Elza Soares, 79 Year Old Samba Singer At Olympics Opening Ceremony, “Brazilian Tina Turner”
The Countdown to Rio is down to it’s final hours! And to kick start the world event Brazilian singer, Elza Soares, has been confirmed as the musical guest at the Olympic opening ceremony on August 5. Here’s everything you need to know about her ahead of the big performance!
1. Elza is a mastered Samba singer.
Samba is a Brazilian musical genre with roots from West Africa. It’s music is most recognized by vibrant rhythms, drumming, and dances. While perfecting the genre, Elza also added her own spin on it, by introducing the “scat” (a term pegged by Louis Armstrong) into her music for a mix of samba and jazz.
2. She was discovered during a singing contest in Brazil.
When Elza was just a teen, she participated in a singing competition hosted by popular Brazilian musician, Ary Barroso. She nailed the competition, receiving the highest marks possible. And the rest was history! Elza quickly began touring around South America before releasing her first solo record. Read more at Hollywood Life.
