Paulinha Abelha

Origin

Simão Dias, SE

Years active

1990–2022

Genres

forró, electronic forró, romantic forró

Instruments

vocal, voice

Biography

Paulinha Abelha, artistic name of Paula Menezes, was born in Simão Dias, Sergipe, in 1978, and established herself as one of the greatest voices of Brazilian electronic forró. She began her artistic journey in childhood, singing on electric trios in the interior of Sergipe, and was a member of bands such as Flor de Mel and Panela de Barro before achieving national notoriety at the helm of the band Calcinha Preta.

Throughout her career, Paulinha stood out for her striking stage presence and for lending her voice to unmistakable hits of romantic forró. In addition to her nineteen years in Calcinha Preta — a period marked by dozens of albums and DVDs —, the singer also participated in side projects and highly publicized partnerships alongside artists such as Marlus Viana, Silvânia Aquino, and Daniel Diau, with stints in groups like GDO do Forró and Gigantes do Brasil.

Recognized for her charisma and strong connection with fans, especially the LGBTQIA+ community, the artist remained one of the main pillars of forró until her untimely passing in February 2022, in Aracaju. Her legacy remains immortalized in the history of northeastern music and in the tributes paid by admirers and by her beloved band, Calcinha Preta.