1955

Up to this date, Carmem Miranda stands as the most successful female Brazilian singer outside of the country. Owner of an absolutely unique and peculiar style, both as a singer and as a stage performer, she lived the life of a myth, filled with glory and drama.

Born in Portugal, she was brought to Brazil as a baby, settling in Rio with her family. At age 15, she was working at a hat shop. In 1928, Carmem met with composer and guitarist Josué de Barros, who invited her for a benefit presentation and later introduced her into the radio world. The first recording happened in 1929, through Brunswick, featuring the samba "Não Vá Simbora" on one side and the choro "Se o Samba É Moda" on the other, both written by Josué. Carmem made other albums before stardom knocked on her door with her first great hit, the marchinha (a type of martial samba) "Pra Você Gostar de Mim (Taí)" (Joubert de Carvalho), which was a sales phenomenon with 36.000 copies sold. She proceeded to make a number of recordings, worked in the movies and, as a duo with her sister Aurora, made history at the legendary Cassino da Urca, where, in 1928, Carmem first wore the costume that would become her trademark around the world. At Cassino da Urca, she met a north-American producer who convinced her to travel to the United States. Accompanied by the Bando da Lua, Brazil’s greatest star left countless fans crying at her departure, arriving in America in 1939 – a complete unknown who couldn’t say a word in English. Soon she was performing songs like "Mamãe Eu Quero", "Tico-tico no Fubá", "O Que É Que a Baiana Tem?" and "South American Way" to big audiences, becoming a phenomenon also in the States as the second best paid artist in Hollywood. She was in 10 Hollywood movies, being dubbed The Brazilian Bombshell. In 1940 she returned briefly to Brazil, being acclaimed by most of her fans, but also ditched by the crowds at Cassino da Urca. Devastated, Carmem requested that a song be made about the situation, and recorded "Disseram que Voltei Americanizada" ("They Say I’ve Been Americanized") (V. Paiva/ L. Peixoto). After that, she went back to the States and settled in Beverly Hills, maintaining her career as a singer and film and TV actress. In 1954, the pressures of the entertainment and music industries gave her a nervous breakdown, and Miranda returned to Brazil for treatment and some rest. Back in Beverly Hills in 1955, she suffered a heart attack and died, in August, after almost fainting during a TV performance. Her body was embalmed and flown to Brazil, where a crowd of one million people followed in procession to her funeral. Carmem’s memory has been preserved through the decades, with concerts and tribute albums, films and documentaries (like the awarded "Bananas Is My Business"). Her legacy is preserved at the Museu Carmem Miranda (Carmem Miranda Museum) in Rio de Janeiro.