Astrud Gilberto was a Brazilian bossa nova singer known for the 1964 hit song “The Girl from Ipanema,” recorded with jazz saxophonist Stan Getz.
- Died: June 5, 2023 (Who else died on June 5?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 83.
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Astrud Gilberto’s legacy
“The Girl from Ipanema” was the first song Gilberto ever recorded professionally, and it became the song for which she was best known. When she recorded it, she was the young wife of Brazilian bossa nova legend João Gilberto (1931–2019), who was in the midst of a collaboration with jazz saxophone great Stan Getz (1927–1991). No one had planned to include Gilberto in the recording, but when they asked her to contribute the English language verses of “The Girl from Ipanema,” she agreed. Her untrained voice – whispery and detached, but spot-on throughout the song’s unusual musical progression – made the song a hit as it made her a star, even though her vocals weren’t credited when the track was released as a single.
“The Girl from Ipanema” shot to the top of the charts around the world in 1964 and helped make bossa nova music the flavor of the moment. The song won a Grammy Award for Song of the Year, and Gilberto was nominated for another Grammy for her vocal performance. She released her first solo album the following year, “The Astrud Gilberto Album,” followed by 10 other albums throughout the rest of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Her singles included “The Shadow of Your Smile” and “Argomenti.”
She continued recording occasionally in later years, including a track she contributed to the 1996 “Red Hot + Rio” compilation album in support of AIDS awareness. For the album, she sang the bossa nova standard “Desafinado” as a duet with George Michael (1963–2016). Gilberto’s most recent album, “Jungle,” was recorded in 2002. She was also an actress, appearing in the movies “Get Yourself a College Girl” and “The Hanged Man,” as well as an advocate for animal rights.
Notable quote
“Almost everyone on my mother’s side of the family plays an instrument. My Mom, herself, although a teacher by profession, was very musical. She sang with a beautiful voice, and played the violin and the ‘bandolim,’ a Brazilian instrument similar to a banjo. I’m the youngest of three sisters. Both my sisters didn’t embrace careers in music, but are also very musical, and had both played the piano in their youth.” –from a 2002 interview quoted on Gilberto’s official website
Tributes to Astrud Gilberto
Full obituary: The New York Times
