Clara Nunes (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈklaɾɐ ˈnunis], August 12, 1942 – April 2, 1983) was a Brazilian samba and MPB singer, considered one of the greatest of her generation.

According to her own words, she grew up listening to Carmen Costa, Ângela Maria, and especially Elizeth Cardoso and Dalva de Oliveira, the latter who had always been a big influence on her music, even though she kept a unique style.

In 1960, still working as a weaver, she won the Minas Gerais stage of a contest named "The Golden Voice of ABC",[3] performing "Serenata do Adeus", composed by Vinícius de Moraes and previously recorded by Elizeth Cardoso.

In the national stage of the competition, held in São Paulo, she came in third place with the song "Só Adeus" (composed by Jair Amorim and Evaldo Gouveia).

Following the end of her TV show, in 1965, Clara moved to the Copacabana neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro to pursue a national career as singer.

It was a remarkable achievement which helped to overturn the idea that women were unable to become big record sellers (in Brazil) and thereby stimulated other companies to invest in other female samba musicians, such as Alcione and Beth Carvalho.

In the second half of the decade, she released one album every year, all of them selling well and featuring historic tracks such as "Juízo Final", "Coração Leviano" and "Morena de Angola".

Other hits were "Você Passa e Eu Acho Graça", "Ê Baiana", "Ilu Ayê - Terra da Vida", "Tristeza, Pé no Chão", "A Deusa dos Orixás", "Macunaíma", "O Mar Serenou", "As Forças da Natureza", "Guerreira", "Feira de Mangaio", "Portela na Avenida" and "Nação".

Clara was also famous for songs crafted from the rhythms of Umbanda, her Afro-Brazilian religion, and for her typical costumes, as she always dressed in white and wore many necklaces and African beads.

[5] On March 5, 1983, Clara Nunes underwent a seemingly simple surgery to treat varicose veins, but ended up having an allergic reaction to one of the components of the anesthetic.

Meanwhile, the singer was the victim of a series of speculations that circulated in the media over her hospital admission, including "artificial insemination, abortion, suicide attempt, and spousal abuse by her husband".