Elza Soares, Brazil’s ‘voice of the millennium,’ dies at 91

Elza Soares, one of Brazil’s all-time music greats, died today of natural causes at the age of 91, in her home in Rio de Janeiro. 

Lauded as the ‘voice of the millennium’ by the BBC — alongside Tina Turner — she recorded 34 albums, mixing samba, jazz, and other Brazilian musical styles. She released her last album, “Planeta Fome,” in 2019, full of the strong political and gender equality messages that Elza Soares was known for. The record was nominated for a Latin American Grammy. 

“The beloved and eternal Elza has been laid to rest, but she will forever be in the history of music and in our hearts, and the hearts of thousands of fans around the world. Like Elza Soares’ wanted, she sang until the very end,” her relatives wrote, on her official social media account. 

Soares was once married to two-time football World Cup winner Garrincha, whom she later described as “the love of [her] life.” Garrincha died in 1983, coincidentally also on January 20.

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