Célia

Origin

São Paulo, SP

Also known as

Celia, Célia Regina Cruz, Célia Soul, Celinha

Years Active

1970–2017

Genres

MPB, samba

Instruments

voice

Biography

Célia Regina Cruz, known artistically simply as Célia, was born in São Paulo on September 8, 1947. She emerged on the Brazilian music scene in the early 1970s, achieving great national notoriety after participating in the TV show "Um Instante, Maestro!", hosted by Flávio Cavalcanti. Her rise occurred during a fertile period when several female interpreters gained prominence in the wake of Elis Regina's success, consolidating a striking crop of female voices in popular music.

Throughout her career, Célia stood out for her virtuosity, musical refinement, and a voice considered privileged by critics and producers. One of the great milestones of her career was the recording of the hit "Onde estão os tamborins", released in the 1970s, which sold tens of thousands of copies and earned her important awards such as the Roquete Pinto and the Elena Silveira, in addition to gold records. Her projection surpassed national borders, leading her to tour Europe and Latin America, including a memorable performance for Prince Rainier III in Monaco.

In the following years, she remained active on television and on stages, even leading the show Qual é a Música? for weeks. Although she faced occasional criticism regarding her choice of repertoire over the years, she maintained her prestige among professional colleagues and experts until her final days. Célia passed away in São Paulo on September 29, 2017, a victim of cancer, leaving a legacy of vocal sophistication in the history of Brazilian music.

Discography

• Célia (1970)
• Célia (1972)
• A Hora É Essa (1972)
• Detalhes (1973)
• Célia (1975)
• Amor (1982)
• Meu Caro (1983)
• 15 Anos (1986)
• Louca de Saudade (1993)
• Ao Vivo (1999)
• Célia (2), Zé Luiz Mazziotti – Pra Fugir da Saudade - Canções de Paulinho da Viola (2000)
• Célia Canta Erineu Maranesi (2002)
• Célia (2) & Dino Barioni – Faço no Tempo Soar Minha Sílaba (2007)
• Alaide Costa, Célia (2), Cida Moreira, Fabiana Cozza, Milena – Elas Cantam Paulinho da Viola (2009)
• O Lado Oculto das Canções - Célia 40 Anos (2010)
• Outros Românticos (2011)
• Dose Dupla Célia (2011)
• Só a Pessoa Sabe o que Tem por Dentro (2014)
• Aquilo que a Gente Diz (2015)
• Zózoio Como É que É (2017)
• Pra Fugir da Saudade (2017)
• O que Não Pode Mais Se Calar (2018)
• Canções de Chico Buarque (ao Vivo) (2019)
• I Like Big Butts, Volume 4 (2020)
• I Like Big Butts, Volume 20 (2020)