Maria Gadú

Mayra Corrêa (born on December 4, 1986), better known as Maria Gadú, is a Brazilian singer-songwriter, actress and multi-instrumentalist. Deeply involved with music from a very young age, Gadú kicked off her career by playing in bars throughout her native São Paulo during her teenage years. In 2008, she relocated to Rio de Janeiro, where her vibrant live shows caught the attention of Brazilian legends like Caetano Veloso and Milton Nascimiento. Gadú jumped to fame in 2009 after recording a version of Jacques Brel’s “Ne me quitte pas” for the TV series Maysa: Quando Fala o Coração. That same year, her eponymous studio debut saw the light of day, spawning the single “Shimbalaiê,” which was featured on the soap opera Viver a Vida and became a massive hit in Italy in 2011. Following a tour with longtime hero Caetano Veloso, documented on the platinum winner Multishow ao Vivo: Caetano e Maria Gadú (2010), the singer was nominated for a Latin Grammy in the category of Best New Artist. She followed up with Mais uma Página (2011), which peaked at Number 5 on Brazil’s Top Albums chart and featured collaborations with Veloso, Lenine, and Luísa Maita. A four-year silence ensued, after which Gadú came back with the award-winning Guelã (2015), a more sophisticated album that earned the artist a Latin Grammy nomination for Best MPB Album and a Prêmio da Música Brasileira award in the category of Best pop/rock/reggae/hip-hop/funk singer in 2017.