Joanna

Joanna emerged from Campinas, Brazil in the early 1990s, working with guitarist Paulinho Moska who became her mentor. Their self-titled debut album arrived in 1996 and included the hit 'Tô Fazendo Falta,' a ballad that connected with listeners across the country. Her voice had a particular quality that felt direct and unguarded.

She followed with albums like 'Bicho de Sete Cabeças' in 1998 and 'Joanna 3' in 2002, which brought in some electronic touches alongside Brazilian rhythms. Songs like 'Amar Como Jesus Amou' and 'Mulher Marcada' show the kind of lyrical territory she often explored. She performed at festivals like Montreux Jazz and Rock in Rio, finding an audience outside Brazil.

Her core band included Moska, Leo Cavalcanti, and Jorge Helder. The 2004 album 'Ar' was met with some copyright disputes, but she kept recording, putting out live and acoustic sets in the years that followed. Her catalog has a handful of straightforward studio records, a few live documents, and songs that still get played on Brazilian radio.