Maria Rita
Encyclopedia
Maria Rita is the performance name of Maria Rita Mariano, a Brazil
ian singer. She is the daughter of famed pianist/arranger César Camargo Mariano
and the late Brazilian singing legend Elis Regina
and sister to Pedro Mariano and music producer João Marcelo Bôscoli. Her namesake is family friend and famed Brazilian rock legend Rita Lee
. Maria Rita majored in Latin American studies
and communications
at New York University
, and worked as a journalist
at a magazine for adolescents. "Rita" is pronounced "Hee-ta".
Maria Rita began singing professionally at the age of 24, although she had wanted to sing since she was 14. Her first CD, Maria Rita, launched her career symbolically, with the first cut on her first album, A Festa (The Party), being written by Milton Nascimento
, a Brazilian singer-songwriter whose career was launched by Maria Rita's mother, Elis Regina
. The CD went platinum and was a hit worldwide, making her an international star. Her mother's reputation as one of Brazil's greatest female singers has been a major influence in Maria Rita's life although she respectfully avoids the songs identified with her mother; she has said that she was always conscious of being the only daughter of a great singer. Despite having her mother's vocal DNA, she has developed her own jazzy vocal style, with singers like Ella Fitzgerald
as her model.
She won the 2004 Latin Grammy Awards for Best New Artist in the General Field, Best Song in Portuguese (“A festa”) and her debut album Maria Rita won the Best MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira
) Album award for that year. The world hit that “Segundo” turned out to be, granted her in 2006, two additional Grammys Latinos – Best MPB Album and Best Brazilian Song with “Caminho das Águas” authored by Rodrigo Maranhão – and over 50 shows abroad, with full public and reviews acceptance in the Montreux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Irving Plaza (NY), San Francisco Jazz Festival, among others.
Maria Rita was nominated for the BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music in 2008. On 28 June 2008, Maria Rita performed in London for the first time, with a production by Tuba Productions and JungleDrums Magazine.
Rita also appeared with Milton Nascimento
on his CD "Pieta" singing a duet on "Tristesse", which also won a Latin Grammy in 2003. She recently appeared with Uruguayan 2004 Grammy Award Winner Jorge Drexler
on his CD "12 Segundos de Oscuridad" singing a duet on "Soledad". She is a big fan of and has appeared live in cameo with the Brazilian rap/hip-hop group O Rappa.
Prêmio Multishow de Música Brasileira
1Tied with Paulinho da Viola for MTV Unplugged
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 singer. She is the daughter of famed pianist/arranger César Camargo Mariano
Cesar Camargo Mariano
Cesar Camargo Mariano is a Brazilian pianist, arranger, composer and music producer. He is one of the most renowned instrumental artists to come out of his home country.-Biography:...
and the late Brazilian singing legend 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...
and sister to Pedro Mariano and music producer João Marcelo Bôscoli. Her namesake is family friend and famed Brazilian rock legend Rita Lee
Rita Lee
Rita Lee Jones Carvalho , simply known as Rita Lee, is a Brazilian rock singer and composer. Lee continues to be a popular figure in Brazilian entertainment, where she is also known for being an animal rights activist and a vegetarian...
. Maria Rita majored in Latin American studies
Latin American Studies
Latin American studies is an academic discipline dealing with the study of Latin America and Latin Americans.-Definition:Latin American studies critically examines the history, culture, politics, and experiences of Latin Americans in Latin America and often also elsewhere .Latin American studies...
and communications
Communication studies
Communication Studies is an academic field that deals with processes of communication, commonly defined as the sharing of symbols over distances in space and time. Hence, communication studies encompasses a wide range of topics and contexts ranging from face-to-face conversation to speeches to mass...
at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, and worked as a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
at a magazine for adolescents. "Rita" is pronounced "Hee-ta".
Maria Rita began singing professionally at the age of 24, although she had wanted to sing since she was 14. Her first CD, Maria Rita, launched her career symbolically, with the first cut on her first album, A Festa (The Party), being written by 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...
, a Brazilian singer-songwriter whose career was launched by Maria Rita's mother, 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...
. The CD went platinum and was a hit worldwide, making her an international star. Her mother's reputation as one of Brazil's greatest female singers has been a major influence in Maria Rita's life although she respectfully avoids the songs identified with her mother; she has said that she was always conscious of being the only daughter of a great singer. Despite having her mother's vocal DNA, she has developed her own jazzy vocal style, with singers like Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
as her model.
She won the 2004 Latin Grammy Awards for Best New Artist in the General Field, Best Song in Portuguese (“A festa”) and her debut album Maria Rita won the Best MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira
Música Popular Brasileira
Música Popular Brasileira or MPB designates a trend in post-Bossa Nova urban popular music. It is not a discrete genre but rather a constellation that combines original songwriting and updated versions of traditional Brazilian urban music styles like samba and samba-canção with contemporary...
) Album award for that year. The world hit that “Segundo” turned out to be, granted her in 2006, two additional Grammys Latinos – Best MPB Album and Best Brazilian Song with “Caminho das Águas” authored by Rodrigo Maranhão – and over 50 shows abroad, with full public and reviews acceptance in the Montreux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Irving Plaza (NY), San Francisco Jazz Festival, among others.
Maria Rita was nominated for the BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music in 2008. On 28 June 2008, Maria Rita performed in London for the first time, with a production by Tuba Productions and JungleDrums Magazine.
Discography
- 2003 - Maria Rita (Warner Latina) (750,000 sold in Brazil), with follow-on "Maria Rita" DVD, recorded live in São Paulo at Bourbon Street
- 2005 - Segundo (Warner Latina) (250,000 sold in Brazil), with follow-on "Segundo" DVD, recorded live in 3 venues.
- 2007 - Samba MeuSamba MeuSamba Meu is Brazilian vocalist Maria Rita's third album, released in 2007 and distributed internationally by Warner Music Brazil. It was Maria Rita's first album of samba music...
(Wea International) (190,000 sold in Brazil), with follow-on "Maria Rita: Samba Meu" DVD, recorded live in Rio de Janeiro. - 2011 - Elo (Maria Rita album) (Wea International)
Rita also appeared with 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...
on his CD "Pieta" singing a duet on "Tristesse", which also won a Latin Grammy in 2003. She recently appeared with Uruguayan 2004 Grammy Award Winner Jorge Drexler
Jorge Drexler
Jorge Drexler is an Uruguayan musician and actor.In 2004 Drexler won wide acclaim after becoming the first Uruguayan ever to win an Academy Award...
on his CD "12 Segundos de Oscuridad" singing a duet on "Soledad". She is a big fan of and has appeared live in cameo with the Brazilian rap/hip-hop group O Rappa.
Awards and nominations
Latin Grammy| 2004 | Result |
|---|---|
| Album of the Year - Maria Rita | |
| Record of the Year - A Festa | |
| Best New Artist | |
| Best MPB Album - Maria Rita | |
| Best Brazilian Song - A Festa (Award Went to 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... ) |
|
| 2006 | Result |
| Best MPB Album - Segundo | |
| Best Brazilian Song - Caminho das Águas (Award Went to Rodrigo Maranhão) | |
| 2008 | Result |
| Best Samba/Pagode Album - Samba Meu | |
Prêmio Multishow de Música Brasileira
| 2003 | Result |
|---|---|
| Best New Artist (Solo) | |
| 2004 | Result |
| Best Album - Maria Rita | |
| Best Female Singer | |
| Best Song - A Festa (by 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... ) |
|
| Best DVD - Maria Rita | |
| Best Show | |
| 2008 | Result |
| Best Album - Samba Meu | |
| Best Female Singer | |
| Best Song - Tá Perdoado | |
1Tied with Paulinho da Viola for MTV Unplugged