Elza Soares

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Elza Gomes da Conceição, known professionally as Elza Soares (June 23, 1930, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – January 20, 2022, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), was a Brazilian singer and songwriter, regarded as one of the biggest names of samba music and MPB. In 1999, she was elected by BBC Radio London as the Brazilian singer of the millennium. The choice originated from the British radio project The Millennium Concerts, created to celebrate the arrival of the year 2000. In addition, Soares appears on the list of the 100 greatest voices of Brazilian music prepared by Rolling Stone Brazil magazine. Soares lived in extreme poverty throughout her childhood and teen, getting married at 12 and having her first child at 13. 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 w