She was known as the lead singer of Rosanna & Zélia, a duo which received much critical acclaim in much of mainland Europe.
In 1974, her family moved from Itaúna near the Bahian border, to Belo Horizonte, where they quickly came into contact with the wide-ranging music scene in the capital of Minas Gerais.
After discovering that the band's music had been very successful in Europe, Rosanna & Zélia began more extensive touring, with much time spent in Portugal.
The duo collaborated with many musicians of Latin American and jazz scene, including Dino Saluzzi, Howard Levy, Katharina Franck, Shantel and German dance producer Ian Pooley.
The last two years of Tavares' life were determined by her own fight with cancer, which proved too difficult.