The singer performs with friends and, with an 80-year career, says she’s lucky she didn’t have to start now. “Musically I would be hopeless,” he says
Claudette Soares There are two maxims that she always likes to express on stage and among friends. One of these, faced with the challenges of the singing profession, which she chose 80 years ago, is: “My greatest revenge is to be alive”. The other phrase is a reflection on the passage of time: “The world is bad for those who can’t wait.”
Claudette knew how to wait. He turned 90 on stage, in a show held on Friday evening, the 31st, at Casa Bona, in Sao Paulo. Surrounded by friends, on stage and in the audience, she sang for almost three hours. Cabtou with Alaíde Costa, Maria Alcina, Daniel Gonzaga, Izzy Gordon, Rafael Cortez, among others.
“I don’t think about age. It’s something natural. I never worried. I just thought I wouldn’t sing again after 50. I thought I wouldn’t have a voice. Time passed and I didn’t realize it,” says the singer. Estadaomoment before the start of the presentation.
The singer attributes her vitality to her profession. “We always work hard to learn the arrangements, memorize the lyrics. Imagine walking into a place and having fun with Hermeto (Paschoal),” he says of the multi-instrumentalist, master of improvisation, who died in September this year.
Claudette began her career at Rádio Nacional, on Renato Murce’s program. In the early years she was called the Little Princess of Baião. But her voice really suited the bossa nova, which she and her friend talked about Alaide Costawho will turn 90 in December, is the only singer left.
Claudette, once again, together with her friend Alaíde, was responsible for bringing bossa to São Paulo, in the early 1960s. It was a big attraction in bars like A Baiúca and Juão Sebastião Bar, in the central region of São Paulo.
On the night in Sao Paulo, he sang not only with Hermeto, but also with Eumir Deoadato, Pedrinho Mattar and Amilton Godoy. With the then young musician Cesar Camargo Mariano found the perfect partnership to perform his jazz bossa.
“I was born at the right time. If I were a young singer now, musically I would be hopeless. We don’t have many [atualmente]. Live with the right people. I realized that whatever chord the musician gives me, I’ll go in,” he says.
Claudette didn’t just stay in Bossa. Or rather, only on the stool and the guitar, something for which he doesn’t have much patience. Jorge Ben Jor entrusted her with samba rock, songs like The carnation fought with the rose AND How wonderful!which he released.
In September she performed at The Town festival, in Sao Paulo, accompanied by an orchestra. When he heard the deal made for The little boathe apologized to the teacher. “He’s very sweet. I’m not like that. He understood and changed. It was the most applauded song of the show,” she says.
The big turning point for success was when Roberto Carlos gave him Of Lots of Lovein 1971. Claudette’s recording spent more than a year on the charts. At that time bossa nova was already in decline, but despite this it was accused of betrayal. “When Robert became king, everyone wanted his music.”
A new album for 2026
For next year Claudette is preparing an album with new songs. With a production signed by Marcus Preto and the maestro Thiago Big Rabello, in the work he will record veterans such as Marcos Valle, whose Os Grilos, Ronaldo Bastos, Arnaldo Antunes and Nando Reis he immortalized in the 1970s, and young people such as Zé Manoel and Tim Bernardes, in addition to the partnership between Roberto Menescal, another remnant of the bossa nova group, and the young Joaquim. The bossa This darkness and you It was also featured at the memorial show Friday night.
“It’s Claudette from the ’60s. With swing. Bossa jazz is my country,” he adds.
Claudette avoids answering what she expects from now on. With the insistence of the relationship he says he prefers not to make plans. “I want it to be like it has been until now. I never thought I would survive [à carreira]I’ve never chased a record company. Life has given me a lot of luck. I’ll know when to stop. We always know this,” he concludes.
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.
