A Grammy-winning Brazilian musician who worked with the Black Eyed Peas, Stevie Wonder and Justin Timberlake has died after months of battling long COVID.
Sergio Mendes, who introduced international audiences to Brazilian music genre bossa nova, died at the age of 83 in Los Angeles.
“His wife and musical partner for the past 54 years, Gracinha Leporace Mendes, was by his side, as were his loving children,” his family said in a statement.
“Mendes last performed in November 2023 to sold out and wildly enthusiastic houses in Paris, London and Barcelona.”
The pianist, songwriter and arranger’s version of Mas Que Nada was one of the songs that helped popularise bossa nova worldwide in the 1960s.
A version he recorded with the Black Eyed Peas topped US charts in 2006.
The track was included on his album Timeless, which was produced by will.i.am and featured Stevie Wonder, Justin Timberlake, John Legend and the Black Eyed Peas, among others.
“Sergio Mendes was my brother from another country,” trumpet player Herb Alpert wrote on Facebook, alongside a photo of him sitting next to Mendes at the piano.
“He was a true friend and extremely gifted musician who brought Brazilian music in all its iterations to the entire world with elegance.”
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Mendes won a Grammy award for best world music album for Brasileiro, as well as two Latin Grammy Awards.
He was nominated for an Oscar in 2012 for best original song for Real In Rio, from the animated film Rio.
He also composed the soundtrack for the film Pele, a documentary about the legendary Brazilian football player’s life.
