Martinha

Her introduction to “the King” Roberto Carlos launched Martinha’s professional path in June 1966 inside her own hometown. Already a locally celebrated vocalist and songwriter who had begun piano studies at age five and soon added basic guitar, she left such a strong impression that Carlos immediately asked her to join him in São Paulo. Accompanied by her mother, she relocated, joined the cast of the Jovem Guarda television program, and began cutting radio jingles for Rádio Jovem Pan.

Roberto Carlos, Erasmo Carlos (“Só Sonho Quando Penso Que Você Sente O Que Eu Sinto”), Melina di Capri, and Sergio Bardotti (“Eu Te Amo Mesmo Assim”) all placed her material on disc, while her own interpretations of “Vai Ser Assim,” “Eu Te Amo Mesmo Assim,” and “Pouco a Pouco”—the last a duet with César Augusto—quickly climbed the national charts. Her debut singles, “Barra Limpa” and “Não Brinque Assim,” appeared in early 1967; by then she had already become a regional favorite throughout the Northeast, where her label Mocambo maintained its base. Later that year she issued her first long-playing record, which yielded multiple successes across Brazil and abroad.

In February 1968 the Chico Viola trophy, given to the outstanding albums of 1967, was presented to her. The following month she took part in the premiere broadcast of Roberto Carlos’ new series, Roberto Carlos À Noite. As the Jovem Guarda era drew to a close in early 1969, Martinha embarked on her first international engagements, performing in Portugal and Argentina. In the latter country Melina di Capri scored a hit with her version of “Eu Te Amo Mesmo Assim,” while Martinha’s own “Eu Daria a Minha Vida” climbed to number two in Uruguay, prompting Sergio Bardotti to prepare a Spanish-language adaptation.

She kept releasing records and appearing in concert, yet the demise of Mocambo during the 1970s left her original catalog unreissued and curtailed further exposure.