Daniela Mercury

The popular Brazilian Daniela Mercury was born Daniela Mercuri de Almeida in Salvador, Bahia in 1965. She was brought up in a middle class household and encouraged by her parents to take part in performing arts. Whilst growing up, Mercury cites Elis Regina as one of her main musical influences.

Much to her parents' dismay, Daniela began playing in bars at the age of 15. After completing college, her first professional engagement was as a backing singer for the best selling Brazilian singer Gilberto Gil after which she joined the pop band Companhia Clic with whom she made two albums.

In the 1990s she went solo and released her self titled debut album from which the lead single 'Swing da Cor' went to number one. Her career has been on an upward trajectory ever since and she has now sold over 20 million records worldwide and achieved 14 number ones in her home country.