Gal Costa passes away at 77
One of the most famous names in Brazilian pop music and Tropicália, Gal Costa, has passed away aged 77.
The ‘Sol Negro’ and ‘Coração Vagabundo’ singer first broke through in the 1960s and was hailed as one of the pioneers of the Tropicália movement, a heady blend of Brazilian pop and the avant-garde, alongside other stars such as Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso.
At the time of writing, no cause of death has been disclosed. Notably, the singer was recently forced to cancel a string of shows following medical advice after an operation but was planning to return to the live setting with her show next month in São Paulo.
Her death has sparked a wave of tributes, with the country’s incoming President, Lula, going as far as to label her one of the greatest vocalists the world has ever seen. He thanked her for sending Brazil to the world stage and putting the country’s culture on the map. “Her talent, technique and audacity enriched and renewed our culture, rocked and marked the lives of millions of Brazilians,” he said.
Costa was a supporter of Lula, and when the news broke of his win in the Presidential elections two weeks ago, she posted a photo on her Instagram celebrating: “Love won against hate! President Lula!”
Costa was born in Salvador, Bahia, in 1945, a hub of Afro-Brazilian culture, and across her career, she recorded over 30 albums. Her other big hits included ‘Baby’, ‘Que Pena’, ‘Desafinado’ and, of course, ‘Divino Maravilhoso’. In many ways, the ultimate Brazilian star’s hippie style was a symbol of freedom in the dark years of the country’s dictatorship.
Gilberto Gil, who collaborated with Costa across their careers, lamented that he was “very sad and shaken by the death of my Gaúcha sister Gal Costa”.
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