September 26, 1945 – November 09, 2022

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Brazilian singer Gal Costa passed away on Nov. 9, 2022 at the age of 77.

She was born as Gal Maria da Graca Costa Penna Burgos on Sept. 26, 1945 in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

She first discovered bossa nova when she was 14, worked in a record store where she learned much more about the music, and at 18 began singing professionally, making her debut recording in 1965.

Costa had a hit with “Coracao Vagabundo,” met Antonio Carlos Jobim in 1966, and by the late 1960s was considered part of the tropicalia movement which mixed together bossa novas and sambas with rock.

Gal Costa had other hits with “Baby,” “Divino Maravilhoso,” “Que pena,” “Nao identiicado, “Meu nome e Gal,” “Cinema Olympia” and “Fasta Do Interior.”

Considered one of Brazil’s finest and most popular singers, Gal Costa was active until shortly before her death.

Here is her performance of Jobim’s “Desafinado” from around 2015.

-Scott Yanow

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