Selma Fernands

Selma Fernands came up in Salvador, Bahia, where she grew up hearing the rhythms that would shape her music. Her debut album, 'Nuvem,' arrived in the mid-1990s with a title track that caught people's attention for its quiet, drifting quality.

That record mixed bossa nova and samba with a folk touch, and it led to work with other Brazilian musicians like Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil. She kept putting out albums through the 2000s, including 'Diamante' and 'Luz,' often writing lyrics that felt more like poetry than straightforward pop.

Her live shows were known for being sparse and direct, usually just her voice and a guitar or two. She never really fit into a commercial mold, which sometimes drew criticism, but it also meant her music stayed its own thing.