Simone Moreno

Origin

Salvador, BA

Years active

1980

Genres

mpb, samba-reggae, bossa nova, pop, funk, soul, axé

Instruments

vocals

Biography

Simone Moreno is a celebrated Brazilian singer born in Salvador, Bahia, on June 6, 1969. Discovered by manager Jorge Sampaio, she initially gained prominence in the late 1980s as a member of the Bahian group Novos Bárbaros, recording two albums. Throughout her career, she has developed a diverse musical style that blends samba-reggae, maracatu, bossa nova, pop, funk, and soul, while keeping the core rhythms of MPB at the center of her repertoire.

In the mid-1990s, Moreno shifted her musical focus away from the axé music of her early days, instead embracing traditional samba and working with legendary composers and musicians such as Ataulfo Alves, Paulinho da Viola, Martinho da Vila, and Moraes Moreira. Her strong and well-tuned voice brought her commercial and international opportunities, including being selected in 1994 as the muse for a major advertising campaign alongside football stars like Raí and Bebeto.

Currently based in Stockholm, Sweden, Simone Moreno continues to tour extensively across Europe and Asia. She famously participated in Sweden's Melodifestivalen in 2006 with her hit song "Aiayeh (The Music of the Samba)". Her personal life has also connected her deeply to the Brazilian music scene, having been married to composer Saul Barbosa and singer Pepeu Gomes, as well as being the half-sister of singer Sarajane.