Núbia Lafayette

Origin

Assu, RN

Also known as

Nilde Araújo, Idenilde Araújo Alves da Costa

Genres

samba-canção, música romântica, popular

Instruments

vocals

Biography

Núbia Lafayette, born Idenilde Araújo Alves da Costa, was a prominent Brazilian singer known for her romantic and popular vocal style. Moving to Rio de Janeiro at a very young age, she displayed an early passion for music, performing on children's radio programs starting at just eight years old. Her professional journey began in the late 1950s under the moniker Nilde Araújo while she worked as a salesperson, eventually performing as a crooner and drawing inspiration from established artists like Dalva de Oliveira.

In 1960, her career took a major leap when composer Adelino Moreira suggested her definitive stage name and helped introduce her to the RCA record label with the backing of Nelson Gonçalves. Her debut recording featured Moreira's samba-canção "Devolvi," cementing her status as a leading voice in romantic popular music. Throughout the subsequent decades, she built a substantial discography with labels like RCA Camden, Philips, and CBS.

Lafayette continued to perform in special television programs and live appearances well into her later years, residing in Maricá on the coast of Rio de Janeiro. She passed away in June 2007 at the age of seventy following complications from a stroke. Her legacy endures as a defining voice of the golden era of Brazilian romantic song, often associated with contemporaries such as Nelson Gonçalves and Dalva de Oliveira.