Dona Ivone Lara

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Also known as

Ivone Lara, Yvonne Lara da Costa

Years Active

1970

Genres

samba

Instruments

cavaquinho, vocals

Biography

Dona Ivone Lara was a pioneering Brazilian singer and songwriter, widely celebrated as the Queen of Samba. Born in Rio de Janeiro, she broke gender barriers as the first woman to compose a samba-enredo and to officially join the composers' wing of a major samba school, Império Serrano. Her early musical journey required immense resilience, as she initially had to submit her compositions through her cousin Mestre Fuleiro due to the male-dominated environment of the samba scene. Overcoming these obstacles, she cemented her legacy with timeless compositions and powerful performances that influenced generations of artists, collaborating with icons such as Maria Bethânia and Gal Costa.

Before dedicating herself fully to music, she built a distinguished career in healthcare and social work. A graduate in nursing and social work, she worked for over three decades at the Institute of Psychiatry of Engenho de Dentro alongside psychiatrist Nise da Silveira, playing a vital role in Brazil's psychiatric reform. She pioneered music therapy programs for psychiatric patients, creating workshops that humanized mental health treatment and eventually inspired the creation of the Loucura Suburbana carnival bloc. In 1977, she retired from her healthcare career to focus entirely on her artistic path, releasing acclaimed albums and earning widespread reverence.

Her artistic footprint expanded across decades, marked by classic releases such as her 1981 album Sorriso Negro and memorable collaborations with artists like Jovelina Pérola Negra and Délcio Carvalho. Honored extensively throughout her life and posthumously, her contributions were celebrated via dedicated tributes, biographies, and the establishment of National Female Sambista Day on her birthday, April 13th. Dona Ivone Lara passed away in 2018 at the age of 97, leaving behind an indelible mark on Brazilian popular culture and paving the way for future generations of women in samba.

Discography

• Samba Minha Verdade, Samba Minha Raiz (1978)
• Sorriso de Criança (1979)
• Sorriso Negro (1981)
• Alegria, Minha Gente (Serra dos Meus Sonhos Dourados) (1982)
• Ivone Lara (1985)
• 1985 (1985)
• Bodas de Ouro (1997)
• Luiz Carlos da Vila, Dona Ivone Lara, Beth Carvalho, Walter Alfaiate, Moacyr Luz & João Nogueira – Pirajá - Esquina Carioca - Uma Noite com a Raiz do Samba Ao Vivo (1999)
• Nasci pra Sonhar e Cantar (2001)
• Sempre A Cantar (2004)
• Mário de Andrade (2004)
• Canto de Rainha (2009)
• Dona Ivone Lara ・ Bruno Castro – Nas Escritas da Vida (2010)
• Dona Ivone Lara, Delcio Carvalho – Bodas de Coral no Samba Brasileiro (2011)
• Depois da Despedida (2023)
• Relicário: Dona Ivone Lara (ao vivo no Sesc 1999) (2024)