Simone

Simone is a Brazilian singer specializing in the genre Música Popular Brasileira (MPB, or popular Brazilian music). Her full name is Simone Bittencourt de Oliveira, though professionally she goes by the mononym Simone. She was born on December 25, 1949, in Salvador, Bahia. Simone got her start in the music industry after participating in a show with a close friend and guitar teacher, where the marketing manager for record label Odeon was in attendance. Soon after this, she was signed to a record contract and recorded her self-titled debut album. The album Simone (1973) was released to much acclaim, followed by Brasil Export (1973) and the live album Expo Som 73 (1973). She was soon making appearances on Brazilian television as well as touring internationally. She was part of the Projeto Pixinguinha tour in 1978, traveling across Brazil with emerging artists. In 1979, she released the album Pedaços, which also attracted more attention to her career. But it was in the 80s when Simone reached her career peak, setting attendance records for her shows and releasing acclaimed albums such as Corpo e Alma (1982), Cristal (1985), and Vicio (1987). Over the course of the following decades, Simone became a bonafide superstar, playing sold-out shows all across Brazil, the US, and Europe, and releasing successful LPs such as her Christmas album 25 de Dezembro (1995), which contains her popular holiday single “Então, é Natal.” Other notable releases include Café com Leite (1996), Seda Pura (2001), Baiana da Gema (2004), Na Veia (2009), Á Flor da Terra (2010), É Melhor Ser (2013), and Da Gente (2022).