Astrud Gilberto, the Brazilian vocalist whose first professionally recorded song, The Girl from Ipanema, defined her career and an era of popular music, has died. She was 83.

That song was one of two tracks she recorded in March 1963 in New York City during sessions for the album Getz/Gilberto, led by saxophonist Stan Getz and her then husband, the composer-guitarist João Gilberto. The session also featured pianist and composer Antônio Carlos Jobim, whose song Garota de Ipanema (written with lyricist Vincinius de Moraes) she immortalised.

Astrud Gilberto singing.

Astrud Gilberto. Photo supplied.

Astrud Evangelina Weinert was born in 1940, in Bahia, Brazil. Her German father was a language professor, her mother a teacher who played several instruments. 

After the family moved to Rio de Janeiro, the teenaged Astrud found herself in musical circles, singing among friends. She met João Gilberto when she was 19 and they married soon after. 

Astrud’s singing career began a few years later, almost by accident, when Getz/Gilberto