He had a worldwide hit with “Mas Que Nada” in the sixties, and now Sérgio Mendes has died at the age of 83.
Almost six decades ago, the Brazilian Sérgio Mendes began his successful music career and made Bossa Nova popular around the world. He became internationally famous in 1966, especially with the hit “Mas Que Nada”. Now Mendes has died at the age of 83. His family announced this.
According to reports, Sérgio Mendes died on Thursday (April 5) in a hospital in Los Angeles in the presence of his wife and music partner of the past 54 years, Gracinha Leporace Mendes, and his children. The family did not disclose the exact cause of death, but stated that Mendes had been suffering from the effects of Long Covid for months.
Huge success with “Mas Que Nada”
In the course of his long music career, Sérgio Mendes released more than 35 albums and was considered a pioneer of the Bossa Nova music genre. In 1966, he and his band Brasil ’66 became internationally famous through their recording of the piece “Mas Que Nada”, composed by his compatriot Jorge Ben (79). A new version of the song from 2006, which Mendes recorded with the Black Eyed Peas, again became a worldwide hit.
He had further great successes with “The Fool on the Hill” (1968) and “Never Gonna Let You Go” (1983). Mendes most recently released his album “In the Key of Joy” in 2020. Mendes won a Grammy in 1993 for his album “Brasileiro” and also for his lifetime achievement at the Latin Grammy Awards in 2005. In 2011, he was nominated for an Oscar for “Best Original Song” for “Real in Rio” from the animated film “Rio”.
According to his family’s statement, Sérgio Mendes last performed in front of an audience in November 2023 with sold-out shows in Paris, London and Barcelona. Mendes had two children with his wife Gracinha Leporace, as well as three other children from his first marriage.
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
