Biography

Maria Gadú (born Mayra Corrêa Aygadoux, 4 December 1986) is a Brazilian singer, songwriter and guitarist.

Gadú has been nominated twice for a Latin Grammy Award. She released her first album in 2009, self-titled Maria Gadú. Her single "Shimbalaiê" became a number one hit in Italy during summer 2011, staying atop the FIMI chart for five straight weeks. Maria Gadú started playing music as a child after having learned the basics of reading musical notation. Seven years later she began to record songs on cassette tapes. Her real musical training begins at the age of thirteen, when she began to give concerts in the bars of São Paulo, playing music by Adoniran Barbosa, Marisa Monte and Chico Buarque.

In 2008 she moved to Rio de Janeiro and began playing in bars, and she attracted the attention of famous musicians such as Caetano Veloso, Milton Nascimento, João Donato among others. Maria Gadu gained renown playing "Ne me quitte pas" by Jacques Brel for Jayme Monjardim, who was in preproduction of the television series Maysa: Quando Fala o Coração (Maysa – when the heart sings). Maysa Matarazzo, singer and mother of the director, had been very successful in the 1950s and 1960s singing the title song, among others. Gadú's version was soon included in the soundtrack of the series that would premiere in January 2009. Gadú also had a small acting part in the series. As 2009 began, Maria Gadú prepared her first album for the Som Livre sublabel Slap.Gadú also sings "Blue Velvet" with Tony Bennett on his 2012 CD Viva Duets.In 2015, her album Guelã was nominated for the 16th Latin Grammy Awards in the Best MPB Album category.