Singer Margareth Menezes has been announced as Minister of Culture in the government of President-elect Lula. The ministry was recreated after being transformed into the Special Secretariat of the Ministry of Tourism during the government of Jair Bolsonaro.
Born in 1962, in Salvador, Bahia, Margareth Menezes began her musical career singing in the church choir and later in bars in the city.
In 1987, she was invited by singer Djalma Oliveira to record 'Faraó (Divindade do Egito)', which sold more than 100 thousand copies at the time. From then on, the singer signed with a major record label and her career took off, accumulating more than 10 albums released, Grammy nominations and more than 20 international tours.
Such success went beyond the borders of Brazil. In 1990, the album 'Ellegibô' belize phone number data reached the top of the Billboard World Albums chart in the US and, in 1993, the album 'Kindala' was nominated for a Grammy.
In recent decades, Menezes has established herself as one of the main artists of the Salvador Carnival. The track 'Dandalunda', composed by Carlinhos Brown, was elected the best song of the 2002 Carnival. In 2004, her album 'Ao Vivo no Festival de Verão de Salvador' won a gold record and was well-received by critics from The New York Times, Washington Post and Le Monde.
In 2006, Margareth was nominated for a Latin Grammy with the album 'Pra Você'. The following year, she received two more Grammy nominations with the 'DVD Brasileira ao Vivo: Uma Homenagem ao Samba-Reggae'.
Margareth Menezes is tipped to take over the Ministry of Culture in the Lula government - City Hall Portal
Despite her extensive and recognized career in music, her contribution to culture goes far beyond her beautiful voice.
Margareth Menezes has always been involved in social projects focused on education and culture, encouraging and supporting the development of Brazilian and Bahian culture. Check out some of her milestones and achievements over the last few decades:
1) In 1983, he participated in the founding of the Gran Circo Troca de Segredos, a space that revolutionized the cultural scene in Salvador
2) In 2002, she was elected one of the 100 most influential black people in the world by MIPAD (Most Influential People of African Descent). In the same year, she participated in the celebration of East Timor's independence, which brought together Portuguese-speaking artists from all over the world.
3) Founder and president of Fábrica Social (2008), an NGO based in Bahia, which works in the areas of culture, education and sustainability
4) In 2005, he launched the Brazilian Afropop Movement, a group without strings that celebrates black culture in Brazil
5) Creator of Mercado Iaô, a cultural production event
6) Ambassador of IOV-UNESCO, a group that aims to preserve and promote cultural production in all its forms
After years of complete neglect and lack of support for art and culture in Brazil, the appointment of Margareth Menezes to the Ministry of Culture is a breath of hope and optimism for the sector that has been so badly affected in recent years, especially during the pandemic.
Your experience, knowledge and experience in the Bahian cultural scene and as a black woman in Brazil can bring significant advances to Brazilian culture. May we reap good fruits in the coming years!
- Board index
- All times are UTC
- Delete cookies
- Contact us