The Tragic Death Of Brazilian Singer Marilia Mendonca

Latin Grammy award-winner and one of Brazil's most famous contemporary singers, Marília Mendonça, died in a plane crash on November 5. She was 26 years old (per People). Brazil's Secretaria Especial da Cultura do Ministério do Turismo confirmed her death via Twitter.

Her uncle Abicieli Silveira Dias Filho, producer Henrique Ribeiro, and the flight's pilot and co-pilot also died in the plane crash. According to People, Mendonça departed Goiânia on her way to Minas Gerais, where she was set to perform an evening concert. However, the plane crashed near Piedade de Caratinga, in Vale do Rio Doce, alongside a waterfall. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the reasons leading to the crash.

Before boarding the flight, the singer posted a video to her millions of Instagram followers, which showed her carrying a guitar case and walking toward the plane. Fans flooded the video's comments section, many in disbelief, to pay their respects to the singer after the news of her death broke.

Marilia Mendonça was quite active with her singing career, as she was part of the musical group Patroas and released a music video in October. Per People, Mendonça was nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2017 for the best sertaneja music album. Sertaneja is a music style that originated in the 1920s in the Brazilian countryside (per Tours Gone Wild). Two years later, Mendonça won the award in the same category for her album, "Todos os Cantos."

Following her death, Brazilian forward and world-famous footballer Neymar Jr. tweeted, "I refuse to believe, I just refuse." Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro also posted a tweet, saying that Mendonça was "one of the greatest artists of her generation," and "the entire country receives the news in shock" (per Google Translate).

Per The Guardian, Mendonça sang about feminist issues in her songs. She called for female empowerment, denouncing men who controlled their partners in their relationships. She was one of the most listened-to artists in Brazil on Spotify in 2020. Mendonça has left behind a son, who will turn two next month.