brazilian icons such as Elis Regina, Milton Nascimento, and Gal Costa. Arrangements on her records reference the harmonies of Antonio Carlos Jobim, the rhythmic diversity of Pixinguinha, and orchestral textures associated with Claudio Santoro-era scores. Critics have noted stylistic links to contemporary Brazilian vocalists like Marisa Monte and Djavan, as well as affinities with international standards propagated by Norma Winstone and Cassandra Wilson.
Her discography includes studio albums, live recordings, and compilations released since the early 2000s. Notable entries feature reinterpretations of classics by Chico Buarque, Tom Jobim, and Milton Nascimento, as well as original songs penned in collaboration with composers such as Marisa Monte and Dadi Carvalho. Live albums capture performances at venues like Canecão and festivals such as Montreux Jazz Festival and Festival de Jazz de Montreal. She has released singles distributed through Sony Music Brasil and independent distributors, and her catalog appears on streaming platforms alongside reissues handled by legacy labels including Polydor Records and EMI Music Brasil.
She received major Brazilian music awards and international honors early in her career, including Latin Grammy Awards recognitions and prizes from institutions such as the Prêmio da Música Brasileira. Critics and juries from festivals like Festival de Gramado and cultural bodies including the Instituto Moreira Salles have acknowledged her recordings and concerts. Her debut and subsequent albums charted on lists compiled by publications like Billboard and Brazilian music magazines such as Rolling Stone Brasil and Folha de S.Paulo cultural supplements. She has been featured in retrospectives at venues like MIS São Paulo.
Throughout her career she collaborated with a wide range of musicians, including composers and instrumentalists such as Milton Nascimento, Chico Buarque, Tom Jobim-era arrangers, and contemporary producers linked to Arto Lindsay and André Mehmari. She recorded duets with established Brazilian artists from Gilberto Gil to Caetano Veloso and worked with orchestras such as Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira on special projects. International collaborations include sessions with jazz musicians connected to Blue Note Records and performances at joint concerts produced by cultural institutes like Instituto Cultural Brasil–Estados Unidos and the British Council.
Her personal life has been the subject of media attention due to her family lineage linked to Elis Regina and the historical imprint of Bossa Nova and MPB on Brazilian culture. She maintains residences in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo and participates in philanthropic initiatives affiliated with organizations such as Instituto Ayrton Senna and cultural education programs supported by the Ministério da Cultura. Her legacy is discussed in academic and journalistic contexts alongside the trajectories of Elis Regina, Milton Nascimento, and Chico Buarque, and she is often cited in studies at institutions like the Universidade de São Paulo and Museu da Imagem e do Som as part of the continuity of Brazilian vocal traditions.
Category:Brazilian singers Category:1977 births Category:Living people