Paula Toller
Encyclopedia
Paula Toller is a Brazil
ian singer and songwriter
. Toller is mainly known as the lead singer of Kid Abelha
, one of Brazil's most popular music bands. In 1998, she released her self-titled first solo album, which was very well received. Her second solo album, titled SóNós
, was recently released.
. She grew up in Copacabana, a traditional borough
of Rio de Janeiro
. Paula studied ballet
and English
.
Paula was raised by her paternal grandparents, Paulo and Renée. Paulo was a retired surgeon, an ex-adviser of the president of Brazil and of the government of the state of Guanabara, a historian and also an author of several books. Renée was a homemaker and the manager of a boarding house for senior women.
In her infancy and adolescence, the predominant music in her home was that of Bach
, Mozart, Beethoven, and Chopin, among other classical performers. Along with Spanish music and opera. On the more modern side, she also listened to the music of Carmen Miranda
, Elis Regina
and The Beatles
(the only rock her grandfather would accept). In school, Paula took ballet and English classes with the intention of becoming an English professor.
At the age of 17, she began taking courses in Industrial Design and Visual Communication at the Pontifícia Universidade Católica of Rio de Janeiro
(PUC) and started studying French
. In conjunction with her course work, she did an internship in a visual programming office where she would put into practice the things she learned in school. In the meanwhile, she would arrange side jobs to complement her small salary. Her side jobs included translating books and term papers for her fellow students, assuming the position of secretary in her dance studio during the holidays and revised her grandfather's books. In her brother's room, she heard for the first time James Brown
and Tim Maia
.
The first discs she bought were the soundtracks of her favorite telenovela
s (which included songs by Stevie Wonder
, Marcos Valle
, and the Jackson Five). After that, she got interested in Janis Joplin
and Rita Lee
. She would often go to small parties called "Arrastas" where they would play artists like Led Zeppelin
, Pink Floyd
, Billy Paul
, Michael Jackson
. Once in the university, she became addicted to listening to the radio.
By 1982, she was already singing in the group Kid Abelha, and two years later, she gave up on school right before reaching graduation. In the same year, she began taking voice lessons with a professor and lyrical singer Vera Maria do Canto e Mello and started singing Lieder (songs) in German, which awoke her interest in the language that she still studies today.
One of her favorite pastimes is to take long drives alone in her car, listening to loud music. This is how she comes up with most of her lyrics which she tries to write down while she drives. The bathroom tub is also one of the places she prefers to think of lyrics in.
Since 1987, she has been married with Brazilian film director Lui Farias and has one son, Gabriel.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian singer and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
. Toller is mainly known as the lead singer of Kid Abelha
Kid Abelha
Kid Abelha is a rock band from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, formed by Paula Toller , George Israel and Bruno Fortunato . The group has recorded 13 studio albums, 3 live albums and 2 live DVDs. They have created many songs which have entered into Brazilian pop-rock history...
, one of Brazil's most popular music bands. In 1998, she released her self-titled first solo album, which was very well received. Her second solo album, titled SóNós
SóNós
SóNós is the second solo album by Kid Abelha lead singer Paula Toller, released by Warner Music Brasil on June 28, 2007.-Track listing:# "? " – 3:12...
, was recently released.
Biography
Paula Toller was born on August 23, 1962, in Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
. She grew up in Copacabana, a traditional borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
of Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
. Paula studied ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
Paula was raised by her paternal grandparents, Paulo and Renée. Paulo was a retired surgeon, an ex-adviser of the president of Brazil and of the government of the state of Guanabara, a historian and also an author of several books. Renée was a homemaker and the manager of a boarding house for senior women.
In her infancy and adolescence, the predominant music in her home was that of Bach
Bạch
Bạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
, Mozart, Beethoven, and Chopin, among other classical performers. Along with Spanish music and opera. On the more modern side, she also listened to the music of Carmen Miranda
Carmen Miranda
Carmen Miranda, GCIH was a Portuguese-born Brazilian samba singer, Broadway actress and Hollywood film star popular in the 1940s and 1950s. She was, by some accounts, the highest-earning woman in the United States and noted for her signature fruit hat outfit she wore in the 1943 movie The Gang's...
, Elis Regina
Elis Regina
Elis Regina Carvalho Costa, known simply as Elis Regina was an important singer of Brazilian popular music. She became nationally renowned in 1965, after singing Arrastão in the first edition of TV Excelsior festival song contest, and soon joined O Fino da Bossa, a television program on TV Record...
and The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
(the only rock her grandfather would accept). In school, Paula took ballet and English classes with the intention of becoming an English professor.
At the age of 17, she began taking courses in Industrial Design and Visual Communication at the Pontifícia Universidade Católica of Rio de Janeiro
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro
The Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro is a private and non-profit Catholic university, located in Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil...
(PUC) and started studying French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. In conjunction with her course work, she did an internship in a visual programming office where she would put into practice the things she learned in school. In the meanwhile, she would arrange side jobs to complement her small salary. Her side jobs included translating books and term papers for her fellow students, assuming the position of secretary in her dance studio during the holidays and revised her grandfather's books. In her brother's room, she heard for the first time James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
and Tim Maia
Tim Maia
Tim Maia , born Sebastião Rodrigues Maia in Rio de Janeiro, was a famous Brazilian musician known for his iconoclastic, ironic, outspoken, and polemical musical style...
.
The first discs she bought were the soundtracks of her favorite telenovela
Telenovela
A telenovela is a limited-run serial dramatic programming popular in Latin American, Portuguese, and Spanish television programming. The word combines tele, short for televisión or televisão , and novela, a Spanish or Portuguese word for "novel"...
s (which included songs by Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, Marcos Valle
Marcos Valle
Marcos Kostenbader Valle is a Brazilian singer, songwriter and record producer. He has produced works in many musical styles, including bossa nova, samba, incidental music and fusions of American/European rock, soul and dance music with Brazilian styles.-Biography:Valle's talent was evident from...
, and the Jackson Five). After that, she got interested in Janis Joplin
Janis Joplin
Janis Lyn Joplin was an American singer, songwriter, painter, dancer and music arranger. She rose to prominence in the late 1960s as the lead singer of Big Brother and the Holding Company and later as a solo artist with her backing groups, The Kozmic Blues Band and The Full Tilt Boogie Band...
and Rita Lee
Rita Lee
Rita Lee Jones Carvalho , simply known as Rita Lee, is a Brazilian rock singer and composer. Lee continues to be a popular figure in Brazilian entertainment, where she is also known for being an animal rights activist and a vegetarian...
. She would often go to small parties called "Arrastas" where they would play artists like Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, Billy Paul
Billy Paul
Billy Paul is a Grammy Award winning American soul singer, most known for his 1972 number-one single, "Me and Mrs. Jones" as well as the 1973 album and single "War of the Gods" which blends his more conventional pop, soul and funk styles with electronic and psychedelic influences...
, Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
. Once in the university, she became addicted to listening to the radio.
By 1982, she was already singing in the group Kid Abelha, and two years later, she gave up on school right before reaching graduation. In the same year, she began taking voice lessons with a professor and lyrical singer Vera Maria do Canto e Mello and started singing Lieder (songs) in German, which awoke her interest in the language that she still studies today.
Personal life
During her day-to-day, to maintain her physical and mental self, Paula does gymnastics, psychoanalysis and plays tennis. She preventitively treats herself with medicine and oriental therapies (shiatsu/acupuncture). She tries to maintain a balanced diet without going overboard.One of her favorite pastimes is to take long drives alone in her car, listening to loud music. This is how she comes up with most of her lyrics which she tries to write down while she drives. The bathroom tub is also one of the places she prefers to think of lyrics in.
Since 1987, she has been married with Brazilian film director Lui Farias and has one son, Gabriel.