Ellen Oléria is a Brazilian singer, songwriter, and musician with twenty-five years of dedication to music, a journey crowned with festival awards and five albums that carry the strength of many encounters. Born in Brasília on November 12, 1982, and raised in Chaparral, a region of Taguatinga, her music is a powerful and vibrant fusion of MPB, samba, soul, funk, bossa nova, and hip hop, a reflection of her rich cultural heritage and multifaceted identity.
A dramatic soprano with a scintillating timbre and a deeply Brazilian repertoire, Ellen condenses in each performance what the people recognize as their own: enthusiasm, groove, the flame that sets the dance floor on fire, and a smile that never leaves her face. Her work speaks to universal human themes that transcend identity, while being deeply informed by her lived experience as a Black, fat, lesbian woman from the periphery. These markers are present in her songs, expressed through her art rather than serving as a summary of her production, shaping her without restricting her.
Musical Journey
Ellen's career began in the late 1990s, initially exploring instruments before finding her voice in church choirs, a path she walked alongside her sister. She has shared stages with Brazilian music legends including Milton Nascimento, Margareth Menezes, Ney Matogrosso, Paulinho Moska, and Chico César. Her performances have taken her from north to south of Brazil and across international stages in Spain, France, Angola, the United States, England, Russia, Japan, and Taiwan.
In 2012, Ellen achieved national acclaim as the winner of the first season of The Voice Brasil, a victory that brought her music to millions while affirming her commitment to artistic integrity over commercial conformity. Since that milestone, she has released critically acclaimed albums including her self-titled 2013 debut, Afrofuturista (2016), and most recently, *Canto de Casa - Volume 1*.
*Canto de Casa - Volume 1*
Canto de Casa (Song of Home) is the expression of Ellen's gratitude to all the people who have united with her through music. Born of partnerships and friendships, the album celebrates crossings and exchanges so immense that they ask for a little more of it all.
As Ellen herself describes: "When I was a child, I often saw our house fill with people on weekends. My father would pick up his accordion, and his playing was the invitation for neighbors to gather and appreciate the music. My mother always justify the gate open. People would arrive, received with a small cup of sweet coffee. Music continued to be a place of confluence for me. And even now, completing twenty-five years of dedication to music, it remains a meeting point. The album 'Canto de Casa Vol. 1' is the expression of my gratitude to all the people who have united with me through it. This path has been crowned with many partnerships and many friendships. It is in this spirit that we present this album, celebrating our crossings, our exchanges that, being so immense, ask for a little more of it all. In the bond of sharing in love, this is our song of home. Saravá, minha gente!"
Activism and Media
Ellen's versatility extends beyond music to activism and media. She hosted Estação Plural, a TV Brasil talk show dedicated to behavioral topics and the LGBT universe, opening gates as her mother once did for neighbors so that more people could join the conversation. Her work consistently reflects her commitment to representation, visibility, and the celebration of Black and LGBTQ+ lives.
Discography
2009 – Peça
2011 – Ellen Oléria e Pret.utu – Ao Vivo no Garagem
2013 – Ellen Oléria
2016 – Afrofuturista
2026 – *Canto de Casa - Volume 1* (Tropical Diaspora Records®)
Connection to Tropical Diaspora Records
Ellen's connection to Tropical Diaspora Records was forged through drummer Leo Carvalho, whose powerful percussion is featured on our previous releases, including Renato Gama's Olhos Negros Vivo and Berlin. Through this diasporic chain of custody, Ellen's music finds its home with a label dedicated to amplifying the unheard voices of the Afro-diaspora. Her arrival at Tropical Diaspora Records is not a transaction but an organic meeting of kindred spirits, united by a shared vision of cultural preservation, sonic liberation, and artistic sovereignty.
"No laço da partilha em amor, este é o nosso canto de casa." "In the bond of sharing in love, this is our song of home."