Elza Soares

Elza Soares
Elza Soares in 2010
Background information
Also known as	Tina Turner brasileira (Brazilian Tina Turner)
Born	(1937-06-23) June 23, 1937 (age 79) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Genres	Samba, MPB, bossa nova
Occupation(s)	Singer
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1950–present

Elza da Conceição Soares, best known as Elza Soares (Brazilian Portuguese: [ˈɛwzɐ ˈswaɾis]; born June 23, 1937) is a Brazilian samba recording artist.

In 1999, she was elected by the BBC Radio as the Brazilian singer of the millennium. This competition was originated in a project called The Millennium Concerts, by the British Broadcasting Company, to celebrate the arrival of the year 2000. She was married to Brazilian football player Garrincha.

Elza Soares's father, Gomes Soares, was a factory worker and guitar player, and her mother Rosária Maria Gomes was a washerwoman. She was born in the Moça Bonita, a favela in the Padre Miguel neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro.

During her childhood, Soares used to play on the streets, fly kites, play with wooden spinning tops, and even fight with the boys. She led a poor but happy childhood, in spite having to work carrying water buckets on her head. When she was 12 years-old her father made her marry Lourdes Antônio Soares, also known as Alaúrdes, and about a year later she gave birth to her first child, João Carlos.

Because of her desire to sing and because she needed to buy medicine for her new born, at 13 years-old Soares took part in a live singing contest presented by the renowned Brazilian musician Ary Barroso at the biggest radio station in Brazil at the time, Rádio Tupi. At first Soares was not taken seriously, but her humble manners and dress promted Barroso to ironically ask her "What planet are you from?," to which she replied, "The same planet as you, sir." "And may I know what planet that is?," "Planet Hunger," was her reply. Barroso's mockery did not seem to affect Soares, who sang and showed all of her potential. She received money for participating in the show and was able to buy medicine for her son.

She had many children, and when she was 15 years-old her second child passed away. Since her husband was sick with tuberculosis, she started working in a soap factory, "Véritas," in the Engenho de Dentro neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro. At 21 she became a widow, having to raise her children--four boys and one girl. Soares continued with her hopes of becoming a singer.