Dec 11, 2019
Noel Rosa’s 109th Birthday
This Doodle’s Key Themes
Today’s Doodle celebrates the 109th birthday of the beloved Brazilian singer and songwriter Noel Rosa. Known as the “Poeta da Vila” (Poet from Vila), his observational and comedic style earned him a special place in the history of samba, the popular music of the Brazilian people.
Born in the Vila Isabel neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro on this day in 1910, Rosa grew up in a musical family. He started playing the mandolin at age 13 and soon learned the guitar as well.
A gifted student, he entered medical school in 1931. However, when he had to choose between medicine and music, Rosa’s choice became clear. Rosa devoted his energy to writing music and created his own style of samba by mixing witty lyrics with unpredictable twists and turns of melody and bridging the gap between rural Afro-Brazilian traditions and the sound of urban nightlife.
He had his breakthrough with "Com que roupa?," which became one of the biggest hits in 1931 in Brazil and the first of many memorable songs. With his songwriting partner Vadico, he also wrote a series of popular compositions such as "Feitiço da Vila" ("Witchcraft of the Villa") and "Feitio de Oração" ("In the Form of a Prayer").
Composing around 260 songs over a period of eight years, Rosa established a body of work that has remained popular to this day. His legacy lives on in the hearts of cariocas (residents of Rio de Janeiro) and samba lovers around the world.
Parabéns, Noel Rosa!
Early concepts by artist Olivia When
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