The singer championed the cause for Black feminism and was an outspoken voice regarding violence against women. Her marriage to Brazilian soccer star Garrincha ended in 1982 after he physically assaulted her.
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Elza Soares, one of the most revered singers in Brazilian samba music, died at her home in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday. She was 91.
Often referred to as the Brazilian Tina Turner, Soares died of "natural causes," her press representative said.
'She sang until the end'
"It is with great sadness and regret that we report the death of singer and composer Elza Soares," a statement on her Instagram page read.
"Icon of Brazilian music, considered one of the greatest artists in the world, the singer elected as the Voice of the Millennium had a triumphant, intense life, that moved the world with her voice, her strength and her determination."
"She will forever be in the history of music. She sang until the end," her family, her manager, and her team, said in the statement.
Who was Elza Soares?
Her raspy voice made her one of the most popular and famous singers in the South American country, releasing more than 36 albums over the course of a six-decade career. She also performed at the 2016 Olympic opening ceremony in her hometown.
Born in a favela slum in Rio to a mother who washed clothes for a living and a father who was a factory worker, Soares rose from poverty to entertain audiences across the globe. In concert hall performances, she touched on the hardship of life where she grew up. She was also keen to highlight in her songs the injustices for women and racism in her homeland.
She became a fierce champion of Black feminism and an outspoken voice regarding violence against women.
"Racism still continues, but we are going to fight it and we will make progress. Racism is a sickness," Soares told news agency Reuters last year.
Garrincha marriage
In 1966, Soares married soccer legend Mane Garrincha, a forward who helped Brazil win the 1958 and 1962 World Cups alongside Pele, who many regard as the greatest player of all time
The couple had one child, a boy, born in 1976, but he died aged 9 in a car accident.
Their tumultuous 17-year relationship ended when Soares left Garrincha after he struck her during an argument. He died of cirrhosis in 1983 after a battle with alcohol addiction. Soares died on the same date as her ex-husband, 39 years later.
Samba's 100-year triumph
God is Brazilian, God is samba! Brazil is celebrating a century of its most well-known musical style, and the world is dancing along. DW takes a closer look at the heartbeat of a nation.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/C. Simon
Samba is slavery
Slaves brought to Brazil from Angola took their songs and dances with them, which they called "semba" or "sàmba." Their dances celebrated fertility, but in the northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia, where most slaves ended up, the dances developed into an integral part of religious ceremonies. The Brazilian samba originated in Rio de Janeiro, a mixture of African and European musical traditions.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/C. Simon
Samba by phone
The first samba, "Pelo Telefone" ("By Phone"), was officially registered on November 27, 1916, in Brazil's National Library. The carnival hit was attributed to Brazilian musician Ernesto Joaquim Maria dos Santos, known as Donga. The piano score, seen here, was written by Pixinguinha, the famous Brazilian saxophonist, singer and composer.
Image: Fundação Biblioteca Nacional
Samba is black pride
This 1925 oil painting, by well-known Brazilian artist Emiliano Di Cavalcanti, is entitled "Samba." Di Cavalcanti was seen as the leader of Brazilian Modernism, and his work expressed the self-confidence of black Brazilian art. This piece was destroyed by fire in August 2012.
Image: Emiliano Di Cavalcanti/FairUse
'Samba is a form of prayer'
Brazilian poet and diplomat Vinicius de Moraes (1913-1980) came up with perhaps one of the most beautiful definitions of samba. In "Samba da Benção," which he composed with guitarist Baden Powell, he sang: "A good samba is like a prayer. A good samba needs a bit of suffering, because suffering is always accompanied by a bit of hope."
Image: Gemeinfrei
Samba is melancholy
De Moraes was also behind the 1959 film "Orfeu Negro" ("Black Orpheus"), in which he transposed the ancient Greek drama of Orpheus and Eurydice to Rio's world-famous Carnival. The film, for which director Marcel Camus was awarded the top Palme d'Or prize at the Cannes Film Festival, features music by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Luiz Bonfá, a classic soundscape of samba and bossa nova.
Image: cc-by-3.0/Helmuth Ellgaard
Samba is cliche
Carmen Miranda (1909-1955) was known for her tutti-frutti hat, but it was samba that made her famous. A milliner and the daughter of Portuguese immigrants, she came to prominence with her 1929 hit "Samba não vá sim'bora" ("Samba, Please Don't Go"), before heading to Hollywood a decade later. In film and on TV, she was known as the Brazilian Bombshell.
Image: Getty Images/Keystone
Samba, more than just Carnival
Martinho da Vila, a composer, singer and devoted member of the Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school in Rio de Janeiro, is considered one of the leading figures in the samba world. His 1974 song "Canta Canta, Minha Gente" ("Sing, Sing My People") was an international hit. At the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in August, he performed along with his daughters at the closing ceremony.
Image: Getty Images/R. Dias
Samba brings people together
Every Monday, musicians meet for a round of samba music at the Pedra do Sal, a historical place in the center of Rio de Janeiro. Anyone can join in, and everyone is welcome. Samba is the common cultural denominator that brings the city's inhabitants together, even if they come from different social backgrounds.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/C. Simon
Samba is child's play
In this photo, children from Rio's poor district of Cantagalo rehearse at their samba school. The rhythms, lyrics and melodies of the famous samba schools characterize Rio's favela communities. Many children dream of a career in the samba business, making TV shows and traveling abroad.
Image: Getty Images/M. Tama
Samba is everywhere
From Brazil to the world: the global triumph of samba hasn't left Germany untouched. At the Berlin Carnival of Cultures, celebrated in the spring, Brazilian samba schools, with their supporters from different cultures and countries, are now a regular part of the parade.