Carlos Eduardo Lyra Barbosa (11 May 1933 – 16 December 2023) was a Brazilian singer, and composer of numerous bossa nova and Música popular brasileira classics.

His first compositions (music and lyrics), from 1954 to 1956 included: "Quando chegares"; "Menina"; "Barquinho de Papel"; "Ciúme"; "Criticando" and "Maria Ninguém".

In 1957 he started to compose together with the lyricist Ronaldo Bôscoli, songs such as "Lobo bobo", "Saudade fez um samba" and" Se é tarde me perdoa".

This performance introduced bossa nova to American audiences, alongside other notable Brazilian artists like João Gilberto, Antônio Carlos Jobim, Sérgio Mendes, and Milton Banana.

Charismatic on stage, with a rich baritone voice, he captivated audiences throughout Brazil and, in the mid-1960s, in the United States, where he spent two years touring with saxophonist Stan Getz, the premier American exponent of bossa nova.

He was an outspoken leftist who joined the Communist Party and helped establish the People's Center for Culture, a space in Rio de Janeiro for progressive students and artists.

[4] He wrote songs about social and political issues, frequently coding his messages after the 1964 military coup in Brazil, which forced him into exile twice, first in Mexico City and then in Los Angeles.

Among the many celebrations surrounding his 90th birthday was the release of the album "Afeto: Homenagem Carlos Lyra (90 Anos)," which featured his songs performed by some of Brazil's most prominent musicians, including Gilberto Gil, Joyce Moreno, and Mônica Salmaso.