Loalwa Braz

Loalwa Braz (born Loalva in June 3, 1953) is a Brazilian singer^[1] and songwriter. She is better known as providing the lead vocals for the French pop group Kaoma in their worldwide hit "Lambada".^[1] She is fluent in four languages, having recorded songs in her native Portuguese, as well as in Spanish, French and English

Biography

Loalwa was born in Rio de Janeiro to a family of musicians: her father was an orchestra leader and her mother, a popular and classical pianist. She learned to play the piano at the age of four and started singing at 13. She has lived in Paris since 1985 and in Geneva since 2010.

She has grown surrounded by Brazil’s legendary rhythms, which burn within the soul of her songs. Her natural gifts are strengthened by the hard work. Loalwa quickly obtains many awards, and performs at Rio’s most prestigious night clubs.

Her talent grants her the recognition of Brazil’s pop music greatest artists, as: Gilberto Gil, Tim Maia, Alcione, Maria Bethânia, Emílio Santiago, Gal, Costa, Caetano Veloso, etc.; which will become her stage or recording co-workers, from 1975 to 1985. From this year on, she decides to live in Paris, after her success in Palais des Sports, on the show “Brésil en Fête”.

Loalwa showed up in the mythical temples of show business: Paradis Latin, Méridien (Paris), Olympia (88 and 92), TLP Dejazet, New Morning, Zenith, Madison Square Garden, London Palladium, Waldorf, Astoria, etc...

Subsequently Loalwa provided vocals for the Kaoma single Lambada, which became a worldwide smash hit:

• Over 25 million records sold.
• Over 80 gold and platinum records.

Lambada's success also brought a new attention to Latin music among non-Latin regions, making Loalwa one the 20 most listened voices in the whole world.

Loalwa composed and sang two songs for the sound-track of the movie “Le Roi Desperados” – produced by French TV studio Canal + - and performed in a magnificent way with famous London Philharmonic Orchestra, in Abbey Road, for the sound-track of the French movie “Dis-Moi Oui”; directed by Alexandre Arcady and music by Phillipe Sarde.

Many songs marked her career: Chorando se Foi (Lambada), Tago Mago, Dançando Lambada, Mélodie d’Amour, La Media Noche, etc. Loalwa's adaptation of Stevie Wonder’s song “Another Star” (Outro Lugar) into Portuguese demonstrates her versatility, and incites great names of world music to be interested in her compositions and arrangements.

Solo album: 2003.

Recomeçar (To Recommence); a mosaic of songs of her authorship, in association with composers and arrangers of diverse musical cultures.

Recomeçar, from romantic clime to hot rhythms, with:

• Carlinhos Brown (Brazil)
• Lincoln Olivetti (Brazil)
• Gilson Peranzetta (Brazil)
• Jacky Arconte (Caribbean)
• Benjamin Constant (France)
• Fabien Nataf (France)

• Loalwa is a member of Arts, Sciences and Literature French Academy; by which she was decorated with the silver medal (Prix Thorlet 2003).

New solo album: release 2006. Another album made with fine musical contributions. A trip between romanticism and the explosion of rhythms which characterize the artist's personality.

A new title enriches the singer's career, who has just been honorably named Ambassadress of the Association Francophone pour la Promotion de l'Esprit Sportif (AFPES) all over the world.

Discography

External links

• www.loalwabraz.com

References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Céspedes, Gilka Wara (1993). ""Huayño," "Saya," and "Chuntunqui": Bolivian Identity in the Music of "Los Kjarkas"". Latin American Music Review / Revista de Música Latinoamericana 14: 52–101. JSTOR 780009.