At the forefront of the contemporary Brazilian singer/songwriter scene, raspy-voiced guitarist Maria Gadú's eclectic sound incorporates the rootsy acoustics of her São Paulo hometown with a curious blend of samba, Afro-beat, and funk. Born Mayra Correa Aygadoux in 1986, she was encouraged to pursue a musical career by her hippie parents, and inspired by their classical music collection as well as samba legend Adoniran Barbosa, superstar Marisa Monte, and poet/composer Chico Buarque, began writing songs at the age of ten, one of which ("Shimbalaie") would eventually make it ont...