She was born in São Luís, Maranhão, son of a military police maestro and at the age of thirteen, she began to sing in college parties.
In 1972 she recorded her first compact and in 1975 her first LP, A Voz do Samba. Known as "Marrom" (brownie), she sang several hits like Não deixe o samba morrer, Lá vem você, Gostoso veneno and Ilha da maré.