Bïa
Encyclopedia
Bïa Krieger is a Brazil
ian-born singer and recording artist who lives in France
and Quebec
. She sings in French, Portuguese and Spanish. Her recording career began in 1996 and currently she has four albums.
, then Peru
and finally Portugal
. She was 12 when the family went back to their homeland after the Brazilian Amnesty Law
.
While attending school Krieger was listening to music; Brazilian, Latin-American, English pop, as well as singing and playing guitar to her friends. She began a university degree in Journalism at São Paulo
but quit and relocated to Europe, where she spent a few years sailing around the Atlantic and Mediterranean. In 1995, she decided to pursue music professionally.
offered Bïa an opportunity to record, after listening to her demo. This first album, La Mémoire du Vent; translations in French of some of the songs of the Brazilian songwriter Chico Buarque
, earned the Grand Prix de l’Académie Charles Cros
.
In 1998 she recorded the soundtrack for a Claude Lelouch film, and went touring in Japan, Italy and Canada.
She released her second album, Sources, in 2000. Partly recorded in Rio de Janeiro
, this album was a return to her country’s sources of inspiration. She also paid tribute to the Beatles, which she has always loved, by covering Golden Slumbers
.
In 2003, Bïa released her third album, Carmin. Most of the songs are hers, but she still paid homage to favourite songwriters; Chico Buarque
, Gianmaria Testa and Henri Salvador
. She also recorded an Inca mantra, Inti, a Pre-Columbian hymn to the sun played in a drum & bass. This album was partly recorded in Paris, partly in Montreal, where she spends much of her time.
Bïa Krieger sings in French as well as in her mother tongue Portuguese, and Spanish. She creates mixes between bossanova
or samba
rhythms and French language, pop flavours sung in South American style, and some very Brazilian or afro-Brazilian songs.
Carmin has been produced by Robson Galdino, a carioca
guitar player and studio wiz living in Paris, and Erik West Millette, a bass, guitar and slides player from Montreal
.
Bïa played at the 2003 Montreal International Jazz Festival and was a 2007 Juno Award
World Music
nominee.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian-born singer and recording artist who lives in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. She sings in French, Portuguese and Spanish. Her recording career began in 1996 and currently she has four albums.
Early years
During the years of the military dictatorship in Brazil, her parents were forced into exile. They moved the family to ChileChile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, then Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and finally Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. She was 12 when the family went back to their homeland after the Brazilian Amnesty Law
History of Brazil
The history of Brazil begins with the arrival of the first indigenous peoples, thousands of years ago by crossing the Bering land bridge into Alaska and then moving south....
.
While attending school Krieger was listening to music; Brazilian, Latin-American, English pop, as well as singing and playing guitar to her friends. She began a university degree in Journalism at São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
but quit and relocated to Europe, where she spent a few years sailing around the Atlantic and Mediterranean. In 1995, she decided to pursue music professionally.
Professional career
In 1996, French author and producer Pierre BarouhPierre Barouh
Pierre Barouh is a French writer-composer-singer best known for his work on Claude Lelouch's film A Man and a Woman both as actor, and as lyric writer/singer for Francis Lai's music for the film....
offered Bïa an opportunity to record, after listening to her demo. This first album, La Mémoire du Vent; translations in French of some of the songs of the Brazilian songwriter Chico Buarque
Chico Buarque
Francisco Buarque de Hollanda , popularly known as Chico Buarque , is a singer, guitarist, composer, dramatist, writer and poet...
, earned the Grand Prix de l’Académie Charles Cros
Grand Prix du Disque
The Grand Prix du Disque is the premier French award for musical recordings. The award was inaugurated by l'Académie Charles Cros in 1948 and offers prizes in various categories. The categories vary from year to year, and multiple awards are often made in any one category in the same year...
.
In 1998 she recorded the soundtrack for a Claude Lelouch film, and went touring in Japan, Italy and Canada.
She released her second album, Sources, in 2000. Partly recorded in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, this album was a return to her country’s sources of inspiration. She also paid tribute to the Beatles, which she has always loved, by covering Golden Slumbers
Golden Slumbers
"Golden Slumbers" is a song by The Beatles, part of the climactic medley on their 1969 album Abbey Road. The song begins the progression that leads to the end of the album and is followed by "Carry That Weight." The two songs were recorded together as a single piece, and both were written by Paul...
.
In 2003, Bïa released her third album, Carmin. Most of the songs are hers, but she still paid homage to favourite songwriters; Chico Buarque
Chico Buarque
Francisco Buarque de Hollanda , popularly known as Chico Buarque , is a singer, guitarist, composer, dramatist, writer and poet...
, Gianmaria Testa and Henri Salvador
Henri Salvador
Henri Salvador was a French Caribbean singer.-Biography:Salvador was born in Cayenne, French Guiana. His father, Clovis, and his mother, Antonine Paterne, daughter of a native Indian from the Caribbean, were both from Guadeloupe, French West Indies...
. She also recorded an Inca mantra, Inti, a Pre-Columbian hymn to the sun played in a drum & bass. This album was partly recorded in Paris, partly in Montreal, where she spends much of her time.
Bïa Krieger sings in French as well as in her mother tongue Portuguese, and Spanish. She creates mixes between bossanova
Bossanova
Bossanova is the third album by the American alternative rock band Pixies, released in August 1990 on the English independent record label 4AD in the United Kingdom and by Elektra Records in the United States. All of Bossanovas original material was written by the band's frontman Black Francis; it...
or samba
Samba
Samba is a Brazilian dance and musical genre originating in Bahia and with its roots in Brazil and Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions. It is recognized around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival...
rhythms and French language, pop flavours sung in South American style, and some very Brazilian or afro-Brazilian songs.
Carmin has been produced by Robson Galdino, a carioca
Carioca
Carioca is a Portuguese adjective or demonym that is used to refer to the native inhabitants of the city of Rio de Janeiro - capital of the homonym state , in Brazil...
guitar player and studio wiz living in Paris, and Erik West Millette, a bass, guitar and slides player from Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
.
Bïa played at the 2003 Montreal International Jazz Festival and was a 2007 Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
World Music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
nominee.
Discography
- 2011 : Concert Intime
- 2008 : Nocturno
- 2005 : Coeur vagabond
- 2003 : Carmin
- 2000 : Sources
- 1997 : La memoire du Vent
External links
- Audiogram (with audio excerpts)
- Bïa Krieger official website
- Bïa Krieger official website in English