Sylvia Patricia

Origin

Salvador, BA

Years active

1989

Genres

bossa nova, blues, jazz, rock, soul, samba-rock

Instruments

vocals, acoustic guitar, piano

Biography

Sylvia Patrícia César Pires Valença, known professionally as Sylvia Patricia, is a Brazilian singer, songwriter, music producer, and classical guitarist born in Salvador, Bahia. Coming from a distinguished musical lineage—including the Valença brothers of Pernambuco and pianist Sebastião Valença—she began her formal music education at a young age, studying piano and later composition and conducting at the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA). She expanded her studies under notable figures such as H. J. Koellreuter, Walter Smeták, and Antonio Adolfo, developing a diverse artistic vocabulary that merges bossa nova, blues, jazz, rock, and soul.

Her professional career gained major recognition in 1990 when she won the Brazilian Music Award for Revelation Artist following the release of her self-titled debut album. Over the decades, Sylvia Patricia built a significant international career with numerous performances across Europe, particularly in Spain, and garnered nominations for international accolades such as the Hollywood Music and Media Awards and the Brazilian International Press Awards. Beyond her solo discography—which includes acclaimed works like Curvas & Retas, Purpurina 37, and Andante—she has collaborated with prominent Brazilian artists including Zélia Duncan, Sandra Sá, Leila Pinheiro, and Nelson Motta.

Deeply innovative in her approach to performance, she created the "Tuk Tuk Sonoro," a motorized mini-float that brings a unique blend of carnival march and rock and roll, known as "March'n'Roll," to the streets of Salvador during Carnival. She has also spearheaded cultural initiatives such as the "Isso é Samba Rock, Meu Irmão" project, promoting samba-rock through workshops and collaborative shows. Operating her own recording studio and independent label, Speciarias Musicais, Sylvia continues to experiment with musical fusions, connecting her Bahian roots with global rhythms like Catalan rumba.