Alessandra Leão

Origin

Recife, PE

Years Active

1997

Genres

música popular brasileira, MPB, música regional nordestina

Instruments

voz, percussão, ilu, caxixis

Biography

Alessandra Leão is a Brazilian singer, songwriter, percussionist, and record producer, born in Recife, Pernambuco, on January 27, 1979. She began her career in 1997 as a member and founder of the band Comadre Fulozinha. In 2006, she launched her solo career with the album "Brinquedo de Tambor", produced and arranged in partnership with musician Caçapa. This work was recognized by critics, making it onto the list of the 10 best albums of 2006 by the Prêmio Uirapuru.

Throughout her career, Alessandra Leão has explored the roots of Brazilian music, engaging in a dialogue with traditional rhythms and elements of popular culture. Her discography includes albums such as "Folia de Santo" (2008), "Dois Cordões" (2009), "Guerreiras" (2010), and the EP trilogy "Língua" (2014-2015). In 2019, she released the acclaimed "Macumbas e Catimbós", an album nominated for the Latin Grammy for Best Portuguese Language Roots Album and voted one of the 25 best Brazilian albums of the first half of 2019 by the São Paulo Association of Art Critics.

Alessandra Leão is known for her versatility and for performing alongside several renowned artists of Brazilian music, such as Antônio Carlos Nóbrega, Siba, Juçara Marçal, Jorge Du Peixe (Nação Zumbi), Tulipa Ruiz, and Anelis Assumpção. Her performances frequently blend electric guitars with terreiro drums, creating a unique sound that honors both ancestry and contemporaneity.

Discography

• Brinquedo de Tambor (2006)
• Folia de Santo (2008)
• Dois Cordões (2009)
• Guerreiras (2010)
• Macumbas e Catimbós (2019)
• ACESA (2021)