Astrud Gilberto (R), the singer who popularized Brazilian Bossa Nova music with her 1964 rendition of 'The Girl from Ipanema," died Monday, according to her granddaughter Sofia Gilberto Oliveira. Photo courtesy of Sofia Gilberto Oliveira/
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June 6 (UPI) -- Astrud Gilberto, the singer known for popularizing Brazilian bossa nova music for international audiences with her 1964 rendition of The Girl from Ipanema, died Monday at the age of 83.
"My grandmother Astrud Gilberto made this song for me, it's called Linda Sofia. She even wanted my name to be Linda Sofia. Life is beautiful as the song says, but I come to bring the sad news that my grandmother became a star today and is next to my grandfather Joao Gilberto," Gilberto's granddaughter Sofia Gilberto Oliveira, wrote in an Instagram post announcing the death.
Despite the international success of The Girl from Ipanema, Gilberto reportedly only made $120 for her recording session.
Prior to the success of The Girl from Ipanema, which won a Grammy for Song of the Year, Gilberto married Brazilian composer Joao Gilberto, with whom she had one son. The couple divorced during the 1960s.
The Girl from Ipanema achieved international success and has been rerecorded by multiple artists in the decades since Gilberto's version was first released.
Eartha Kit, Frank Sinatra and Amy Winehouse all recorded versions of The Girl from Ipanema.
Gilberto also worked with Chet Baker, George Michael and Quincy Jones during her career.
Gilberto also had a film career, portraying roles in the films Get Yourself a College Girl and The Hanged Man.
During her lifetime, Gilberto also advocated for animal rights.
"Cruelty to animals is an issue that concerns most of us that take pride in being "spiritual beings." Although none of us would be capable of personally inflicting pain and suffering on an animal, inadvertently, at some point, we may have contributed to cruelty and abuse to animals," Gilberto wrote on her website.
"Don't think for a moment that any 'little' action that you are capable and willing to take would not make a difference," she continued.
In 2002, Gilberto was inducted into the Latin Music Hall of Fame and, in 2008, the Latin Recording Academy awarded her a lifetime achievement grammy.
