Some plan for success and others simply stumble into it — literally. During a trip to New York with her husband João Gilberto and Latin singer Antônio Carlos Jobim, in 1963, Astrud Gilberto landed her first professional recording after a producer asked for an English-speaking singer to do a cover of "The Girl From Ipanema." While João and Antônio spoke only their Portuguese, Astrud, whose father worked as a language professor was fluent in other languages — including English. So, despite having no prior professional singing experience, she was asked to record the song, per The Guardian.
With the record selling millions of copies worldwide, Astrud soon found herself at the forefront of fame. Sadly, she was unable to replicate the success she enjoyed with "The Girl From Ipanema." Though she continued to make music up until the '90s, the late singer led a very private life, often avoiding public events and interviews. "I firmly believe that any artist who becomes famous through their work — be it music, motion pictures or any other — does not have any moral obligation to satisfy the curiosity of journalists, fans or any members of the public about their private lives, or anything else that does not have any direct reflection on their work," she once said, via NBC News, in response to criticism over her private life.
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