Carmelita Madriaga, professionally known as Carmen Costa, born July 5, 1920, in Trajano de Moraes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was a Brazilian singer and composer. After relocating to Rio de Janeiro at age 15, she worked as a maid for singer Francisco Alves, who encouraged her to perform at social gatherings and enter radio competitions, leading to a victory in an amateur contest hosted by Ary Barroso. She began her professional career performing in a duo with composer Henricão, scoring her first major hit in the 1940s with "Está Chegando a Hora", a Brazilian version of "Cielito Lindo". In 1945, she married American citizen Hans Van Koehler and moved to the United States, spending time in Los Angeles before returning to Brazil in 1950. She subsequently collaborated with composer Mirabeau Pinheiro on songs including "Cachaça não é água" and "Obsessão". Her album releases include Ziriguidum no Sambão (1971). Costa was declared a Brazilian cultural heritage figure in 2003 and participated in the re-inauguration of Rádio Nacional on June 2, 2004. She died in Rio de Janeiro on April 25, 2007, at age 86.
