History

In 1985, Margareth Menezes started to act in the theater in Salvador. Two years later she started her singing career and cut her first single Faraó – Divindade do Egito, invited by Djalma Oliveira. Twenty years later, the artist has made 21 International Tours worldwide, 14 CDs/LPs and 3 DVDs. Stuck to her roots, she mixes in her music African, Brazilian, Indigenous and Pop elements, which she calls Brazilian Afro Pop.

In her first / LP that was named after her (1988), Margareth recorded Elegibô – Um Canto de Ifá. In 1990, she joined the Band Talking Heads International Tour Rei Momo. 1991 was the year of the album Um Canto para Subir, which features David Byrne. In 1993, the singer released Kindala CD, featuring Jimmy Cliff and it granted her her first nomination to the World Grammy Award. Her following work was Luz Dourada (1994), followed by Gente de Festa (1995) featuring Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethania. In 1999, Margareth created the only Costume-worn Bahian Carnival Group, Os Mascarados, Which she is not part of anymore. In 2001, under Carlinhos Brown and Alê Siqueira´s production, featuring Daniela Mercury and Ivete Sangalo, The Maga´s Afropop Barasileiro CD snashed the hit Dandalunda. In 2003,

The Tete-a-Tete CD comes out, featuring Carlinhos Brown and the Cidade Negra Band. On this one, she smashed the hit Toté de Maianga. In 2004, featuring Alcione and the Mangueira Drumming Carnival Group, Margareth recorded her first DVD Live on Festival de Verão Salvador. In that time Margareth was nicknamed the Brazilian’s Aretha Franklin by the Los Angeles Times, after being on the news in the New York Times, Washington Post and Le Monde newspapers.
The year 2005 was a remarkable one for the Afropop release, a Cultural Movement that puts together Visual Arts, Music and social Acts to celebrate the African-Brazilian Culture in Brazil. The Afropop promotes seasonal events in the summer, a ropeless Carnival Group in the Carnival and puts together Afro Carnival Groups with other famous names of Brazilian Music. In the same year, the artist took part in the Montreux Jazz Festival (Switzerland).

In 2006, Margareth Menezes Pra Você CD comes out featuring Ivete Sangalo and Claudio Zoli. In the same year, the singer starred in the Year of Brazil in France and in the Berlin Culture Cup. The CD/DVD Brasileira (2006) was nominated for the Grammy Award, featuring Carlinhos Brown, Mateus Aleluia and Saul Barbosa.

In 2007, Margareth celebrated her 20 year career anniversary and was honored by the then Brazil Culture Minister Gilberto Gil on the Carnival Sound Truck 2222 (Trio). The following year the activities started at the Fabrica Cultural, the singer´s social project. This ONG is located in Ribeira (Margareth´s neighborhood in Salvador) and offers professionalized courses for youngersters and art-education lessons for children.

In 2008, Margareth released Naturalmente, that has Marco Mazzola´s production. This CD shows the artist´s most intimate side with songs by Nando Reis, Zeca Baleiro, Gilberto Gil, Marisa Monte, Arnaldo Antunes, Chico Cesar, Luís Represas and Roberto Mendes.

In 2010, Margareth put on shows in the Soccer World Cup (South Africa) and took part in the Brazilian Day in New York. This very year remarks the DVD release Naturalmente – Acústico, featuring Carlinhos Brown, Roberto Mendes, Luís Represas, Saul Barbosa and Marivaldo Stomp.