Sérgio Mendes

Person · Male

Sérgio Mendes

From
Niterói, Brazil
Active
1941–2024
Releases
66
  • bossa nova
  • latin jazz
  • jazz
  • disco
  • latin
  • soft rock

About

Sérgio Santos Mendes (Brazilian Portuguese: [ˈsɛʁʒju ˈsɐ̃tuz ˈmẽdʒis]; 11 February 1941 – 5 September 2024) was a Brazilian musician.

Read more

His career took off with worldwide hits by his band Brasil '66. He released 35 albums and was known for playing bossa nova, often mixed with funk. He was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song in 2012 as a co-writer of "Real in Rio" from the animated film Rio.
Mendes was primarily known in the United States, where his albums were recorded and where most of his touring took place. He was married to Gracinha Leporace, who performed with him from the early 1970s. Mendes collaborated with many artists, including Black Eyed Peas, with whom he re-recorded in 2006 a remake of his 1966 version of the song "Mas que nada", which was a breakthrough hit for him.

From Sérgio Mendes on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Member of

Discography

Albums 28
EPs 1
Singles 14
Compilations 20
Other 3

Links

Founder

Married

Named after artist

Also known as

SERGIO MENDES · Serges Mendes · Sergio Mendes · Sergio Mendes & Bep · Sergio Mendez · Sergio Mendies · Sérgio Santos Mendes

Tags

  • adult contemporary
  • arranger
  • bandleader
  • composer
  • percussionist
  • pianist
  • 2008 universal fire victim
  • rock and indie

Identifiers

ISNI
0000000114622714
IPI
00034797261

Data from MusicBrainz, saved 8 Nov 2026. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, covers from the Cover Art Archive and Apple Music.