Claudia Leitte

Claudia Leitte came into the world as Claudia Cristina Leite Ignatus on July 10, 1980, in Sao Goncalo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. An established axé performer with a sizable following, she began her recording career in 2001 after signing on with Babado Novo. Early work included renditions of children’s material before she shifted to engagements in bars and clubs. She entered the professional ranks while still a teenager and appeared with several modest axé outfits until joining Babado. Her tenure there produced five successful albums, opening with the 2003 set Babado Novo and closing with the live disc Ver-Te Mar in 2007. As the group’s lead singer she collected multiple prizes, among them the 2007 GloboRadio trophy for Best Brazilian Female Singer. Leitte stepped out on her own in 2008, inaugurating the move with a headline appearance at Copacabana Beach that was taped for simultaneous CD and DVD release. Marketed as her first solo project and titled Live in Copacabana, the recording reached stores throughout Brazil later the same year.