Key takeaways:
- Astrud Gilberto was a Brazilian singer, songwriter and entertainer whose off-hand, English-language cameo on “The Girl from Ipanema” made her a worldwide voice of bossa nova.
- Her career spanned over five decades, and she released over 20 albums. She was the recipient of numerous awards, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003.
- She is survived by her daughter, Bebel Gilberto, who is also a singer-songwriter. Her husband, Joao Gilberto, died in 2019.
NEW YORK (AP) – Astrud Gilberto, the Brazilian singer, songwriter and entertainer whose off-hand, English-language cameo on “The Girl from Ipanema” made her a worldwide voice of bossa nova, has died at age 83. Born in Salvador, Bahia and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Gilberto became an overnight, unexpected superstar in 1964, thanks to knowing just enough English to be recruited by the makers of “Getz/Gilberto,” the classic bossa nova album featuring saxophonist Stan Getz and her then-husband, singer-songwriter-guitarist Joao Gilberto.
The song “The Girl from Ipanema,” written by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes, was a wistful ballad that featured Gilberto’s off-hand English-language vocals. It quickly became a worldwide hit, and Gilberto’s voice became the face of bossa nova.
Gilberto’s career spanned over five decades, and she released over 20 albums. She was the recipient of numerous awards, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003. She was also inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame in 2004.
Musician Paul Ricci, a family friend, confirmed that she died Monday. “Astrud Gilberto was a beloved friend and a true musical icon,” Ricci said. “Her voice and her music will live on forever.”
Gilberto is survived by her daughter, Bebel Gilberto, who is also a singer-songwriter. Her husband, Joao Gilberto, died in 2019.
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