Famous Brazilian Singers

Carmen Miranda was a Portuguese-born Brazilian samba dancer, singer, film star, and Broadway actress. Nicknamed The Brazilian Bombshell, Miranda is credited with popularizing the fruit hat outfit in the USA. Her performances also popularized Brazilian music and helped increase awareness of Latin culture. Her life and career inspired a documentary titled Carmen Miranda: Bananas is My Business.

Massimiliano Antonio Cavalera is a Brazilian singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is credited with co-founding the popular heavy metal band Sepultura where he was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer until 1996. Massimiliano Antonio Cavalera is currently associated with the American heavy metal bands, Killer Be Killed, Cavalera Conspiracy, and Soulfly. He co-founded Cavalera Conspiracy with his brother in 2007.

Xuxa is a Brazilian TV host, film actress, singer, and businesswoman. She began her professional career as a model and soon started doing acting gigs as well. She became a superstar in the 1980s and her TV shows were broadcast in Portuguese, English, and Spanish worldwide. She is also a successful businesswoman with a net worth estimated at US$400 million. 

Astrud Gilberto is a Brazilian singer best known as an exponent of bossa nova and samba. She achieved international recognition in the 1960s after the release of her song The Girl from Ipanema. In 1992, she was honored with the Latin Jazz USA Award. In 2002, Astrud Gilberto was made an inductee of the International Latin Music Hall of Fame.

João Gilberto was a Brazilian guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is best remembered as a pioneer of bossa nova and is sometimes referred to as the father of bossa nova. In 1965, his collaborative album Getz/Gilberto received three Grammy Awards including Album of the Year. In 2001, he was made an inductee of the International Latin Music Hall of Fame.

Antônio Carlos Jobim was a Brazilian pianist, guitarist, composer, arranger, singer, and songwriter. He is credited with popularizing a style of samba called bossa nova by merging it with jazz with the help of American artists in the 1960s. He played an important role in creating the bossa nova style and is referred to as the father of bossa nova.

Elis Regina was a Brazilian singer who achieved national recognition in 1965 when she performed Arrastão on TV Excelsior. Best remembered for her interpretation and vocalization, Regina helped popularize tropicalismo in the late-1960s and early-1970s. Elis Regina's life, career, and untimely death at age 36 inspired a film titled Elis where she was played by Andréia Horta.

Seu Jorge is a Brazilian actor, songwriter, and musical artist. He is credited with renewing Brazilian pop samba and his musical work has attracted praises from several internationally-recognized musicians including David Bowie and Beck David Hansen. Seu Jorge is also known for his acting performance in films like The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and City of God. 

Rodrigo Amarante is a Brazilian multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, composer, and arranger. He is best known for his association with famous bands like Little Joy, Orquestra Imperial, and Los Hermanos. Rodrigo Amarante achieved international recognition in 2015 when he wrote and performed the theme song for the popular American crime drama TV series Narcos.

Michel Teló is a Brazilian actor and singer-songwriter. He achieved international success in 2008 when his song Ai Se Eu Te Pego peaked at number one on many Latin American and European charts. The song was made popular by world-renowned footballers like Cristiano Ronaldo. It also earned him Song of the Year award at the 2013 Billboard Latin Music Awards.

Chico Buarque is a Brazilian singer, guitarist, songwriter, composer, poet, playwright, and writer. He is best known for creating music that includes economic, cultural, and social reflections on Brazil. In 2010, he received the São Paulo Prize for Literature. In 2019, Chico Buarque was honored with the prestigious Camões Prize. 

Vinicius de Moraes was a Brazilian poet, essayist, playwright, lyricist, musician, singer, and diplomat. His compositions and lyrics played important roles in the introduction and popoularization of bossa nova music. Vinicius de Moraes is best remembered for his collaborations with popular musicians like Antônio Carlos Jobim. His play Orfeu da conceição was adapted into an Oscar-winning film titled Black Orpheus.

Claudia Leitte is a Brazilian singer best known for her association with Babado Novo where she performs as the lead vocalist. With over 40 million followers across various social media platforms, Leitte is one of the most popular female acts in Brazil. Leitte is also a television personality; she appears as a coach on the Brazilian version of The Voice.

Milton Nascimento is a Brazilian singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Over the course of his illustrious career, Nascimento has received five Grammy Awards. In 1997, he won the award under the Best World Music Album category.

Rita Lee is a Brazilian singer, writer, and composer. Lee achieved popularity as a member of the famous band, Os Mutantes. Over the years, she has become a popular figure in Brazilian entertainment, having sold over 60 million albums and participating in animal rights campaigns. Rita Lee published her self-titled autobiography in 2017, the best-selling non-fiction book of the year.

Tim Maia was a Brazilian musician and songwriter best remembered for his ironic, iconoclastic, humorous, and outspoken musical style. Counted among the greatest icons in Brazilian music, Tim Maia is credited with pioneering sambalanço and introducing soul music in the Brazilian musical scene.  

Jorge Ben Jor is a Brazilian musician renowned for his characteristic style that fuses funk, samba, bossa nova, and rock with lyrics that blend satire and humor with often esoteric subject matter. Many of his songs, such as Mas Que Nada and Chove Chuva, have been interpreted by famous artistes like Sérgio Mendes, Caetano Veloso, Marisa Monte, and Miriam Makeba.

Eliane Elias is a Brazilian singer, pianist, composer, and arranger. Her album Made in Brazil earned her the Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album in 2016. In 2022, Eliane Elias’ album Mirror Mirror won the Grammy Award under the Best Latin Jazz Album category.

Cazuza was a Brazilian singer-songwriter remembered as one of the greatest exponents of Brazilian rock music. Over the course of his nine-year career, Cazuza sold over five million albums and achieved 18 Top 10 singles in Brazil. He died due to a septic shock triggered by AIDS at age 32. His life inspired the 2004 biopic Cazuza–O Tempo Não Pára.

Flora Purim is a Brazilian singer best known for her contribution to the jazz fusion style. She achieved popularity when she contributed to the success of the popular American jazz fusion band, Return to Forever. Referred to as the Queen of Brazilian Jazz, Flora Purim has also performed with several other artistes like Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, and Gil Evans.

Lovefoxxx is a Brazilian singer best known for her association with the band Cansei de Ser Sexy (CSS) where she performs as the lead singer. Best known for her distinctive style and fashion sense, Lovefoxxx has been featured on NME magazine's Cool List on a couple of occasions.

Marisa Monte is a Brazilian singer, instrumentalist, composer, and producer. An exponent of samba and Brazilian popular music, Monte has sold millions of albums worldwide and has received numerous international awards. Marisa Monte is a recipient of several Brazilian MTV Video Music Awards and Latin Grammys. She was ranked by Rolling Stone Brasil as the second-greatest singer of all time.

Carlinhos Brown is a Brazilian singer, record producer, and percussionist. He is best known for his characteristic musical style that fuses funk, soul, R&B, traditional Brazilian percussion, and reggae. Brown, who has won a couple of Latin Grammy Awards, is also known for his philanthropic activity. Carlinhos Brown has done much to improve the quality of living of his hometown.

Georgia Brown is the stage name of Rossana Monti, a popular Italian Brazilian singer. She has been performing on stage since the age of 15. Renowned for her extensive vocal range, Brown broke Mariah Carey's vocal records in 2004 and currently holds the Guinness World Records for World's Highest Note "F8" and World's Greatest Vocal Range by a Female B2-F8.

Luísa Sonza is a Brazilian singer and songwriter. She achieved popularity in 2014 when her YouTube channel, which houses cover songs, became popular among music lovers. Her popularity increased in 2017 when she released Good Vibes, her first major label song. She has received many awards including MTV Millennial Award Brasil. Luísa Sonza has also established herself as an actress.

Olga Souza is a Brazilian-Italian singer, dancer, and model. Souza is best known for forming the popular Italian group Corona, where she performs as the frontwoman. Olga Souza is also a successful TV host and personality. She has hosted popular shows for Italian and French television. 

Daniela Mercury is a Brazilian singer, dancer, songwriter, actress, producer, and television host. Mercury, who has sold more than 20 million records worldwide, has several Brazilian Music Awards under her belt. Daniela Mercury is also known for her philanthropic activities; she performs at charitable events and represents various non-profit organizations. 

Renato Russo was a Brazilian singer-songwriter. He is best remembered for his association with the band Legião Urbana where he was the lead singer. He came to be recognized as the most prominent songwriter of Brazilian rock. Renato Russo's adolescence and his discovery of his love for rock music inspired the 2013 biographical drama film, Somos Tão Jovens.

Dillon is a Brazilian singer-songwriter and pianist, currently based in Germany. Interested in music from a young age, she recorded a song the same year she graduated high school and shared it on the internet. She joined a band soon after. Her music has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. She has been compared to singers Björk and Lykke Li. 

Djavan is a Brazilian singer and songwriter best known as an exponent of samba. In 2016, Djavan received four nominations in different categories at the Latin Grammy Awards. In 2018, his album Vesúvio was included in Rolling Stone magazine's Best Brazilian Albums of the Year list. Djavan's songs have been recorded by other famous musicians like Carmen McRae.

Nara Leão was a Brazilian singer specializing in bossa nova and popular music. As a young girl, she was trained under composer Patricio Teixeira and classical guitarist Solon Ayala. After launching her professional career, she often toured with musician Sérgio Mendes. She shifted to political music during the period of military dictatorship in Brazil. 

Naná Vasconcelos was a Brazilian percussionist and berimbau player. He was also a vocalist. He worked as a backing musician with Pat Metheny, Don Cherry, Björk, and Jan Garbarek, among others. He also had a successful solo career and released over two dozen albums. He was the recipient of several awards, including eight Grammy Awards. 

Luiz Gonzaga was a Brazilian singer, songwriter, and musician. He is counted among the most influential figures of Brazilian popular music in the 20th century. He has been credited with spreading the rich north-eastern musical genres throughout Brazil. His contribution to Brazilian music has been phenomenal. He received the Shell prize for Brazilian Popular Music in 1984. 

Leandro was a Brazilian singer and songwriter. Along with his younger brother, Leonardo, he formed the country duo, Leandro & Leonardo. Born into a large family, he began working odd jobs as a young boy. He eventually began a musical career with his brother and found considerable success. Sadly, he died of cancer at the young age of 36.  

Dorival Caymmi was a Brazilian singer-songwriter. He played a major role in the birth of Brazil's bossa nova movement. He gained much fame for his ballads celebrating the fishermen and women of Bahia. In an extensive career spanning more than 70 years, he composed around 100 songs and influenced Brazil's image in the eyes of both Brazilians and foreigners. 

Sivuca was a Brazilian accordionist, guitarist, and singer. He began his career as a teenager and performed with musician and future politician Humberto Teixeira. He started working with Scandinavian jazz musicians in the 1980s and became known for designing his own unconventional musical instruments. Besides Brazil, he has also worked and lived in Paris, Lisbon, and New York City.  

Nina Miranda is a Brazilian-born British songwriter and singer. She is best known for her association with popular English bands like Shrift, Smoke City, and Zeep. Many of her songs, including those from Smoke City, have been featured in ads and films.