“One of the greatest Brazilian composers,” lamented Maria Bethânia; remember works and collaborations
Sueli Costasinger, songwriter one of the big names in MPB, is dead this Saturday 4, at the age of 79, in Rio de Janeiro. He had his songs re-recorded or performed by music icons such as Elis Regina Angela Ro Ro, Ney Matogrosso and Simone.
The vigil takes place at the São João Batista cemetery in Rio. The cause of death was not disclosed.
With nearly 50 years of career, the artist leaves a legacy in voice, piano and music literature, with six albums and several singles. On her Instagram, Maria Bethânia lamented her death: “One of the greatest Brazilian composers. We will miss him immensely, immensely.”
Owner of a remarkable work as a composer of dense and engaging songs, Sueli Costa ended up not being so appreciated for her voice, which explains a certain rarity in her live performances over time. First of a series of five shows on the tour nice crockeryat the Sala Guiomar Novaes, in 1980, highlighted the Stadium which was an “extremely simple show and done more to showcase opera than a singer”. “This is already with another department: Elis [Regina], [Maria] Bethania…”, he acknowledged.
Sueli Costa was born in Rio de Janeiro, but grew up in Juiz de Fora, where she began composing her first compositions, at the age of 18, around 1961. She taught herself to play the guitar, and later studied piano with the influence of his mother, who mastered the instrument and was a choir director. It was at home, watching the family, that the girl learned to train her ear and became a listener of different genres, such as Bossa Nova, popular at the time.
He returned to his hometown in 1968. The previous year, Nara Leaothen the voice of the Opinião show, she was the first of many stars she had contact with, singing her own for example you. Three years later, it would be up to Maria Bethânia to include Friendly shadow AND infestations to your shows The first major success came in collaboration with Abel Silva in the voice of Simonin 1977, e Fagnerimmediately after: I swear secret. “Only one thing saddens me / The kiss of love I didn’t steal / The secret vow I didn’t take / The fight of love I didn’t cause,” reads the lyrics.
In the 70s he also achieved prominence thanks to soap opera soundtrack. atheist heart (with Joãozinho Medeiros), in the voice of Bethanywas the theme of Jerusa (Nívea Maria) and Mundinho (José Wilker) in the first version of the telenovela Gabriella (1975), at the Globe. An angel lives inside me (collaboration with Cacaso), sung by Fafa de Belémbeen in birthright (1978), by Rede Tupi.
In addition to those already mentioned, there are still among the names that made his lyrics popular, Elis Regina (Twenty years blues, the first diary, ups and downs), the girl likes it (artist’s life), Angela RoRo (Non-existent place).
Sueli Costa has also become accustomed to working with other composers. Most of her successes have been made in collaboration with names such as Tite de Lemos, Cacaso, Abel Silva, Paulo César Pinheiro, Victor Martins and Aldir Blanc.
In the 1990s, however, his career took a downturn, as stated in a report by Stadium posted July 2, 1999:
“Anyone who doesn’t know Sueli Costa is really missing out on a lot. But it only takes a few bars of her wonderful music to change her status and become an adorer, and that’s a fact.
Unfortunately today there must be those who don’t know Sueli Costa. It’s not that she composes less or less well than she did in her most successful era, the ’70s and ’80s, when her songs gave headlines and boosted record sales by Simone, Elis Regina, Nana Caymmi and Gal It costs.
It’s just that, suddenly, Sueli’s songs stopped playing. You dared to break a contract (legal privilege) with the administrator of your copyrights (Sigem-Sistema Globo de Edições Musicais). The matter, coincidence, as Sigem says, restriction, intellectual censorship, as Sueli says, is in court. The fact is that we have gone from the most praised success to the most alarming silence.
[…]
The financial loss can be repaid. The musical reference, on the other hand, was lost for an entire generation, in the ten years that the cause went on”.
At the time big names such as Tom Jobim, Chico Buarque, Maria Bethânia and Nana Caymmi came forward to criticize the boycott of Sueli Costa’s work, attesting to the lack of it.
Source: Terra

Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.