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Having gotten married at 12 and having lost three children who died of hunger,
she later became the wife of Garrincha, one of the most genial soccer players ever,
and also a chronic alcoholic.
The peak of her career was in the '60s, with albums like O Máximo em Samba (1967),
Elza Soares & Wilson das Neves (1968), Elza, Miltinho e Samba (a three-album series shared with Miltinho).
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In that decade she had several hits like "Boato," "Edmundo" (a version of "In the Mood"),
"Beija-me," "Devagar Com a Louça," "Mulata Assanhada," "O Mundo Encantado de Monteiro Lobato," "Bahia de Todos os Deuses,"
"Palmas no Portão," and "Palhaçada."
In the '70s, she still had success with "Salve a Mocidade" (1974), and "Malandro" (1977),
(this song launched Jorge Aragão as a composer). But it wasn't enough to prevent her from facing huge economical adversities and at the same time,
she was being systematically turned away by recording companies.
With Garrincha, Soares had a very troubled marriage and the untimely demise of their son Garrinchinha
in 1986 in a car accident didn't help her in any way.
Trying unsuccessfully to develop a career abroad, she returned to Brazil in 1994, poor and depressed.
Finally, she was rediscovered in the '80s by the younger generations of Brazilian rockers (Os Titãs, Lobão)
and MPB artists like Caetano Veloso,
having been awarded with a Sharp Prize award as the Best Samba
Singer of 1997.
Her life was depicted in the musical Crioula, which had several songs written specially
for her by Chico Buarque, Chico César, Nei Lopes, and others.
In 2000, she was appointed Singer of the Millennium by London's BBC.
Soares continues to challenge her destiny,
performing shows in every venue available.
Living in extreme poverty throughout her childhood and teens, Elza Soares had her first audition in radio at Ary Barroso's novice show when she was 16,
winning first place. She was then hired as a crooner by the Orquestra Garam de Bailes (led by conductor Joaquim Naegli).
She worked in the orchestra until 1954, when she became pregnant.
In 1955, she was invited to star together with Grande Otelo in the play Jour-Jou-Fru-Fru, which was a smash.
Three years later, Soares toured Argentina, returning in the next year when she was hired by Rádio Vera Cruz.
Also in 1959, she recorded a 78 rpm with "Se Acaso Você Chegasse" (Lupício Rodrigues/Felisberto Martins), one of her biggest hits.
In 1960, she went to São Paulo where she performed regularly in the show I Festival Nacional de Bossa Nova and recorded her first LP, Se Acaso Você Chegasse.
In 1962, she represented Brazil in Chile during the World Soccer Cup, where she met Garrincha.
Having recorded several albums with the hits"Só Danço Samba" (Tom Jobim/Vinícius de Moraes),
"A Banca do Distinto" (Billy Blanco), "Pressentimento" (Elton Medeiros/Hermínio Bello de Carvalho), and "Princesa Isabel" (Sérgio Ricardo),
she moved to Italy in 1969, where she performed at the Sistina theater (Rome), returning to Brazil in 1972.
In the same year, she opened the show Elza Em Dia de Graça at the Opinião theater (Rio) and participated in the Brasil Export Show (Canecão).
Rediscovered in the '80s as a cult heroine by the Os Titãs, she performed with the band in a regular show at the Madame Satã nightclub.
Soares also recorded in duet with Caetano Veloso on his album Velô and with Lobão on Casa de Samba. With her Trajetória (1997),
in which she was paid tribute by Zeca Pagodinho, she won the Prêmio Sharp Award as Best Samba Singer.
In November 1999, Soares participated in the show Desde Que o Samba é Samba (at Royal Albert Hall, London, England), together with Chico Buarque,
Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, and Virgínia Rodrigues.
In 2000, her life was depicted in the musical Crioula (Stella Miranda).
That same year she was awarded "Best Singer of the Millennium" by the BBC in London, and she played a series of avant-garde concerts directed by José Miguel Wisnik in Rio de Janeiro.
In 2002, her "Do Cóccix Até O Pescoço" album release earned her a Grammy nomination.
The album received outstanding reviews in the music press and featured a who's who of Brazilian artists collaborating with her;
Caetano Veloso, Chico Buarque, Arnaldo Antunes, Carlinhos Brown and Jorge Ben Jor to name just a few.
The release kickstarted a number of successful tour dates around the world.
In 2004, Elza Soares released her Vivo Feliz album to great acclaim. The album carried on the theme of mixing samba and bossa with modern electronic music and effects.
The album featured collaborations with groundbreaking artists such as Nando Reis, Fred 04 and Zé Keti.
In 2006, Elza Soares took part of the project "Copa da Culture" in Germany during the soccer World Cup and performed in Berlin then in Paris (Le New Morning).
She performs in São Paulo her new show :"Beba-me".
In July 2007 she appears at the Maracaña stadium in Rio de Janeiro at the opening ceremony of the Panamericans Olympic Games, singing the Brazilian hymn.
The crowd couldn't hold back her tears from falling, including the president Lula.
Biscoito Fino releases her CD & DVD "Beba-me".
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