Clara Nunes
Encyclopedia
Clara Nunes; August 12, 1943 – April 2, 1983) was a samba
singer, regarded as one of the greatest of her generation. She became the first female singer in Brazil to sell over 100,000 copies, and her achievements in the samba
genre earned her the title of "Queen of Samba".
She had enormous success with samba songs written by composers such as Nelson Cavaquinho
, Paulinho da Viola
and Chico Buarque
, in addition to songs devoted to orisha
s and Portela
, her favorite samba school
. Among her hits, recorded in 16 solo albums, are "Você Passa e Eu Acho Graça" (1968), "Ê Baiana" (1971), "O Mar Serenou" (1975), "As Forças da Natureza" (1977), "Guerreira" (1978), "Morena de Angola" (1980), and "Nação" (1982). At the peak of her career, Nunes would sell more than a million copies of each album she released.
Nunes was also a researcher of the rhythms and folklore of Brazilian popular music, and traveled several times to Africa
to search for the roots of black music. Familiar to Afro-Brazilian
dances and traditions, she converted to Umbanda
in her later life. On 1983, she died at age 39 after suffering from anaphylaxis
during a surgery to treat varicose veins
. Until today, she remains one of the most popular singers in Brazil.
, Paraopeba
, Minas Gerais
, where she lived until the age of 16. She was the youngest child of Manuel Ferreira de Araújo, and Amélia Gonçalves Nunes. Her father was a joiner
in the Cedro & Cachoeira textile mill, and was known in the town as Mané Serrador. He was also a violeiro
and a participant in the local Festival of the Three Kings. Manuel died on 1944, and soon after, the young Clara would also lose her mother. Orphaned, she would be raised by her older sister Dindinha (Maria Gonçalves) and brother José (known as Zé Chilau). At that time, Clara attended catechism
classes in the Church of the Eucharistic Crusade. There, she also sang litanies
in Latin
in the church choir.
According to her own words, she grew up listening to Carmen Costa, Ângela Maria, and especially Elizeth Cardoso and Dalva de Oliveira
, the latter which had always been a big influence on her music, even though she kept a unique style. On 1952, as a young girl, Clara won her first singing contest, held in her hometown, performing "Recuerdos de Ypacaraí". As a prize, she won a blue dress. At age 14, Clara became a weaver
in the Cedro & Cachoeira factory, the same in which her father had also been an employee.
At age 16, she moved to Belo Horizonte
after her brother Zé Chilau killed her boyfriend on 1957. In the state capital, Clara lived with her sister Vicentina and her brother Joaquim. There, she worked as a weaver by day and attended school by night. On weekends, Clara participated in the rehearsals of the Renaissance Choir, at the church in the neighborhood where she lived. At that time, she met guitar player Jadir Ambrósio
, known for having composed the anthem of Cruzeiro
. Admired by her voice, he took Clara to sing in several local radio programs, such as Degraus da Fama, in which she performed under the name of Clara Francisca.
), which introduced her to many artists. Aurino would also be her boyfriend for ten years. By influence of record producer Cid Carvalho, she changed her stage name
to Clara Nunes, using her mother's maiden name
. She would change her name
once again, becoming Clara Francisca Gonçalves Pinheiro after her marriage.
On 1960, still working as a weaver, she won the Minas Gerais stage of a contest named "The Golden Voice of ABC", performing "Serenata do Adeus", composed by Vinícius de Moraes
and previously recorded by Elizeth Cardoso. In the national stage of the competition, held in São Paulo
, she won the third place with the song "Só Adeus" (composed by Jair Amorim and Evaldo Gouveia).
Thereafter, Clara Nunes began singing at Rádio Inconfidência in Belo Horizonte. For three consecutive years she was named the best radio singer of Minas Gerais. She also began to perform as a crooner in nightclubs and bars in the state capital, later working with bassist Milton Nascimento
, then known as Bituca. At that time, she made her first appearance on television, performing on Hebe Camargo
's show in Belo Horizonte. On 1963, Clara Nunes got her own TV shown on Belo Horizonte's Itacolomi channel, titled Clara Nunes Presents. In the program, which aired for a year and a half, she received famous artists such as Altemar Dutra and Ângela Maria as guests.
Following the end of her TV show, on 1965, Clara moved to the Copacabana neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro
to pursue a national career as singer.
and Beth Carvalho
. In 1975, she toured Europe
.
The following albums transformed her into one of the "three samba queens" of her time, along with the two above-mentioned musicians. In the second half of the decade, she released one album every year, all of them selling well and featuring historic tracks such as "Juízo Final", "Coração Leviano" and "Morena de Angola". Other hits were "Você Passa e Eu Acho Graça", "Ê Baiana", "Ilu Ayê - Terra da Vida", "Tristeza, Pé no Chão", "A Deusa dos Orixás", "Macunaíma", "O Mar Serenou", "As Forças da Natureza", "Guerreira", "Feira de Mangaio", "Portela na Avenida" and "Nação".
Clara was also famous for songs crafted from the rhythms of Umbanda, her Afro-Brazilian religion, and for her typical costumes, as she always dressed in white and wore lots of necklaces and African beads.
Clara died prematurely on April 2, 1983 as a result of complications of anesthesia during surgery for varicose veins
, prompting mourning throughout Brazil.
, but ended up having an allergic reaction to one of the components of the anesthetic. Clara suffered a cardiac arrest
and remained hospitalized for 28 days in Clínica São Vicente's Intensive Care Unit. Meanwhile, the singer was the victim of a series of speculations that circulated in the media over her hospital admission, including "artificial insemination
, abortion
, suicide
attempt, and spousal abuse by her husband". A similar episode occurred after the death of Elis Regina
, in the previous year.
In the morning of April 2, 1983 - a Holy Saturday
- Clara Nunes was officially declared dead, at the age of 39, victim of an anaphylactic shock. The inquiry opened by the Regional Medical Council of Rio de Janeiro to investigate whether there was medical negligence in the case was filed, which would increase speculation about her cause of death. The singer's funeral was attended by more than 50,000 people in the court of the Portela samba school. Her burial at Cemitério São João Batista
was accompanied by a crowd of fans and friends. In her honor, the street in Oswaldo Cruz
where Portela is located was named after her.
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...
singer, regarded as one of the greatest of her generation. She became the first female singer in Brazil to sell over 100,000 copies, and her achievements in the 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...
genre earned her the title of "Queen of Samba".
She had enormous success with samba songs written by composers such as Nelson Cavaquinho
Nelson Cavaquinho
Nelson Cavaquinho was one of the most important singer/composers of samba. He is usually seen as a representative of the tragic aspects of samba thematics, with many songs about death and hopelessness...
, Paulinho da Viola
Paulinho da Viola
Paulinho da Viola is a Brazilian sambista, singer/songwriter, guitar, cavaquinho and mandolin player, known for his sophisticated harmonies and soft, gentle singing voice.-Biography:...
and Chico Buarque
Chico Buarque
Francisco Buarque de Hollanda , popularly known as Chico Buarque , is a singer, guitarist, composer, dramatist, writer and poet...
, in addition to songs devoted to orisha
Orisha
An Orisha is a spirit or deity that reflects one of the manifestations of Olodumare in the Yoruba spiritual or religious system....
s and Portela
GRES Portela
The Grêmio Recreativo Escola de Samba Portela is one of the most traditional samba schools of the city of Rio de Janeiro.- History :In the beginning of the 20th century, in Oswaldo Cruz, there was the carnivalesque group of dancers called Quem Fala de Nós Come Mosca , of Dona Ester...
, her favorite samba school
Samba school
A samba school is a club or dancing school. They practice and often perform in huge square-compounds devoted to practicing and exhibiting samba, an African-Brazilian dance. The schools are traditionally associated with a particular neighborhood, often shanty towns...
. Among her hits, recorded in 16 solo albums, are "Você Passa e Eu Acho Graça" (1968), "Ê Baiana" (1971), "O Mar Serenou" (1975), "As Forças da Natureza" (1977), "Guerreira" (1978), "Morena de Angola" (1980), and "Nação" (1982). At the peak of her career, Nunes would sell more than a million copies of each album she released.
Nunes was also a researcher of the rhythms and folklore of Brazilian popular music, and traveled several times to Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
to search for the roots of black music. Familiar to Afro-Brazilian
Afro-Brazilian
In Brazil, the term "preto" is one of the five categories used by the Brazilian Census, along with "branco" , "pardo" , "amarelo" and "indígena"...
dances and traditions, she converted to Umbanda
Umbanda
Umbanda is an Afro-Brazilian religion that blends African religions with Catholicism, Spiritism and Kardecism, and considerable indigenous lore....
in her later life. On 1983, she died at age 39 after suffering from anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis is defined as "a serious allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and may cause death". It typically results in a number of symptoms including throat swelling, an itchy rash, and low blood pressure...
during a surgery to treat varicose veins
Varicose veins
Varicose veins are veins that have become enlarged and tortuous. The term commonly refers to the veins on the leg, although varicose veins can occur elsewhere. Veins have leaflet valves to prevent blood from flowing backwards . Leg muscles pump the veins to return blood to the heart, against the...
. Until today, she remains one of the most popular singers in Brazil.
Early life
Clara Francisca Gonçalves de Araújo was born on August 12, 1943, in CedroCaetanópolis
Caetanópolis is a Brazilian municipality located in the northeast of the state of Minas Gerais. Its population as of 2007 was 9,490 people living in a total area of 156 km². The city belongs to the meso-region of Metropolitana de Belo Horizonte and to the micro-region of Sete Lagoas...
, Paraopeba
Paraopeba
Paraopeba is a Brazilian municipality located in the northeast of the state of Minas Gerais. Its population as of 2007 was 22,204 people living in a total area of 625 km². The city belongs to the meso-region of Metropolitana de Belo Horizonte and to the micro-region of Sete Lagoas...
, Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
, where she lived until the age of 16. She was the youngest child of Manuel Ferreira de Araújo, and Amélia Gonçalves Nunes. Her father was a joiner
Joiner
A joiner differs from a carpenter in that joiners cut and fit joints in wood that do not use nails. Joiners usually work in a workshop since the formation of various joints generally requires non-portable machinery. A carpenter normally works on site...
in the Cedro & Cachoeira textile mill, and was known in the town as Mané Serrador. He was also a violeiro
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and a participant in the local Festival of the Three Kings. Manuel died on 1944, and soon after, the young Clara would also lose her mother. Orphaned, she would be raised by her older sister Dindinha (Maria Gonçalves) and brother José (known as Zé Chilau). At that time, Clara attended catechism
Catechism
A catechism , i.e. to indoctrinate) is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present...
classes in the Church of the Eucharistic Crusade. There, she also sang litanies
Litany
A litany, in Christian worship and some forms of Jewish worship, is a form of prayer used in services and processions, and consisting of a number of petitions...
in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
in the church choir.
According to her own words, she grew up listening to Carmen Costa, Ângela Maria, and especially Elizeth Cardoso and Dalva de Oliveira
Dalva de Oliveira
Dalva de Oliveira or Vicentina de Paula Oliveira was a Brazilian singer and one of divas of the Radio Era....
, the latter which had always been a big influence on her music, even though she kept a unique style. On 1952, as a young girl, Clara won her first singing contest, held in her hometown, performing "Recuerdos de Ypacaraí". As a prize, she won a blue dress. At age 14, Clara became a weaver
Weaving
Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
in the Cedro & Cachoeira factory, the same in which her father had also been an employee.
At age 16, she moved to Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte is the capital of and largest city in the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. It is the third largest metropolitan area in the country...
after her brother Zé Chilau killed her boyfriend on 1957. In the state capital, Clara lived with her sister Vicentina and her brother Joaquim. There, she worked as a weaver by day and attended school by night. On weekends, Clara participated in the rehearsals of the Renaissance Choir, at the church in the neighborhood where she lived. At that time, she met guitar player Jadir Ambrósio
Jadir Ambrósio
Jadir Ambrósio, , is a Brazilian musician. He took a course on piano, singing, and chorus at the Conservatório Mineiro de Música in Belo Horizonte. It was the Conservatory the place chosen for the musician to distill his emotion...
, known for having composed the anthem of Cruzeiro
Cruzeiro Esporte Clube
Cruzeiro Esporte Clube is a Brazilian football team, from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, and are one of the only five clubs to have never been relegated, along with Santos, São Paulo, Flamengo and Internacional. Founded on January 2, 1921, they are only one of three clubs to have participated in...
. Admired by her voice, he took Clara to sing in several local radio programs, such as Degraus da Fama, in which she performed under the name of Clara Francisca.
Name change and early success
In the early 1960s, Clara also met Aurino Araújo (brother of Eduardo AraújoEduardo Araújo
Eduardo Araújo is a Brazilian rock singer. Once part of the Jovem Guarda movement, he is now linked to the country music music scene. He is famous for his Jovem Guarda hit "O Bom".- Albums :...
), which introduced her to many artists. Aurino would also be her boyfriend for ten years. By influence of record producer Cid Carvalho, she changed her stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
to Clara Nunes, using her mother's maiden name
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
. She would change her name
Name change
Name change generally refers to a legal act allowing a person to adopt a name different than their name at birth, marriage, or adoption. The procedures and ease of a name change depend on the jurisdiction. In general, common law jurisdictions have loose limitations on name changes while civil law...
once again, becoming Clara Francisca Gonçalves Pinheiro after her marriage.
On 1960, still working as a weaver, she won the Minas Gerais stage of a contest named "The Golden Voice of ABC", performing "Serenata do Adeus", composed by Vinícius de Moraes
Vinicius de Moraes
Marcus Vinicius de Moraes , known as Vinicius de Moraes and nicknamed O Poetinho , was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Son of Lydia Cruz de Moraes and Clodoaldo Pereira da Silva Moraes, he was a seminal figure in contemporary Brazilian music...
and previously recorded by Elizeth Cardoso. In the national stage of the competition, held in 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...
, she won the third place with the song "Só Adeus" (composed by Jair Amorim and Evaldo Gouveia).
Thereafter, Clara Nunes began singing at Rádio Inconfidência in Belo Horizonte. For three consecutive years she was named the best radio singer of Minas Gerais. She also began to perform as a crooner in nightclubs and bars in the state capital, later working with bassist Milton Nascimento
Milton Nascimento
-Biography:Nascimento's mother was the maid Maria Nascimento. As a baby, Milton Nascimento was adopted by his mother's former employers: the couple Josino Brito Campos, a banker employee, mathematics teacher and electronic technician; and Lília Silva Campos, a music teacher and choir singer...
, then known as Bituca. At that time, she made her first appearance on television, performing on Hebe Camargo
Hebe Camargo
Hebe Maria Monteiro de Camargo Ravagnani is a Brazilian TV presenter. She is also a singer and actress.-Early years:...
's show in Belo Horizonte. On 1963, Clara Nunes got her own TV shown on Belo Horizonte's Itacolomi channel, titled Clara Nunes Presents. In the program, which aired for a year and a half, she received famous artists such as Altemar Dutra and Ângela Maria as guests.
Following the end of her TV show, on 1965, Clara moved to the Copacabana neighborhood 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...
to pursue a national career as singer.
First recordings
After a few LPs featuring assorted styles, she became a samba vocalist in the 1970s and became well known. In 1974, Clara had a hit with the samba "Conto de Areia" and her album sold approximately 300 thousand copies. It was a remarkable achievement which helped to overturn the idea that women were unable to become big record sellers (in Brazil) and thereby stimulated other companies to invest in other female samba musicians, such as AlcioneAlcione
Alcione Dias Nazareth is one of the most successful female sambists in Brazil who first claimed international recognition in the late 1970s, and has had 19 gold records and two platinum records.- Biography :She was born in São Luís, Maranhão...
and Beth Carvalho
Beth Carvalho
Elizabeth Santos Leal de Carvalho is a Brazilian samba singer, guitarist, cavaquinist and composer.-Biography:...
. In 1975, she toured Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
The following albums transformed her into one of the "three samba queens" of her time, along with the two above-mentioned musicians. In the second half of the decade, she released one album every year, all of them selling well and featuring historic tracks such as "Juízo Final", "Coração Leviano" and "Morena de Angola". Other hits were "Você Passa e Eu Acho Graça", "Ê Baiana", "Ilu Ayê - Terra da Vida", "Tristeza, Pé no Chão", "A Deusa dos Orixás", "Macunaíma", "O Mar Serenou", "As Forças da Natureza", "Guerreira", "Feira de Mangaio", "Portela na Avenida" and "Nação".
Clara was also famous for songs crafted from the rhythms of Umbanda, her Afro-Brazilian religion, and for her typical costumes, as she always dressed in white and wore lots of necklaces and African beads.
Clara died prematurely on April 2, 1983 as a result of complications of anesthesia during surgery for varicose veins
Varicose veins
Varicose veins are veins that have become enlarged and tortuous. The term commonly refers to the veins on the leg, although varicose veins can occur elsewhere. Veins have leaflet valves to prevent blood from flowing backwards . Leg muscles pump the veins to return blood to the heart, against the...
, prompting mourning throughout Brazil.
Death
On March 5, 1983, Clara Nunes underwent a seemingly simple surgery to treat varicose veinsVaricose veins
Varicose veins are veins that have become enlarged and tortuous. The term commonly refers to the veins on the leg, although varicose veins can occur elsewhere. Veins have leaflet valves to prevent blood from flowing backwards . Leg muscles pump the veins to return blood to the heart, against the...
, but ended up having an allergic reaction to one of the components of the anesthetic. Clara suffered a cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest, is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively...
and remained hospitalized for 28 days in Clínica São Vicente's Intensive Care Unit. Meanwhile, the singer was the victim of a series of speculations that circulated in the media over her hospital admission, including "artificial insemination
Artificial insemination
Artificial insemination, or AI, is the process by which sperm is placed into the reproductive tract of a female for the purpose of impregnating the female by using means other than sexual intercourse or natural insemination...
, abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
, suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
attempt, and spousal abuse by her husband". A similar episode occurred after the death of Elis Regina
Elis Regina
Elis Regina Carvalho Costa, known simply as Elis Regina was an important singer of Brazilian popular music. She became nationally renowned in 1965, after singing Arrastão in the first edition of TV Excelsior festival song contest, and soon joined O Fino da Bossa, a television program on TV Record...
, in the previous year.
In the morning of April 2, 1983 - a Holy Saturday
Holy Saturday
Holy Saturday , sometimes known as Easter Eve or Black Saturday, is the day after Good Friday. It is the day before Easter and the last day of Holy Week in which Christians prepare for Easter...
- Clara Nunes was officially declared dead, at the age of 39, victim of an anaphylactic shock. The inquiry opened by the Regional Medical Council of Rio de Janeiro to investigate whether there was medical negligence in the case was filed, which would increase speculation about her cause of death. The singer's funeral was attended by more than 50,000 people in the court of the Portela samba school. Her burial at Cemitério São João Batista
Cemitério São João Batista
Cemitério São João Batista is a private cemetery in the neighborhood of Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro owned and operated by the Santa Casa da Misericórdia do Rio de Janeiro a charitable organization with a Catholic identity founded by the Portuguese]] in Rio during the colonial era...
was accompanied by a crowd of fans and friends. In her honor, the street in Oswaldo Cruz
Oswaldo Cruz (Rio de Janeiro)
Oswaldo Cruz is a neighborhood of the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro, of middle-class and lower middle-class situated near the neighborhoods of Madureira , Bento Ribeiro , Vila Valqueire , and Turiaçu...
where Portela is located was named after her.
Discography
- 1966 A voz adorável de Clara Nunes
- 1968 Você passa eu acho graçaVocê passa eu acho graçaVocê passa eu acho graça is the second release by Clara Nunes. Released in 1968, it is noted for being her first foray into samba.-Track listing:# "Você não é como as flores"# "Sabiá "# "Cheguei à conclusão"# "Desencontro"# "Pra esquecer"...
- 1969 A beleza que canta
- 1971 Clara Nunes
- 1972 Clara Clarice Clara
- 1973 Clara NunesClara Nunes (Clara Nunes album)Clara Nunes is the sixth album by Clara Nunes. Originally released in 1973, it was later reissued in 2004 as part of a Clara Nunes boxset that featured her entire discography reissued on CD for the first time.-Track listing:# "Tristeza pé no chão"...
- 1973 Poeta, Moça e Violão (with Vinicius de Moraes e Toquinho)
- 1974 Brasileiro Profissão Esperança (with Paulo Gracindo)
- 1974 AlvorecerAlvorecer (Clara Nunes album)Alvorecer is the seventh album released by Clara Nunes in 1974 for the Odeon label. Due to the success of the song Conto de Areia, the album eventually went on to sell over 300,000 copies in Brazil, making Nunes one of the biggest selling female artists of her time...
- 1975 Claridade
- 1976 Canto das três raças
- 1977 Forças da natureza
- 1978 Guerreira
- 1979 Esperança
- 1980 Brasil Mestiço
- 1981 Clara
- 1982 Nação