According to a statement released by her public relations agency on Wednesday, Brazilian singer Gal Costa passed away. Her crystalline voice and transgressive sensuality made her the muse of the groundbreaking “Tropicalia” movement in the 1960s. Her age was 77.
Costa sang with some of the biggest names on Brazil’s booming popular music scene in the 1960s and immortalized many of their songs, including those written by Tom Jobim, Chico Buarque, Milton Nascimento, and her close friend Caetano Veloso. She was known for her mane of brown curls and her seductive smile.
A spokeswoman for Costa’s public relations firm told AFP, “Unfortunately, we confirm” that Costa passed away, but she was unable to provide any additional information.
According to Brazilian media, Costa, who resided in Sao Paulo, had recently postponed a performance at the Primavera Sound music festival in the city on the advice of her physicians. This came after she underwent surgery in September to remove a nodule from the right side of her nasal cavity.
But it was expected that she would return to the stage, and her website listed her next performance as a concert on December 17 in Sao Paulo.
An emotional outpouring occurred in Brazil upon hearing the news of her passing, including from some of the most prominent names in the music industry.
Gilberto Gil, a famous singer-songwriter and former Brazilian minister of culture, tweeted that he was “very sad and shaken” by the passing of his “sister,” Gal Costa.
On Instagram, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who will soon take office as president of Brazil, posted a photo of himself embracing Costa.
She was “one of the best singers in the world, one of our foremost artists who brought the name and sounds of Brazil to the entire planet,” he wrote in his tribute to her after her passing.
“Today, our nation…silenced one of its great voices,” said the speaker.
According to statements made by her agency, Costa’s adopted son, who is 16 years old, will carry on after her.
