Maria Alcina

Maria Alcina possessed a notably deep vocal timbre that, combined with her gender-blending appearance and bold defiance, sent shockwaves through Brazil upon her 1972 triumph at the VII Festival Internacional da Canção/FIC. There she claimed victory performing Jorge Ben's "Fio Maravilha." Among her additional successes came the 1973 release "Alô Alô," originally by André Filho. Alcina deliberately drew upon multiple selections from Carmen Miranda's songbook while donning flamboyant attire to forge ties to the iconic performer's persona. Brazilian authorities under the military regime brought legal action against her, citing supposed "subversive behavior" rooted in that same provocative stage presence. The year 1974 brought further acclaim via "Kid Cavaquinho," written by João Bosco and Aldir Blanc. From the 1980s onward, her focus shifted toward comedic material laced with suggestive innuendo, leading to joint appearances in the United States alongside Jamelão and Emílio Santiago, where she also joined a 1995 homage to Carmen Miranda.