Brazilian Music Icon, Sérgio Mendes Dies At 83

Sérgio Mendes, a singer and composer who helped popularize the bossa nova music of his native Brazil has died on Thursday, 5th of September, 2024.

Mendes was 83.

“His wife and musical partner for the past 54 years, Gracinha Leporace Mendes, was by his side, as were his loving children,” the family’s statement read.

They added that he had recently been struggling with the effects of long-term Covid.

Mendes recorded more than 35 albums over the course of his six-decade career. He last performed to crowds in Paris, London and Barcelona in 2023.

“There’s a word in English that I love: serendipity,” a quote from Mendes on his website reads. “That’s the story of my life.”

Mendes was born in Niteroi, Brazil in 1941. He studied classical music in his youth and developed an affinity for jazz music after hearing a Dave Brubeck record, according to his website.

He began playing in trios and quartets before moving to United States with his group Brasil ’66. Their Portuguese-language single “Mas Que Nada” brought them success, along with the smooth hit “The Look of Love.”