Aracy de Almeida

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Years Active

1933–1988

Genres

samba, carnival march, MPB

Instruments

vocals

Biography

Aracy Teles de Almeida was born in Rio de Janeiro on August 19, 1914, becoming known in the Brazilian musical scene as "O Samba em Pessoa" (Samba in Person) or "A Dama do Encantado" (The Lady of Encantado). Raised in the Rio suburbs, she began her journey singing in religious choirs and performing on radio stations in the 1930s. She became one of the greatest interpreters of Brazilian popular music, having a fundamental artistic and friendly partnership with the composer Noel Rosa, whose work she helped to revitalize and widely disseminate throughout her career.

Throughout her journey in the 1930s and 1940s, she recorded several samba hits and carnival marches, standing out on important broadcasting stations such as Rádio Educadora, Rádio Tupi, and Rádio Nacional. In the 1950s, her work at the Vogue nightclub further consolidated her historical importance by recording albums dedicated to Noel's repertoire. In addition to her strong performance as a singer, Aracy made her presence felt on Brazilian television in the following decades, acting as a juror in high-audience variety shows, such as Silvio Santos's Show de Calouros.

She passed away on June 20, 1988, in Rio de Janeiro, after facing health problems resulting from a pulmonary edema. Alongside figures like Carmen Miranda, Aracy de Almeida remains immortalized as one of the most authentic and striking voices of the golden age of Brazilian radio and samba.

Discography

• Noel Rosa (1950)
• Noel Rosa (2ª Serie) (1951)
• Sucessos de Aracy de Almeida (1952)
• Apresenta Sambas de Noel Rosa (1954)
• Canções de Noel Rosa com Aracy de Almeida (1955)
• Aracy de Almeida e a Turma da Vila – O Samba em Pessôa (1958)
• Samba (1960)
• Samba É Aracy de Almeida (1966)
• Sérgio Pôrto - Aracy de Almeida - Billy Blanco no "Zum Zum" (1966)
• Aracy de Almeida, Ismael Silva, MPB-4, Carlos Poyares, Conjunto Samba Autêntico, Grupo Mensagem, Partido Alto – Samba Pede Passagem (1966)
• Ao Vivo e à Vontade (1988)
• Mestres da MPB - Volume 02 (1995)
• Warner 30 anos (2006)
• Brazilian Vocal Legend (2013)
• 100 Anos de Aracy de Almeida (2014)
• Autumn in Rio (2022)
• Bate bate coração (2022)
• A melhor do planeta (2022)
• Noel Rosa e Araci de Almeida: Os Clássicos do Samba de Verão 1950-1951 (2023)