Fafá de Belém - born Maria de Fátima Palha de Figueiredo on August 9, 1956, in Belém do Pará, Brazil - is an acclaimed pop and bossa nova singer. She began studying the guitar, piano, and singing at a young age and began performing in public in 1973 when she moved to Rio de Janeiro. After performing with a theater troupe and honing her skills as a performer, she signed a deal with Polydor Records. In 1975, she released the highly successful single "Filho de Bahia" (as featured in the TV series Gabriela). Fafá de Belém released her debut album, Tamba-Tajá (1976), which was an album influenced by more traditional Brazilian music. Her next album, the more contemporary Agua (1977) was a resounding chart success. Her mix of classic styles – samba, bossa nova, salsa, and brega – with a pop focus was a perfect blend that caught the ears of a much larger audience. The success of that album inspired the direction of albums such as Banho de Cheiro (1978), Estrela Radiante (1979), Crença (1980) and Essencial (1982). In 1984, she became the face and voice of free elections with the single "Menestrel de Alagoas,” which had been written by Milton Nascimento. She then lent her voice to the charity release Nordeste Já (1985). Unafraid to add new elements to her sound, Fafá de Belém continued to achieve success with albums such as Atrevida (1986) Grandes Amores (1987), Sozinha (1988), Fafá (1989), Doces Palavras (1991), and Meu Fado (1992), which went platinum in Portugal. While she had previously released a self-titled album in 1983 under her stage name, in 2000, she issued a self-titled album under her birth name, Maria de Fátima Palha de Figueiredo. Further albums include the intimate live album Voz e Piano – Ao Vivo (2002), O Canto das Águas (2003), Tanto Mar - – Fafá de Belém Canta Chico Buarque (2004). After the release of a 2007 live release, Fafá de Belém took a break from recording and acted in the TV series Caminhos do Coração and served as a judge on the televised talent show Idolos in 2012. She returned to recording with the release of the albums Do Tamanho Certo Para O Meu Sorriso (2015), Do Tamanho Certo Para O Meu Sorriso – Ao Vivo (2017) and Humana (2019).
