Astrud Gilberto, the singer known for her role in the famous 1963 version of “The Girl From Ipanema” with Stan Getz and João Gilberto, passed away on June 5, 2023. The news was reported by The Independent, citing her son Marcelo as the source.
The cause of Astrud Gilberto death was not specified. She was 83 years old at the time of her passing.
Before her unexpected entry into the music industry, Gilberto had no formal singing training. She took a spontaneous opportunity to step into the recording booth after her husband João Gilberto and saxophonist Stan Getz had already recorded the song “Garota de Ipanema” by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes.
Astrud Gilberto’s contribution to the song added an English translation to the bossa nova classic, turning it into a popular hit that captivated audiences worldwide.
In Brazil, the media blamed Astrud for Joo Gilberto’s affair, which led to their divorce in 1964. While on tour, Joo Gilberto had been involved with someone else.
In 1965, Astrud Gilberto received three Grammy nominations and won one of them for Record of the Year. However, she was paid very little for her work due to industry politics and Stan Getz’s alleged interference. Her first solo album, titled “The Astrud Gilberto Album,” earned her another Grammy nomination the following year.
Gilberto went on to release more than a dozen solo albums for Verve and other record labels. Her albums featured a mix of pop and jazz standards, Brazilian classics, original co-written songs, and even performances in Japanese for her fans in East Asia.
Gilberto was a talented linguist, speaking multiple languages fluently. She collaborated with other musicians such as Chet Baker, Quincy Jones, and even George Michael for a unique duet in 1996. Despite gaining international recognition, the local press in Brazil continued to portray her in a negative light, and she did not perform in Brazil again after 1965.
The Independent Twitter Post:
Astrud Gilberto death: ‘Girl From Ipanema’ singer dies aged 83https://t.co/MBQgZl3i9R
— The Independent (@Independent) June 6, 2023
Gilberto was admitted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame in 2002, and during her acceptance speech, she revealed that she would be taking an indefinite pause from her career as a musician.
After hearing the news of her passing, the musician Sofia Gilberto, who is Astrud’s granddaughter, posted a message on social media in Portuguese, saying, “I love and will love Astrud eternally and she was the face and voice of bossa nova on most of the planet. Astrud will forever be in our hearts, and in this moment we have to celebrate Astrud.”
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