Elza Soares: invincible queen of samba
Born in a Rio de Janeiro favela, Elza Soares overcame poverty and scandal to become one of her country's most beloved singers.
Born in a Rio de Janeiro favela, Elza Soares overcame poverty, child marriage and public scandal to become one of her country's most beloved singers. She started out in the smokey nightclubs of Rio de Janeiro in the 1950s. With her unique raspy voice and the intensity of her dancing, she quickly became a hit on the club scene. In the 1960s a highly publicised relationship with a footballing legend briefly made her a national hate figure, but she came back and now into the seventh decade of her career she continues to be a Brazilian icon.
Image: Elza Soares
Credit: Getty Images/Pedro Gomes
Last on
More episodes
Broadcasts
- Sat 11 May 2019 22:32GMT成人论坛 World Service except Americas and the Caribbean
- Sun 12 May 2019 09:32GMT成人论坛 World Service
Contact Outlook
Info on how we might use your contribution on air
Podcast: Lives Less Ordinary
Step into someone else鈥檚 life and expect the unexpected