Madelou de Assis

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Also known as

Madelú de Assis, Maria de Lourdes de Assis

Years Active

1932–1934

Genres

samba, marcha, samba canção

Instruments

vocals

Biography

Madelou de Assis, born Maria de Lourdes de Assis in Rio de Janeiro in 1915, was a singer who achieved moderate success in the first half of the 1930s. She was known for her elegant personal style and was considered a "lovely figure of our high society" by the magazine Fon-Fon. Her artistic career began in 1932, at the age of 16, as an presenter in a cinema show featuring radio artists. Despite being underage and not having her parents' permission, a legal representative signed her contracts. Her name appearing on the marquee attracted public attention, leading to sold-out shows. This early success was amplified when a dispute with a rival cinema led to a newspaper scandal, and a juvenile judge initially prohibited her from performing. However, she continued to perform, and the media attention only fueled her popularity.

In 1932, de Assis also began her radio career at Rádio Mayrink Veiga, encouraged by a then-emerging Carmen Miranda. During her two years at the station, she successfully performed sambas, marches, and foreign compositions. That same year, she recorded her first record for Columbia, featuring the march "Não lhe faço mais carinhos" and the samba "Não foi desprezo." She also recorded "Era uma vez" and "Papai Noel, felicidade" with the Columbia Concert Orchestra.

De Assis married radio host and composer Valdo Abreu in 1934, and shortly after, she accompanied Aurora and Carmen Miranda on a tour in Buenos Aires. She continued to perform on São Paulo radio stations like Rádio Cruzeiro do Sul and Cosmos for two years before returning to Rio de Janeiro in 1936. Her career in the arts effectively ended after her marriage, though she had already stepped away from the spotlight by 1936. Madelou de Assis passed away in Rio de Janeiro in 1956.