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Gilberto’s airy, unaffected style conveyed both endearing honesty and unflappable cool. ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ quickly became the ‘Getz/Gilberto’ album’s focal point. And yet, when the album was released, Astrud’s contributions weren’t credited. It wasn’t until the following year, 1964, when ‘Ipanema’ hit the American top five and ‘Getz/Gilberto’ began selling in bulk—introducing countless listeners to the joys of Brazilian music—that people started wondering about the identity of that mysterious vocalist. From then on, Gilberto’s unlikely singing career flourished. Signed first to Verve and later to Creed Taylor’s CTI label, she spread the gospel of bossa around the globe. — Mac Randall