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gal costa

gal costa

Biographies

Gal Costa is a native of Salvador, Bahia, where she was born in 1945. In her hometown, alongside Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Maria Bethânia and Tom Zé, among others, she developed the show Nós, Por Exemplo, in 1964. An heiress of João Gilberto’s “cool” singing style, Gal made her debut album next to Caetano with the post-bossa-nova LP Domingo, of 1967.

atenção
tudo é perigoso
tudo é divino
maravilhosoGilberto Gil e Caetano Veloso

As she integrated Tropicalism, Gal assimilated some interpretative elements of rock. Some of the movement’s greatest classics, such as “Baby” and “Divino, Maravilhoso”, were launched in the voice of Gal Costa. Helped by Caetano and Gil – on account of the dictatorship –, Gal lead the group’s artistic resistance in Brazil. One of the great highlights of this period was the hit “London, London”.

Directed by Waly Salomão, in 1972, the show Gal a Todo Vapor became an anthological double album, making the fame of songs such as “Pérola Negra” and “Vapor Barato”. Índia, in 1973; Cantar (produced by Caetano Veloso), in 1974; Gal Canta Caymmi and Doces Bárbaros were other important “show-LPs” launched during that time. Doces Bárbaros, of 1976, marked Gal’s teaming up with Caetano, Gil and Bethânia again. In the 80’s, Gal consolidated her image of the “grand dame” of Brazilian modern song and boosted her career abroad.

In 1980, another songbook, Aquarela do Brasil (with songs by Ary Barroso) started a trend that was to become an ongoing source in the 90’s: Mina D’Água do Meu Canto, with songs by Caetano and Chico Buarque, in 1995, and Gal Costa Canta Tom Jobim, in 1999. In 1997, the successful CD Acústico MTV gathered part of Gal’s greatest hits. In 1998, Gal dared even further with Aquele Frevo Axé, produced by Celso Fonseca. In 2000, though Gal didn’t go into a recording studio, she appeared in a series of shows in partnerships with artists such as Maria Bethânia, Edu Lobo and the Portuguese group Madredeus.

In 2001, Gal Costa recorded her last CD with the label BMG – the little listened to and little heard of De tantos amores. The following year, Gal released the CD Bossa Tropical with the label Abril Music and got together again with Os Doces Bárbaros for a series of shows around the country. In 2003, she released the CD Todas as coisas e eu. In 2005, with yet another CD with new songs (Hoje), Gal appeared in several shows abroad. In 2006, the CD Gal Costa Live at Blue Note hit the record stores, and the singer announced her plan to write her memoirs.