Lena D'Água
Encyclopedia
Helena Maria de Jesus Águas, aka Lena d'Água (born 16 June 1956 in Lisbon
), is a Portuguese
singer
.
but did not graduate, as the 25 April 1974 Carnation Revolution
in Portugal changed everything. She left university and joined a theatre
group, later majoring in Education
.
In 1975, d'Água married Ramiro Martins, the bass
player of the band Beatnicks. The couple had a daughter and in May of the following year, and Lena joined the band as lead singer
, divorcing and leaving the project in 1978. Being the first woman in the country to lead a pop rock
band, she became a sex symbol
and a pop star; after singing in the Beatnicks, Salada de Frutas and Atlântida, she pursued a solo career.
Lena d'Água was a heroin addict for about nine years. After attending drug rehabilitation
, she finally became clean in 1998.
of S.L. Benfica star José Águas
, who played for the club in the 1950s and 1960s. Her younger brother, Rui, also played successfully for the Lisbon side (1980s/1990s), and both represented the Portuguese national team
.
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
), is a Portuguese
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...
singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
.
Biography
In 1973, Lena d'Água enrolled briefly in SociologySociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
but did not graduate, as the 25 April 1974 Carnation Revolution
Carnation Revolution
The Carnation Revolution , also referred to as the 25 de Abril , was a military coup started on 25 April 1974, in Lisbon, Portugal, coupled with an unanticipated and extensive campaign of civil resistance...
in Portugal changed everything. She left university and joined a theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
group, later majoring in Education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
.
In 1975, d'Água married Ramiro Martins, the bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
player of the band Beatnicks. The couple had a daughter and in May of the following year, and Lena joined the band as lead singer
Lead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
, divorcing and leaving the project in 1978. Being the first woman in the country to lead a pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
band, she became a sex symbol
Sex symbol
A sex symbol is a celebrity of either gender, typically an actor, musician, supermodel, teen idol, or sports star, noted for their sex appeal. The term was first used in the mid 1950s in relation to the popularity of certain Hollywood stars, especially Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte...
and a pop star; after singing in the Beatnicks, Salada de Frutas and Atlântida, she pursued a solo career.
Lena d'Água was a heroin addict for about nine years. After attending drug rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation is a term for the processes of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and so-called street drugs such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines...
, she finally became clean in 1998.
Discography
- 1979 – Qual é Coisa, Qual é ela?
- 1980 – Sem Açúcar
- 1981 – Olha o Robot/Armagedom (single)
- 1980 – Vígaro cá, vígaro lá/Labirinto (single)
- 1982 – Perto de ti
- 1983 – Papalagui/Jardim Zoológico (single)
- 1984 – Lusitânia
- 1986 – Terra Prometida
- 1987 – Aguaceiro
- 1989 – Tu Aqui
- 1992 – Ou Isto ou Aquilo
- 1993 – As Canções do Século
- 1996 – Demagogia (colectânea)
- 1996 – O Melhor de Lena d'Água - Sempre Que o Amor Me Quiser (greatest hits)
- 2007 – Sempre - live at Hot Clube de Portugal
Personal
D'Água is the daughterDaughter
A daughter is a female offspring; a girl, woman, or female animal in relation to her parents. The male equivalent is a son. Analogously the name is used on several areas to show relations between groups or elements.-Etymology:...
of S.L. Benfica star José Águas
José Águas
José Pinto de Carvalho Santos Águas was a Portuguese footballer who played as a striker.He endured a lengthy professional spell with Benfica, never scoring less than 18 goals in his first division seasons.-Football career:...
, who played for the club in the 1950s and 1960s. Her younger brother, Rui, also played successfully for the Lisbon side (1980s/1990s), and both represented the Portuguese national team
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
.