The New Wave

Rio de Janeiro in 1957 (Dmitri Kessel—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images)

In the late 1950s, a new style of Brazilian music emerged from the Copacabana neighbourhood of Rio de Janeiro that combined elements of jazz and samba — which has West African roots. Bossa nova, which literally means “new wave” or “new style,” coincided with Brazil’s “golden era,” characterized by democracy, a new president, and a new hopeful vision of the future — one focused on the country’s advancement.

Young musicians near the hot sandy beaches of Rio birthed the genre of bossa nova. They formed music groups in clubs and bars, like the legendary Bottles Bar, to play bossa nova to crowds that included famous movie stars and American jazz musicians. The most recognizable figures of this genre, Antonio Carlos Jobim and João Gilberto, helped bossa nova travel far beyond Brazil’s shores and into the minds and hearts of their new global audience.

A Pioneira

The first Bossa nova album was Elizete Cordoso’s “Canção do Amor Demais” (1958). The music was composed by Vinícius de Moraes and Tom Jobim and featured some of the first recordings of João Gilberto’s bossa nova guitar rhythm. Cordoso later appeared on the soundtrack of Black Orpheus, the movie that put bossa nova on the world stage. Although the album and Cordoso, one of the pioneers of the genre, received little attention or commercial success, her influence is monumental in the genre and music history.

The Girl Who Passes By

The most famous bossa nova song is “The Girl From Ipanema” (“Garota de Ipanema”). Released in 1964, the sensual tune is the product of writers and composers Antonio Carlos Jobim, Vinícius de Moraes and Norman Gimbel (for the English version); American saxophonist Stan Getz; and guitarist João Gilberto and his wife, singer Astrud Gilberto. The English and Portuguese versions are different, with the latter describing the grace and refinement of a beautiful woman as opposed to her exotic physical attributes — “tall and tan and young and lovely.”

The inspiration behind the song is a real, beautiful Brazilian teen — named Helô Pinheiro also known as Heloísa Eneida Paes Pinto Mendes Pinheiro — Jobim and Moraes noticed passing by on her way to the beach in a neighborhood called Ipanema.

Helô Pinheiro

Originally called “Menina que Passa” (or “The Girl Who Passes By”), the Astrud’s relaxed vocals and Gilberto’s cooing mystified listeners all over the world. The English version peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in July 1964. In 1965, the song won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1965.

The song has been recorded over 500 times by iconic musicians like Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Amy Winehouse, Eartha Kitt, Nat King Cole, Shirley Bassey, Cher, and many more. “The Girl From Ipanema” is the world’s most second most recorded song, with the first being the Beatle’s “Yesterday.”

After the 2016 Rio Olympics — where Jobim’s grandson Daniel performed the song with Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen strutting across the stage — the song regained international notoriety, being streamed by Spotify listeners more than 40, 000 times the following day and peaking at No. 5 on Billboard’s World Digital Songs chart. Interestingly, the real “girl from Ipanema,” Helô carried the torch through the neighbourhood on the final day of the Games torch relay.

The Soundtrack for Elevators Everywhere

Elevator music (also known as muzak, lift, piped, mood or “beautiful” music) is the soft, unobtrusive, relaxing, easy listening music that plays while we are roaming shopping malls, scanning couches at the furniture store, riding elevators in Hollywood movies, and watching laundry detergent commercials.

Bossa nova sometimes gets categorized as elevator music because of its cozy melodies, breezy guitar rhythms, soft vocals and sentimental lyrics about love in paradise. However, this categorization is often meant to downplay the quality and impact of this music genre. In fact, many people often use the term “elevator music” derogatorily or offensively to describe easy listening music like Sade, Bobby Caldwell, Norah Jones, Sting, Anita Baker, and Kenny G’s smooth jazz tunes as soulless, bland, cliché or just plain boring.

The Soul of Brazil

Despite its periodic association with elevator music, bossa nova goes beyond simple background music. Bossa nova is deeply important to Brazil — a quintessential element of the country’s culture and history or the soundtrack of Brazil. The genre has mainstream value across the world, from the U.S. to Japan.

Bossa nova’s magic is in its simplicity, charm, intimacy, gentle approach to romance and sensuality, and its ability to capture the captivating beauty of Brazil — the golden beaches, beautiful people, warm and inviting culture.

Song Recommendations

These songs are some bossa nova songs I have heard that would be great additions to your playlist.

Many artists from around the world have created songs inspired by and featuring elements or samples from bossa nova. This list will show you how far bossa nova has travelled and celebrate the artists and songs that pioneered this genre.