Vanessa da Mata

Born in Mato Grosso, Brazil, in 1976, singer and composer Vanessa da Mata grew up listening to venerated artists like Antonio Carlos Jobim, Milton Nascimento, and Luiz Gonzaga, as well as the sounds of Rio she picked up on her radio. At 15, she relocated to Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, and began performing in clubs, soon moving to São Paulo to continue her career. She joined a reggae band, even singing with the famed Jamaican group Black Uhuru for a stint, while playing basketball and working as a model in her free time. But despite the strength of her voice, da Mata found her fi...