Zezé Gonzaga

Origin

Manhuaçu, MG

Genres

mpb, samba, canção popular, música clássica

Instruments

voz

Biography

Zezé Gonzaga, stage name of Maria José Gonzaga, was born in Manhuaçu on September 3, 1926 and passed away in Rio de Janeiro on July 24, 2008. The daughter of a luthier and a flutist, she began her musical journey in her teens, singing at family gatherings and debuting on Ary Barroso's amateur talent shows in 1942. Hired by Rádio Nacional in 1948, she stood out as one of the great interpreters of the golden age of radio and was a member of several renowned vocal ensembles.

With a beautiful soprano voice and solid training in classical singing, Zezé constantly flirted with erudite music, enjoying the preference of maestro Radamés Gnatalli at Rádio Nacional to interpret classical themes and works by Heitor Villa-Lobos. After recording acclaimed albums and achieving great success with the public and critics alike, she stepped away from her artistic career for a few years before making a triumphant return in 1979 with the support of Hermínio Bello de Carvalho.

In the following decades, she continued to leave her mark on Brazilian popular music with special guest appearances and memorable records, such as her duets album with Jane Duboc and her first solo CD released by Biscoito Fino in 2002. Zezé Gonzaga left an inestimable legacy for national culture, with her rich documentary collection donated to the Museum of Image and Sound shortly after her passing.