Sueli Costa

With more than 130 recorded compositions, Sueli Costa has had several hits, including "Jura Secreta," recorded in 1977 by Simone and re-recorded by Fagner twice. Her work has been recorded by Simone (with 16 songs, among them "Alma" and "Face a Face"), Elis Regina ("Altos e Baixos," "Primeiro Jornal," "20 Anos Blues," and "Cão sem Dono"), Maria Betânia (with 16 songs, including "Coração Ateu" and "Todos os Lugares"), Gal Costa ("Vida de Artista"), Flora Purim (Grammy nominee with "20 Anos Blues"), Nana Caymmi (about ten songs, including "Até o Redentor"), along with Ney Matogrosso, Joanna, Fafá de Belém, Alaíde Costa, Ivan Lins, and Ithamara Koorax. Agnaldo Rayol and Altemar Dutra recorded "Alma," Ivan Lins "20 Anos Blues," and Fagner "Canção Brasileira." Edson Cordeiro won the Sharp prize in 1993 as the best pop/rock singer with her "Voz de Mulher" (with Abel Silva), and the song was awarded as the best of the year. Costa began to teach herself the violão (acoustic guitar) at age 15. Her first song came three years later, the bossa nova "Balãozinho." In 1967, Nara Leão recorded her "Por Exemplo, Você" (with João Medeiros Filho). She moved to Rio de Janeiro in 1969, where she wrote the music for the play Alice no País do Divino-Maravilhoso. In the next year, her "Encouraçado" took third place at the V International Song Festival (V FIC). In 1971, Maria Betânia included three of her songs in her show Rosa dos Ventos, all with lyrics by Tite de Lemos: "Aldebarã," "Assombrações," and "Sombra Amiga." In the next year, Elis Regina recorded her "20 Anos Blues" (lyrics by Vitor Martins) in the Lp Ela. In 1974, Maria Betânia included several of her songs in her show Cena Muda: "A Sonhar eu Venci Mundo" (for a Fernando Pessoa poem), "Conversações com João e Maria," "Encouraçado," "Demoníaca," "Nossa Senhora da Ajuda" (for a Cecília Meireles poem), "Ator de Cinema," and "Açúcar Cândi" (with Tite de Lemos). Early on, she was influenced by the blues, Tom Jobim, and bossa nova. Along with compositions written with partners, she set to music poems by Cecília Meireles, Ferreira Gullar, and Fernando Pessoa. Her first partner was Sidney Miller, and their first composition was the choro "Morre um Bonde em Praça Pública" (1976). Miller introduced her to Tite de Lemos, who wrote the lyrics for "Encouraçado" and "Medo de Amar No. 2." With Cacaso she wrote "Dentro de Mim Mora um Anjo" and "Face a Face." With Abel Silva, she wrote "Alma" and "Jura Secreta." With Aldir Blanc, she composed "Altos e Baixos," with Vitor Martins "20 Anos Blues," and with Paulinho Pinheiro, "Cordilheiras," among others. With Fátima Guedes, she composed "O Homem que Escolhi." In 1975, two of her songs were included in major soap operas: "Dentro de Mim Mora um Anjo" (with Cacaso, for Bravo), and "Coração Ateu" (with Joãozinho Medeiros, recorded by Maria Betânia for Gabriela. In that year, Sueli released her first album as singer, Sueli Costa, followed by Sueli Costa (1977), Vida de Artista (1978), Louça Fina (1980) and Íntimo (1984).