Today we’d like to introduce you to Ella & The Bossa Beat.
Hi Ella, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Everything started when we lived in Brazil, and I (Ella Borges) was only 5 years old. I wrote my first lyrics and melody as we were driving back home, and that day was when my parents realized I was interested in music. My father, Magrus Borges, had been touring with Astrud Gilberto, Grace Jones, and Bebel Gilberto and had a home studio where he recorded most of his albums. He started inviting me to sing on a couple of tracks, doing backing vocals, and I began playing acoustic guitar and writing my own songs on the side. At age 12, I got my first keyboard for Christmas, and that’s when I became interested in playing piano and learning Brazilian music. At age 14, my father produced my first original solo album that featured some great musicians from Brazil. Eventually, my family decided to move back to the United States, where my father and I formed the band Ella & The Bossa Beat. We began playing weekly at jazz clubs and art galleries when I was still in high school. Then we recorded our first album, “My Remedy,” in 2019, a mix of Brazilian jazz and pop/soul. In 2020 I received a Focus Brazil Award for “Orlando’s Best Female Singer,” and in 2022, I graduated from Stetson University, earning a degree in International Business and Music. My father and I also became members of the Recording Academy, and in November 2022, we released our second album, Ella & The Bossa Beat, called “In the Moment.” We have a weekly residency performing at Portofino Hotel at Universal Studios; we perform at various jazz clubs/venues and festivals. We are planning to book shows and tours in the U.S., Brazil, Europe, and abroad for the years to come.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has been smooth most of the time because I receive much support from my family. Especially when I get to work with my father, we always have shared a great connection, and since we have a home studio, we can record anytime we’re available. The most challenging moment was when I had to balance my life as a full-time college student and be a professional musician, playing shows during the week and on the weekends while maintaining a high GPA.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We are a father-daughter duo called Ella & The Bossa Beat specializing in Brazilian jazz, pop/soul, Bossa Nova, and original music/lyrics. What sets us apart is that we incorporate Brazilian jazz with some pop and soul influences, both sung in Portuguese and English. We are proud of having released two original albums in which we composed, recorded, arranged, performed, wrote lyrics, and featured local and international musicians. We are also proud of receiving recognition on social media, on music platforms like Spotify, and performing our music live to people who admire and love what we do.
We’d like to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
We have been very fortunate to have had opportunities to play together, and we are lucky to share the same passion for performing and pursuing music as a profession. It is a blessing to have been born into such a musical family that supports me as an artist and wants me to follow my dreams.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ellaandthebossabeat.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellaandthebossabeat/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ellaandthebossabeat
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ellaandthebossabeat
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ellaandthebossabeat
Image Credits
Photos by Kristina Powers.
