Brazilian singer Mariella Santiago, is a startling beautiful and one of Bahia’s most powerful and mesmerizing young performers. Steeped in the traditional music of Bahia, she has created her own modern sound – a remarkable fusion of American Jazz Soul, Bossa Nova and Afro Brazilian music.Her powerful, radiant voice has dazzled some of Brazil’s biggest stars - including Gilberto Gil and Carlinhos Brown who were quick to hire her as a vocalist in their own bands.
She was born in Salvador, the pulsing heart of Brazilian Candomblé and samba, into a close- knit, loving, musical family. Her father, Messias Santiago, a singer and songwriter in his own right, passed on his talent to Mariella and introduced her to the great Brazilian popular and romantic traditions, along with American jazz and soul. Through her mother and aunt, Mariella connected to the powerfull spiritual musical traditions of Candomblé and Umbanda. This root connection gives her voice an emotional, sultry resonance and strength of rare depth. Blurring boundaries, her profoundly moving and evocative style, draws on her heritage but flows in distinctly original directions - think Joni Mitchell meets Ella Fitzgerald at a Candomblé ritual!
Her strong,sophisticated, elegant vision manifested in her self produced and self titled debut – recording. Most of the twelve original songs in the album were composed by Mariella and Pascal Héranval, and featured guest appearances by, Hermeto Pascoal Carlinhos Brown and DJ Dolores. The album was recorded at WR and Ilha dos Sapos Studios, in Bahia in just twelve days, and was winner of the Prêmio Copene de Cultura e Arte 2001. In review, the Tribuna da Bahia describes Mariella as, "One of the best and most remarkable voices of Bahian music".
Since 1997, Mariella’s been working with German composer, Eberhard Shoener, on the Virtopera project, recording and performing Beleza Negra, a short opera inspired by Puccini's Madam Butterfly. In July 2005 she performed to an audience of 5.000 people, along with the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra at the Sommernachtstraum Fest (Summernightdream Fest), conducted by Shoener. The electric- jazz ensemble, Wagon Cookin', from Spain, featured Mariella's vocals on six songs of their latest cd, "Everyday Life," which has been nominated best jazz album of year 2004 in Spain.
She recently performed a tribute in memorian to avant - garde afro - brasilian songwriter, Itamar Assunção.The concert launched Itamar’s songbook and biography.Getting to know Itamar´s poetry has been one of the most important and magic moments of Mariella’s carrer as a songwriter.
Mariella is currently recording her second album, produced in partnership with Arto Lindsay