Daniela Mercury (BR)

About

Also known as: Daniela Mercuri de Almeida, Daniela Mercuri de Almeida Verçosa, Daniela Mercuty

With over 11 million records sold and 14 number one singles in Brazil, Daniela Mercury is one of the most significant forces axé music has ever produced. The Salvador native helped carry axé into the mainstream with her 1992 album O Canto da Cidade, which landed four number one songs and is widely credited with introducing the genre to broader Brazilian audiences. Her debut single "Swing da Cor", featuring Olodum, shot straight to the top of the charts and set the tone for a career built on rhythm, energy and cultural depth. Mercury has never been content to stay in one lane. She recorded a commemorative DVD for Cirque du Soleil's 25th anniversary, performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival, and once sang alongside Paul McCartney during the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo. Her album Canibália drew praise from The New York Times for embracing the ethnic and cultural diversity of Brazil, particularly its African Brazilian roots. She won a Latin Grammy for Balé Mulato, Ao Vivo, and in 2011 CBS called her the Carmen Miranda of the new times.