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Marília Mendonça, an iconic Brazilian singer and songwriter who created hits that influenced generations of musicians around the world, has died in a plane crash, according to local reports.
Brazilian superstar Marília Mendonça dies in plane crash in Bolivia Read more
Mendonça, best known as the “Brazilian Barbra Streisand”, died when the aeroplane she was travelling in crashed on landing in southern Bolivia, the La Paz airport authority said.
She was 67.
She had recently released a new album, Unstoppable, which was due to be released next month. She was also on tour in the Latin American nation.
Mendonça was known for such hits as The Little Things, No More Life, Buené o Mal, Music for Everything, Once in a Lifetime and She’s in Charge.
She also had a TV show and performed at cultural and political events throughout Brazil.
“A singer of all generations has died, with leaves behind a lot of talent,” her agent in the UK, David Bernstein, said in a tweet.
Bernstein told Brazilian media she died on Saturday night in the crash, which killed at least 20 people. His client held the Guinness World Record for the most straight duets on the Portuguese version of The Billboard Top 100.
Carlos Mancias da Silva, who was the flight’s pilot, told authorities the engine suddenly “broke” and “it went dead” as they approached La Paz’s Santa Cruz airport.
Three other passengers died in the crash, including the spokeswoman of the airline, Yola Lino Godoy, the airport authority said.
The Falcón air force plane’s fuselage tipped over after it crashed in flames, scattering debris over a field in the mountains of Santa Cruz.
Before flying commercial, Mancias Da Silva helped start La Paz-based airline Rapida, specializing in business travel, before joining Cunha airlines, which eventually became Riveter.
He said Cunha used to fly Marília across Brazil.
Mendonça had been in negotiations with Colombian singer Shakira to record a duet entitled Goodbye, which was released last year.
“She was doing a lot of work with me. We were supposed to do a duet in the beginning of the year,” Shakira wrote on Twitter.
“I am very sad and saddened by this terrible news. I will remember our moments of music and conversation with great fondness. Rest in peace Marília.”