Simone Bittencourt de Oliveira
Her voice became the sophisticated, soulful soundtrack to a generation of Brazilians, defining the sound of MPB for decades.
Born 1949 (age 77)·Musical artist·Birthday: December 25·Baby Boomers
Biography
Born in Salvador, Bahia, Simone Bittencourt de Oliveira moved to São Paulo as a teenager, carrying the rich musical heritage of her home state. Her breakthrough came in the early 1970s, not with a shout, but with a poised, resonant whisper that commanded attention. Simone mastered the art of emotional delivery, turning songs by Chico Buarque, Caetano Veloso, and other Brazilian greats into intimate, powerful statements. She navigated the shifting tides of Brazilian popular music, from the protest anthems of the dictatorship era to the romantic ballads of the 1980s, always maintaining a standard of vocal excellence and interpretive depth. With a career spanning over 30 albums, she is less a flashy star and more a foundational pillar, her voice a trusted companion for millions, embodying both the joy and the complex melancholy of Brazilian life.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Simone was born in 1949, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Simone Was Born
The biggest hits of 1949
#1 Movie
Samson and Delilah
Best Picture
All the King's Men
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Simone's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1949Born
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1954Started school
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1962Became a teenager
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1965Could drive
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1967Could vote
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1970Turned 21
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1979Turned 30
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 40
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 50
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 60
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 70
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 77 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Released over 30 studio albums, becoming one of the best-selling artists in the history of Música Popular Brasileira (MPB).
- Her 1973 album 'Simone' featured the massive hit 'Começar de Novo', which became an enduring anthem.
- Won the prestigious Prêmio da Música Brasileira for Best Singer in 2000.
- Performed at major international venues, including the Montreux Jazz Festival, helping to globalize MPB.
Did You Know?
She is the sister-in-law of fellow iconic Brazilian singer Gal Costa.
Her song 'Começar de Novo' was the theme for the telenovela 'Malu Mulher', which tackled women's rights.
She was briefly married to the American soul singer Sidney Miller in the 1970s.
“Cantar é a minha forma de respirar, de viver.”
