Thousands bid farewell to singer Mendonça

Thousands bid farewell to singer Mendonça dpa 6 hrs ago | Brazilian star singer Marília Mendonça (26) has died in a plane crash. Her death triggered nationwide consternation and mourning up to the presidential office. Relatives mourn in front of the coffin containing the remains of Marilia Mendonca.... "The whole country is shocked by the death of one of the greatest artists of her generation," wrote head of state Jair Bolsonaro on Twitter. "The feeling is that we have lost someone very close to us, because Marília was always present in our lives through her songs." Brazilian singer Marília Mendonça died in a plane crash. Friends, relatives and fans said goodbye to Mendonça in Brazil. Thousands of people paraded past the musician's coffin in a sports hall in the city of Goiânia, as seen on Brazilian television. Many people cried and hugged each other. The government of the state of Goiás expected up to 100,000 mourners. Mourning throughout the country The Latin Grammy winner died when the small plane crashed on its way from Goiânia near Caratinga, according to the Minas Gerais state fire department. According to the report, there were five victims: the pilot and co-pilot, Mendonça's producer Henrique Ribeiro and her uncle and advisor Abicieli Silveira Dias Filho were also killed. There was initially no information on the cause of the crash. The plane carrying Mendonça crashed into a power line, Brazilian news portal "G1" and newspaper "Folha de S. Paulo" reported. A video posted on Mendonça's Instagram account had previously shown her walking to a plane with a guitar case in hand. "Concert weekend in Minas Gerais," it read. In 2019, she won the Latin Grammy Brazilian soccer star Neymar, who was considered a friend of Mendonça's, tweeted, "I refuse to believe it." Music stars such as Caetano Veloso and Gal Costa bid her a fond farewell on Twitter. Mendonça was among Brazil's best-known and most popular singers. She had 40 million followers on Instagram, and in 2019 she won the Latin Grammy with the album "Em Todos os Cantos." In 2017 and 2021, she was nominated. Mendonça conquered Brazil with intense and romantic lyrics and melodies. She revolutionized "sertanejo," a type of Brazilian country music, internationally known for the song "Ai Se Eu Te Pego" by Michel Telo. For a long time, the genre was almost exclusively dominated by men. Mendonça strengthened the female tone and also sang about feminist themes. Hits like "Infiel," with its angry complaint about her aunt's unfaithful husband, made Mendonça the "Rainha da Sofrência," the queen of suffering. But the songs were not only well received by many women. Mendonça was one of the most listened-to artists in Brazil on streaming services like Spotify.