Gal Maria da Graça Costa Penna Burgos (born Maria da Graça Costa Penna Burgos; 26 September 1945 – 9 November 2022), known professionally as Gal Costa (), was a Brazilian singer of popular music. Twelve-time Brazilian Music Awards winner, she was one of the main figures of the tropicalia music scene in Brazil in the late 1960s and appeared on the acclaimed compilation Tropicália: ou Panis et Circencis (1968). She was described by The New York Times as "one of Brazil's greatest singers."

Early life

Gal Costa was born Maria da Graça Costa Penna Burgos on 26 September 1945, in the city of Salvador, the capital of the state of Bahia, Brazil.

At the age of 10, Gal befriended sisters Sandra and Andréia Gadelha, the future spouses of singer-songwriters Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso, respectively. They gave her the nickname Gau, later spelled as Gal. At 14, she first listened to João Gilberto's "Chega de Saudade" on the radio and became interested in Bossa Nova. She then went on to work as a clerk in Salvador's main record store to get closer to music. At 18, she was introduced to Caetano Veloso by Andréia Gadelha, becoming close friends. She would later change her name to incorporate "Gal" as well as put Costa as her final surname. Gal debuted her professional career on the night of 22 August 1964 at the concert Nós, por exemplo (We, For Example), where she performed alongside Veloso, Gil, Maria Bethânia and Tom Zé, among others. The concert inaugurated the Vila Velha Theatre in her hometown. During the same year, she also performed in Nova Bossa Velha, Velha Bossa Nova (New Old Wave, Old New Wave), at the same place and with the same singing partners. She then left Salvador to live in the house of her cousin Nívea in Rio de Janeiro, following in the footsteps of Bethânia, whose concert Opinião (Opinion) had become a huge hit there.

Gal's first professional recording happened on Bethânia's debut album, released in 1965. It was the duet "Sol Negro" (Black Sun) written by Bethânia's brother, Caetano Veloso. She then released her first singles through RCA Records, "Eu vim da Bahia", written by Gil, and "Sim, foi você", written by Veloso. The following year, Gal met Gilberto personally and participated in TV Rio's 1st International Music Festival, performing "Minha Senhora", written by Gil and Torquato Neto. It failed to captivate the Festival's audience.

Gal's first album Domingo was released in 1967 through Philips Records. It was also Veloso's debut. Gal stayed on the label, which later became PolyGram, until 1983. One song released from this album, "Coração Vagabundo", became a huge hit. The same year, Gal also performed two songs on the 2nd International Music Festival, which was then hosted by Rede Globo. They were "Bom Dia", written by Gil and Nana Caymmi, and "Dadá Maria", written by Renato Teixeira. The latter was performed with Sílvio César at the Festival and with Teixeira on the recording.

In 1965, Costa began to record inedited songs from Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso. She recorded four songs on Tropicália: ou Panis et Circenses. They were "Mamãe coragem", written by Veloso and Torquato Neto, "Parque industrial", by Tom Zé, "Enquanto seu lobo não vem", by Veloso, and "Baby", also by Veloso. The latter became one of Costas' best-known songs. Gal has recorded songs composed by a number of Brazil's most popular songwriters such as Tom Jobim, Ben and Erasmo Carlos. In the 1970s, she was one of the integrants of the Doces Bárbaros, the others being Veloso, Gil and Maria Bethânia. She recorded songs in Portuguese, Spanish and English.

Gal Costa is portrayed by Sophie Charlotte in the 2023 biographical film Meu nome é Gal.

Awards

In 2011, Costa received the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Costa at number 90 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.

Personal life

Gal was bisexual. She dated singer Marina Lima in the 1990s. She had one adopted son, Gabriel. A public viewing of her body was held at the Legislative Assembly of São Paulo on 11 November. Costa was interred in the Third Order of Carmel Cemetery in the district of Consolação of São Paulo. Multiple Brazilian celebrities paid tribute to her following her death including Maria Bethânia, Caetano Veloso, and Gilberto Gil. She was also honored posthumously at the 2022 Latin Grammy Awards.

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

  • 1971: -Fa-Tal- Gal a Todo Vapor
  • 1976: Doces Bárbaros (with Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, and Maria Bethânia)
  • 1986: Jazzvisions: Rio Revisited (with Antonio Carlos Jobim)
  • 1997: Acústico MTV
  • 1999: Gal Costa Canta Tom Jobim Ao Vivo
  • 2006: Gal Costa Live at the Blue Note
  • 2006: Gal Costa Ao Vivo
  • 2013: Recanto Ao Vivo

Singles

  • 1968: "Baby"
  • 1969: "Que Pena (Ela Já Não Gosta Mais De Mim)"
  • 1970: "Meu Nome É Gal"
  • 1970: "London, London"

Selected filmography

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"

|- Boston Strangler 1968 Ms clunny

! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year

! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film

! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role

! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes

|-

| 1995

|O Mandarim

|

|

|-

| 2017

|O Nome Dela é Gal

|

| Biography docu-series produced by HBO Latin America

|}

References

Bibliography

  • De Stefano, Gildo, Il popolo del samba, La vicenda e i protagonisti della storia della musica popolare brasiliana, Preface by Chico Buarque de Hollanda, Introduction by Gianni Minà, RAI-ERI, Rome 2005,
  • De Stefano, Gildo, Saudade Bossa Nova: musiche, contaminazioni e ritmi del Brasile, Preface by Chico Buarque, Introduction by Gianni Minà, Logisma Editore, Florence 2017,
  • Gal Costa at Slipcue.com – English-language discography with reviews
  • Gal Costa at kellerjazz.com – photo collection