Tetê Espíndola

Origin

Campo Grande, MS

Genres

MPB, vanguarda paulista, regional music

Instruments

vocals, craviola

Biography

Tetê Espíndola, born Terezinha Maria Miranda Espíndola in Campo Grande, is a prominent Brazilian singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, known for her exotic voice and her dedication to musical experimentation and the ecological universe. Raised in a family with a strong artistic streak, with siblings such as Alzira E and Geraldo Espíndola, she began her journey singing together with her family on the road and at festivals. In the 1970s, she moved to São Paulo, where she joined the group Tetê e o Lírio Selvagem and, subsequently, consolidated a solo career marked by sonic innovations and the characteristic use of the craviola.

Her discography includes milestones of the Vanguarda Paulista and MPB, such as the celebrated album Pássaros na Garganta (1982), which introduced the aesthetic of "psychedelic sertanejo" and featured fundamental partnerships with artists like Arrigo Barnabé. Over the decades, Tetê transitioned between regional music, pop song — winning the Festival dos Festivais with "Escrito nas Estrelas" in 1985 — and artistic expeditions through the Amazon and the Pantanal, resulting in acclaimed projects such as Ouvir/Birds and Recuerdos, recorded alongside her sister Alzira E and singer Ney Matogrosso.

Always active in the contemporary music scene, Tetê has collaborated with renowned names such as Egberto Gismonti, Hermeto Pascoal, and her own son, singer and songwriter Dani Black. Whether recreating bird songs with her voice or exploring acoustic and electronic fusions on albums like Outro Lugar, she remains one of Brazil's most inventive and avant-garde interpreters, celebrated for her singular contribution to national culture and sonic identity.

Discography

• Tetê e o Lírio Selvagem (1978)
• Piraretã (1980)
• Pássaros na Garganta (1982)
• Gaiola (1985)
• Ouvir (1991)
• Só Tetê (1993)
• Canção do Amor (1995)
• Tetê Espíndola, Alzira Espindola – Anahí (1998)
• Vozvoixvoice (2001)
• Zencinema (2005)
• E Va por Ar (2007)
• BabelEyes, Music Des Langues Vierges - Tetê Espíndola Chante Philippe Kadosch (2008)
• Pássaros na Garganta e Asas do Etéreo (2013)
• Tetê Espíndola - Jerry Espíndola - Alzira E - Lucina – Água dos Matos (2015)
• Outro Lugar (2017)
• Tetê Espíndola, Alzira E – Recuerdos (2019)
• Tetê 70 (Ao Vivo) (2025)