Loalwa Braz
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Loalwa Braz Vieira (3 June 1953 – 19 January 2017) was a Brazilian singer, best known for providing the lead vocals for the French-Brazilian recording act
Kaoma Kaoma was a French-Brazilian band formed around 1989 by French producers Jean Georgakarakos and Olivier Lorsac to promote the song "Lambada (song), Lambada". Loalwa Braz was hired to sing lead vocals, other musicians were Chyco Dru (bass), Jacky ...
for their 1989 cover of the hit "" (by Ulysses Hermosa, lead singer of the popular Bolivian folk group
Los Kjarkas Los Kjarkas is a Bolivian band from the Capinota province in the department of Cochabamba, and one of the most popular Andean folk music bands in the country's history. Among the styles they play are Saya, tuntuna, huayno, and carnavales. ...
), later renamed as "
Lambada Lambada () is a dance from the state of Pará in Brazil. The dance briefly became internationally popular in the 1980s, especially in the Philippines, Latin America and Caribbean, Caribbean countries. It has adopted aspects of dances such as Maxi ...
". She was fluent in four languages, and recorded songs in her native Portuguese, as well as in
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...
, French and English.


Biography

Braz was born in
Jacarepaguá Jacarepaguá (), with a land area of , is a neighborhood situated in the West Zone of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 2010, it had a population of 157,326. The name comes from the indigenous name of the location, "shallow pond of caymans", yakaré (c ...
,
Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...
, to a family of musicians: her father was an orchestra leader and her mother was a popular and classical pianist. Braz learned to play the piano at the age of four, and started singing at the age of 13. She lived in Paris from 1985, and in
Geneva Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...
from 2010 until her death in 2017. Braz grew up surrounded by the rhythms of Brazil, which shone through her songs. Her natural gifts were strengthened by hard work. Braz quickly obtained many awards, and started performing at Rio's most prestigious night clubs. Her talent gained her the recognition of Brazil's greatest pop artists
Gilberto Gil Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira (; born 26 June 1942), is a Brazilian singer-songwriter and politician, known for both his musical innovation and political activism. From 2003 to 2008, he served as Brazil's Ministry of Culture (Brazil), Minister of ...
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,
Alcione Alcione may refer to: * ''Alcione'', a 1638 literary work by Pierre du Ryer * ''Alcione'', a 1787 musical drama by João de Sousa Carvalho * ''CANT Z.1007 Alcione'', World War II Italian bomber aircraft * ''Alcione'' (opera), a 1706 opera by Ma ...
,
Maria Bethânia Maria Bethânia Viana Teles Veloso (; born 18 June 1946) is a Brazilian singer and songwriter. Born in Santo Amaro, Bahia, she started her career in Rio de Janeiro in 1964 with the show "Opinião" ("Opinion"), she is "The Queen of Brazilian Musi ...
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, and
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, who became her stage and recording co-workers from 1975 to 1985. She moved to Paris in 1985, after her success at the Palais des Sports, with the show "Brésil en Fête". Braz appeared at major show business venues: Paradis Latin, Méridien (Paris), Olympia ('88 and '92), TLP Dejazet, New Morning, Zenith, Madison Square Garden (New York City), and the London Palladium and Waldorf Astoria (both London). In 1989, Braz provided vocals for the song "Lambada", recorded by
Kaoma Kaoma was a French-Brazilian band formed around 1989 by French producers Jean Georgakarakos and Olivier Lorsac to promote the song "Lambada (song), Lambada". Loalwa Braz was hired to sing lead vocals, other musicians were Chyco Dru (bass), Jacky ...
, which became a worldwide hit but was originally composed by Ulysses Hermosa, leader of the popular
Bolivia Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...
n folk group 'Los Kjarkas' and used without his permission; a settlement for an undisclosed sum was later reached. The success of "Lambada" also brought new attention to Latin music in non-Latin regions. Braz composed and sang two songs for the soundtrack of the movie ''Le Roi Desperados'' – produced by French television station Canal+ - and performed with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, in Abbey Road, for the soundtrack of the French movie ''Dis-Moi Oui'', directed by Alexandre Arcady and with music by Phillipe Sarde. Many songs marked her career: "Chorando Se Foi" ("Lambada"), " Dança Tago-Mago", " Dançando Lambada", " Mélodie D'Amour" and "A La Media Noche". Braz's adaptation of the
Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris (; Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th c ...
song "Another Star" into Portuguese (as "Outro Lugar") demonstrated her skills, and that was why great names of world music were interested in her compositions and arrangements. Braz was a member of the Arts, Sciences and Literature French Academy; she was decorated with the silver medal (Prix Thorlet) in 2003. She released a solo album in 2006, itself a trip between romanticism and the explosion of rhythms which characterized the artist's musical style. A new title enriched the singer's career: Ambassadress of the Association Francophone pour la Promotion de l'Esprit Sportif (AFPES).


Death

In the early hours of 19 January 2017, police found Braz's body in a burnt-out car next to a road in
Saquarema Saquarema () is a List of municipalities in Rio de Janeiro, municipality located in the States of Brazil, Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro (state), Rio de Janeiro. Its population is 90,583 (2020) and its area is 357 km2. It is located almost 73& ...
, 73 km from Rio de Janeiro. She was 63 years old. According to witnesses, two men had been seen earlier in her home, not far from the place where the vehicle was found. Police detained three men as suspects in her death, describing the crime as 'a robbery gone awry'. According to the Brazilian police investigation, she was murdered by one of her employees, who had started working at the singer's inn just 15 days prior to her death.


Discography

; Solo * ''Brésil'' (1989) * ''Recomeçar'' (2003) * ''Ensolarado'' (2011) ; with Kaoma * ''
Worldbeat Worldbeat is a music genre that blends pop music or rock music with world music or traditional music. Worldbeat is similar to other cross-pollination labels of contemporary and roots genres, and which suggest a rhythmic, harmonic or textural co ...
'' (1989) * ''Tribal-Pursuit'' (1991) * ''A La Media Noche'' (1998)


References


External links


Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Braz, Loalwa 1953 births 2017 deaths Brazilian dance musicians Singers from Rio de Janeiro (city) People murdered in Brazil Brazilian murder victims Afro-Brazilian women singers 20th-century Brazilian women singers 21st-century Brazilian women singers People from Saquarema Portuguese-language singers of Brazil Spanish-language singers of Brazil English-language singers from Brazil French-language singers of Brazil