Brazilian singer Gal Costa dies at 77 years old

According to information from her spokespersons collected by the local press, the Brazilian singer Gal Costa died at the age of 77.

The cause of death was not disclosed; the singer was confirmed to perform at the Primavera Sound festival last weekend but canceled her participation at the last minute.

According to her team, she had to recover from the removal of a nodule in the right nostril and would be out of the stage until the end of November, following medical recommendations.

Gal Costa, whose full name was Maria da Graca Costa Penna Burgos, was born in Salvador de Bahia (northeast of Brazil) in 1945.

Since she was a child, her mother encouraged her to follow a musical career.

In the 1960s, she met Caetano Veloso, with whom she was closely linked throughout her career.

Together with Veloso, Maria Bethania, and Gilberto Gil, she formed the group Doces Bárbaros, which revolutionized Brazilian popular music in the 1970s.

She also participated in another of the critical moments of Brazilian music: the album Tropicália ou Panis et Circencis, which inaugurated the tropical movement.

In 57 years of career, she harvested great hits such as Baby, Meu bem, Meu mal, and Barato total, and flirted with all musical rhythms.

One of her last collaborations was with Marília Mendonca, the great exponent of sertanejo, who died last year.

She was presenting the tour ‘As various pontas de Uma Estrela, in which she covered the greatest hits of the 80s of the Brazilian popular songbook.

Gal, as she was known in Brazil, was touring Brazil giving concerts and was to visit Europe this month, but the tour was canceled due to the surgery above.